Black Fly story ... tell yours
 

About 6 years ago, mid May, I kayaked from our house to Loon Island, in the middle of Moultonborough Bay. Beautiful day. As I got close to the island, I was suddenly engulfed in black flies. They must have been sitting on the island just waiting for something to eat. They got in my ears, nostrils, eyes and on every possible patch of exposed skin. Horrible!
I thought of jumping out of the kayak to escape them, but then I would have to swim back ... out of the question. I paddled back as fast as I could. The further I got from the island, the fewer flies attacked, but a cooud of 'em followed me back, hounding me. Tough to paddle and swat flies at the same time. I was actually lumpy from the bites for a while.
Like they said on Hill Street Blues ... "be careful out there ..."

Tacking on a couple questions
 

I couldn't relate a black fly attack any better than Sal has (brrrr!), other than to say "been there"!...so will add two questions...have you swallowed a bunch of them (and had more go in while you tried to gag them out!)...and...how many of you does SkinSoSoft work for, as a repellent. It did for me when I lived up there. So far...no black flies here!! Brown recluse spiders and copperheads...but they will stay out of your personal space--your job to stay out of theirs.

Black Fly Story....
 

Once upon a time there was a set of teeth with wings....

Hilarious!
 

OMG, AW...that's beautiful! You're the winner and still champion...!

Funny you mention it, I was out working in the yard today and they swarmed me! I ran in and grabbed the skin so soft and they were gone and never bothered me again! Love that SSS!

Weekend Plan of Attack
 

So we are coming up for the weekend to the Meredith area and trying to plan out our activities.

Are the black flies already out in force?

Early Thanksgiving in New Hampshire looked like this.

We were raking yesterday and were covered with black flies in the late afternoon.....but they are not biting yet. Any day now, they'll be back to their old habits.

If you think there are no bugs out yet....

check out the Weirs Cam right now.... hahha

Yup, looks like the Mayflies are out and about.

When the thread changes to Mosquito stories I will share a "Birds" type encounter that lasted a week.

Black flies...meh. They're a nuisance. For me, they usually just buzz about my head and only land occasionally. Tough killen 'em I will say. Unlike mosquitoes, which are easy quarry.

I got no beefs with how the wildlife got parceled out amongst the various regions of the US. I'd much rather contend with what we got than say the southern folks. They got chiggers down there. Chiggers are nasty mean. Chiggers do this to you:

http://images.medicinenet.com/images...d_bugs_s17.jpg

And they got snakes, too. Real snakes, not our whimpey garter types.

...then there's fire ants...

Just before marrying Husband 1.0, he took me to meet his parents in Cottondale, Alabama (pause for effect here...)... and as I was exiting his truck, I stepped right into a mound of those things.... :eek::devil::fire::eek:

In about two minutes, my right foot was so swollen I couldn't get my Keds off... Holy-moley... those things are nasty.

I should have taken that as an omen. :);)

I'll take chiggers, black flies, and all that over fire ants.

Since then, I've upgraded to Husband 2.0 - the no fire ant model. :D

Just clicked on the wiers cam
 

It was covered in black flies.

Ick.

The black flies are swarming in Meredith. They aren't biting yet, but are all over you as soon as you step outside.

I saw the best black fly of all time on Elm Street, Laconia at around 6:30 this morning. It was a black convertable bug with a NH license plate that I read as "black fly". I can't remember the combination of 7 letters that made up the plate, but it sure did put a smile on my face.

legendary fire ants
 

AW's right...the dreaded fire ants! So far I have been lucky and pray I continue, because I have heard awful stories! I guess they will cause you to strip right down without thinking twice about where you are... and head for a hose...and then, probably, the hospital! Yes, black flies are a better choice...in this discussion of bad choices!

I knew a guy that was killed by fire ants on the golf course.

Look at all the flies on the Weirs web cam. I think they are mayflies though. YUCK!

