A midge is a tiny flying insect that looks like a miniature mosquito. Most midges are so small you might mistake them for specks of dust floating in the air, until you notice they're actually flying. They have delicate wings and slender bodies, and they often travel in large swarms that look like clouds hovering over lawns, ponds, or gardens at dusk.

Unlike mosquitoes, most midges don't bite people. They're more interested in finding a mate than bothering you. However, some types, like biting midges (also called no-see-ums because they're nearly invisible), do bite and can be quite annoying on summer evenings near water. Despite their size, these tiny biters can leave surprisingly itchy bumps.

Midges spend most of their lives as larvae living in water or damp soil. Only in their final days do they emerge as flying adults. Though they seem like pests when they swarm around your porch light, midges are actually important food for birds, bats, fish, and dragonflies. Without them, many animals would go hungry.