OHIO — Lake Erie residents beware: The summer-time creepy crawlies are returning to the shore. 

Mayflies typically emerge in late June through September. Ohio Edison has already begun to take steps for public safety. While the bugs themselves are harmless, the insects can pose a risk to drivers, walkers, bikers and anyone outside through their swarms. 

The insects live only 24-72 hours and are attracted to any light source, often coating buildings, windows and street lights.

"Mayflies create a safety issue because their carcasses contain an oily substance that makes the surfaces they coat very slick, especially when it rains," said Nick Katsaros, external affairs consultant in FirstEnergy's Lake Erie Service Area in a news release. "By turning off the streetlights near the lake over the next few months, we can help discourage thousands, even millions, of mayflies from congregating near them."

Ohio Edison has begun suspending streetlight service along several roads in Port Clinton, Marblehead and Erie Township. When the hatching season ends the company will resume streetlight service. 

Beginning their lives deep in the mud of Lake Erie, the mayflies sensitivity to depleted oxygen levels aids in their short lifespans.

"We realize our streetlight service is very important to the communities we serve, and their safety is always our top priority," said Katsaros. "We look forward to resuming streetlight service in the impacted areas once it is safe to do so."

According to the Ohio Sea Grant, mayfly populations have continued to grow in Ohio which the organization said shows health improvements in the lake.

"In western Lake Erie, mayfly populations dropped to essentially zero between 1959 and 1961, and remained extremely low until 1993, when scientists found about twelve mayfly larvae per square meter of sediment," Ohio Sea Grant said in a 2018 release. "Most recently, those numbers have increased dramatically, to 300-400 mayflies per square meter, a testament to environmental protection efforts and improving water quality."