Mayflies / Blackflies
 

I believe the flies we are seeing right now are Mayflies and not Blackflies. Although their huge swarms are a nuisance, they do not eat you alive like Blackflies do. I have never been bitten by a Mayfly but have definitely ingested a few over the years. House painting at this time of year can present some problems, as you wind up with a speckled house. Blackflies do not appear until the end of May, early June and are brutal.

Mayflies & Black Flies
 

I think Lucky Goose is right and they are actually mayflies.

http://i965.photobucket.com/albums/a...g?t=1271887652

http://www.theheartofnewengland.com/...EB-210x120.jpg

Also known as “buffalo gnats,” they are usually encountered near creeks and rivers where the larvae attach to submerged stones.

Black flies will fly up to 10 miles in search of blood. They do not transmit disease to humans in the United States. However, injury from black fly bites can threaten the lives of livestock and even people when present in very large numbers, typically in late spring and early summer. Deaths have been reported from allergic reactions and blood loss from the bites, and even from inhaling the flies. Black fly bites often cause considerable swelling and bleeding, may be itchy and slow to heal. They prefer to attack the head and where clothing fits tightly.

Black Fly Fact Sheet

Some questions and answers about Black Flies in Maine

Too funny!

May fly or midge?
 

I think they could be phantom midges. Notice the size and shape of the wings.

http://www.maineflyfish.com/forums/i...idgeAdult1.jpg

It must not be Stable Fly season yet...
 

1) I agree—I think they're midges, too. :look:

2) Chiggers (or "Red Bugs") are probably the worst kind of bite. You don't know you're bitten, and the itching lasts for a week. Tall, wet, grass in the Southeastern U.S. is their favorite haunt. :(

I don't know who named the pond that's located not too far from my Florida lake. The owner probably didn't seek companionship there, at "Red Bug Lake". :laugh:

3) Florida has native fireants! :rolleye1: (They're just not so big).

4) Judging by the odd postures in the "swarming" :confused: there's likely an out-of-focus spiderweb involved.

Black fly stories
 

The best repellant I ever used was, "Ole Woodsman Fly Dope". According to my wife, it would keep rhinoceros away. When I'd come back from fishing, she wouldn't let me anywhere near her until I showered.

I think we are discussing symantics and an out of focus picture makes it even more wasteful.

Depending on the stage of development..

One thing is for sure, they are not black flies.

They were swarming last night in the backyard, a few would actually touch down, walk around a bit, then SPLAT! on to the next pathfinder.

Black flies just started coming out here. I use Skin So Soft and sometimes hang a dryer sheet from the back of my hat. Looks stupid but works.

Another ???
 

Very educational...even if a little "itchy"...this thread! Now I am wondering...I thought midges were those almost invisible devils (we also called "no-see'ems") that could come through the finest screens on your camper, etc. and bite you like crazy! They almost looked like tiny, tiny dust particles, and usually made their presence known in early June or so. So what are those???

You are very close to correct, they are actually called "biting midges". The midges referenced above are larger, think mayfly, mosquito size.

They are one the rebel black sheep of the midge family tree.

Ticks - the worst bite you could get!
 

I'm amazed that no one has mentioned TICKS yet! I have Chronic Lyme Disease, which can be a crushingly debilitating condition at times.

Lyme disease affects the joints, heart, brain and other bodily organs and mimics numerous other diseases and conditions, including ALS, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, which can make diagnosis and treatment more difficult. IT'S A TERRIBLE THING TO LIVE WITH - and SO Preventable.

Ticks are out in force this year - in fact I had one crawl literally across my laptop keyboard on Tuesday - and I had been inside the house all day! Scary statistic: One moose can carry 10,000 to 120,000 ticks!! [Have you seen the National Geographic segment [link] which showed the ticks killing a moose? It's disgusting and sad. No, really, it's not for weak stomachs.]

New Hampshire has one of the highest infection rates in the country due to the high numbers of deer ticks we have. The number of reported cases of Lyme disease in New Hampshire increased 76.7 percent from 2007 to 2008, according to the NH DHHS, and saw a comparable increase last year as well! We have the fastest increases in the entire country.

