In this clip, swarms of Alkali Flies carpet the shores of Mono Lake in California.

What appear to be patches of dirt on the shores are actually swarms of these flies.

Alkali flies are an uncommon insect that lives on the shores of salty lakes. During the summer, they hatch en mass, numbering into the millions.

They spend most of their lives underwater. Tiny hairs and waxes on their abdomen trap an air bubble around their body which allows them to crawl underwater, searching for somewhere to lay their eggs and for algae to feed upon.

Alkali flies provide a great source of nutrition for indigenous communities. They eat the fly larva, which they scoop from the water in baskets.

Swarms of Alkali Flies carpet the shores of Mono Lake in California

Alkali flies are an uncommon insect which lives on the shores of salty lakes. During the summer, they hatch en mass, numbering into the millions. What appears to be patches of dirt on the shores are actually swarms of these flies.

They even spend most of their lives underwater. Tiny hairs and waxes on their abdoman trap an air bubble around their body which allows them to crawl underwater, searching for somewhere to lay their eggs and for algae to feed upon.

The local indigenous population even ate the fly larva, which they scooped from the water in baskets. They provided a great source of nutrition for the communities.

It’s not just local people eating them though. Thousands of birds visit this lake in order to feed upon the insects before their migration to South America.