Can (or should) we eat fish flies?

• Trillions of cicadas were emerging across 16 states, bringing a natural opportunity to consider insect consumption (entomophagy, in case you were wondering).

The intrigue: As I walked past buildings covered in fish flies, watched my dog snap them out of the air and covered my mouth (at times) so I wouldn't accidentally inhale any, I wondered why I was hearing this about cicadas, but never about our own seasonal swarms.

Catch up quick: Fish fly season, around June, is a messy time for river- and lake-side communities. But experts consider the occurrence a positive, because fish flies' presence shows a healthy ecosystem, the Free Press reports.

I consulted Wade Syers, an MSU Extension food safety specialist who has written about insect consumption:

Cicadas are a particular target for these conversations because they're a "fun spectacle," they're quite large for insects, they have a "nutty flavor" and, per the EPA, are not harmful, Syers told Axios in an email.

• Syers says he doesn't hear about people wanting to eat fish flies, likely in part because most of their lives are spent underwater.

• But "people eat many different kinds of insects all over the world, and I do not know of any reason that under the right conditions, fish flies could not be eaten," he says.

Yes, but: In general, Syers doesn't recommend foraging for insects due to potential chemical and illness hazards.

• He suggests buying insect food products from reputable companies instead.