Color-enhanced SEM of a nonbiting midge (Chironomidae sp.). This species is just a few millimeters long. One of their common names, "dancing flies," is illuminating, since the males gather into great swarms and perform an undulating mating dance. While walking or biking one can easily run into one of these clouds. Although the flies do not bite, people with allergies can get a sneezing attack or a rash on the skin. These symptoms are triggered by a pigment of the larvae which is still present in the adult flies. The females live only a couple of days. They fly into the mating cloud, copulate, lay their eggs in water, and then die. Magnification 90:1 at 15x15 cm image size.