ESSEX, Md. — If you live, work, or just like to hang out along the Chesapeake Bay shoreline in Baltimore County, chances are you've become all too familiar with midges. The tiny little pests have been bugging people here for years, but it's recently gotten a lot worse.
According to County Executive Kathy Klausmeier, "This year, we have seen an unprecedented infestation along our County's Chesapeake Bay shoreline and many associated tributaries. Recent heavy rains have significantly lowered both the temperature and salinity of County waterways along the Chesapeake Bay, creating an extremely hospitable habitat for midges and threatening the livelihood of many County marinas and other Bay-based marine trade businesses as we head into the peak summer season."
The small flies are most active at sunrise and sunset. They don't bite, but they do bother — boaters and bartenders alike.
Baltimore County residents voice their concerns in regard to midges
"We won't even go out and boat in some of the areas because they're so bad and they just swarm over everything," Jennifer Pitts said outside of her boat at Cutter Marina in Essex. "I have friends that their homes, you can’t even see the color of their house because they’re covered in them."
"No matter where you go, they're just here to attack you. You can't even breathe without getting one of them up your nose, up your mouth," Sarah Dibiase, bartender at Tiki Lee's Dock Bar in Sparrows Point, said.
Baltimore County Councilman David Marks told WMAR-2 News, "It's not just an impact to convenience. People are worried about the threat on our way of life."
In 2017, then-Governor Larry Hogan launched the Midge Suppression Pilot Program, designated the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) as the lead agency responsible for managing pests that affect natural areas, and tapped the agency with treating a section of the Back River with a pesticide.
When the problem started getting worse, the county and the MDA launched a partnership to expand the treatment area, and split the costs.
This week, County Executive Klausmeier sent a letter to the MDA Secretary Kevin Atticks saying the department hasn't lived up to its side of the bargain yet this year. She asked the department to pay what it owes and for additional state resources to help manage the growing problem.
A spokesperson for the department says payment is being made directly to the contractor who sprayed the pesticide treatment. The spokesperson also said, "The department has been engaging with Baltimore County to identify both short and long term solutions to address this issue including potential homeowner engagement with a new management program. The department remains committed to working with our partners to reduce the impacts of this nuisance insect."
On Thursday, Councilman Marks and the MDA held a joint briefing over Zoom, in which they answered questions from the community. You can watch the full recording here.
“Imagine what's gonna be the scenario in 2026 if we don't deal with this,” Councilman Marks said. “One of these midges lays up to a thousand eggs.”
The Essex Middle River Civic Council also sent its own letter to the MDA Secretary this week, raising the concern that the issue may stem partly from the Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant creating a favorable breeding ground for the pests.
Councilman Marks said that’s likely one of several factors at play - including the weather, and overfishing.
“The treatment plant releases nutrient pollution. Midges thrive off of nutrient pollution. Now, we've been told that plant meets all the state requirements but you know, it's out there. And it's a factor, and it's something that people are concerned about,” he told WMAR-2 News.
