Midge

Midge, a common name for many different kinds of delicate flies, more or less gnat-like in structure, but usually harmless in habit. The adults dance in great swarms in the air; the larvæ are usually aquatic. A common little brown midge, Corethra plumicornis, has beautifully transparent larvæ, frequent in stagnant water; while those of Chironomus plumosus are bright red, known as bloodworms, and much sought after by birds and fishes. The name is sometimes extended beyond the limits of the family Chironomidae to include such forms as the formidable Danubian gnat (Simulium columbaschense) or the allied buffalo gnat of the southern United States. See GNAT.