CLEVELAND — Ohio Edison announced this week that it will be shutting off streetlights along parts of Lake Erie in an effort to combat mayflies. 

According to Ohio Edison, streetlights on some lakefront roads in Port Clinton will be temporarily turned off. Ohio Edison said it’s working with other municipalities to turn off lights near the lakefront. 

Ohio Edison says that streetlights will be turned back on after mayfly hatching season is over. 

The company says that mayflies create dangerous driving conditions, and that mayflies are attracted to streetlights. The company adds that the mayfly population has spiked in recent years along Lake Erie. 

"Many people don't realize these flies 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, an external affairs consultant in FirstEnergy's Lake Erie service area. "By turning off the streetlights near the lake over the next few months, we can help dissuade thousands, even millions, of mayflies from congregating near them."

According to the National Institutes of Health, mayflies play an important role in our ecosystem. Mayflies help regulate fresh water by cleaning the water and providing nutrition for various species.