I'm actually meeting with Governor Lynch today as he proclaims May Lyme Disease Awareness Month! PLEASE, PLEASE be aware that this is a major health risk, and take steps to prevent being bit and infected.

Listerine works too
 

Black flies are awful things, but my friend keeps a spray bottle of Listerine and sprays it all over himself to keep them away. I've tried it and I'm pretty sure it works too. I'm not too sure why, but I don't seem to get bit by them much anyway.

I agree with Angela about those ticks! I'd take mosquitoes and black flies any day over ticks. I've heard that deer and moose are literally infested with them. I've never hunted one, but I don't think I could eat the meat of a deer that had hundreds of ticks on its hide.

A friend contracted Lyme and it went undiagnosed until it caused a lot of problems. She has been on the mend for over a year.

I always watch for ticks, they seem to love me. Luckily most of my tick exposure has been the larger ticks. They are really icky and uncomfortable but generally have no long term effects.

If you get a tick off in less than 36 hours, even a Lyme infected deer tick, you have a very tiny risk. So make sure you check yourself everyday after spending time in the woods. You can protect yourself somewhat with DEET and early removal, but you still need to watch.

Icky, icky
 

I don't think you're 'sposed to eat the hide. ;)

Sound advice there. They're worst near brooks and sunny marshy areas. Love to lurk in the tall grass, too.

Pulled 3 off from my pants the other day. Tho' I don't mind the ticks as much this time of year. Most days we still have a fire in the stove to take off the chill. Little b@atids take a one-way trip to a hot stove top. Not too much into cruelty to animals no matter how small - but I do take a certain joy in watching a tick get what's coming.

It looks like the thread has been hijacked for the discussion of ticks, so allow me to carry it on even further.

Wouldn't it be great if Fish and Game employed the help of hunters (an abundant resource) to sort of "immunize" the deer population while they are out hunting? What if there were paintballs made which contained the same stuff the vet injects into a dog (Permethrin?), and it marked the deer when it got hit so another hunter would see that it had been tagged. It would kill the ticks which were on it, and eventually drastically reduce the level of Lyme disease, especially because most of the deer would get tagged instead of one or two deer per season per hunter. I'd think that those who are averse to killing Bambi would be less averse to "Tagging" Bambi if it was effective.

It might even be kinda fun.

Not a bad idea. Your'e out there loking for the perfect buck or it's not doe season and all you spot is does. Put away the 30-30, and bring out the paintball pistol and blast away with the tick and flea repellent paintballs. All the thrill of the hunt/stalk and you get to shoot too. Excellent idea! :D

I'm not a doctor by any means, but I would advise seeing a doc to get antibiotics anyway if you find a bite. Less than half of the people who get bit by a tick see the bulls-eye rash. Some only realize it from the aches and flu-like symptoms from the initial onset of infection. You can also send the tick to DHHS for analysis, but it's simple to have two weeks of antibiotics and prevent a lifetime of pain.

Also... size (of the tick) doesn't matter. Neither does the variety. The parasites they carry are microscopic; they don't need to be large.

I am in. Let me know if it comes to light.

The ticks are worse on moose than on deer, occasionally you will find a deer that has a bad cluster. Moose get it real bad.

The ticks most found on moose are Winter Ticks. They hang out at the end of saplings in huge clusters and when an animal or you brushes up against the sapling, they hold on. It can be noted on a moose as a very large patch of what looks like Eczema.

CAUTION, Some of these moose are really covered. http://www.nrri.umn.edu/moose/inform...interTick.html

There is nothing, I mean nothing wrong with the meat on an animal with ticks on them. Although my vision does get blury from time to time.:D

May is Lyme Disease Awareness month
 

I just got back from the State House to meet with Gov. Lynch, who is proclaiming May Lyme Disease Awareness month! I got interviewed for News 9 tonight at 11pm! Tune in!

I was also diagnosed with Lymes about five years ago. In a nutshell - I woke up one morning and couldn't get out of bed. I simply could not move without putting great physical effort into it. The youngest Argelet was just a few months old at the time and I remember being able to hear him, eyes open, but not able to respond. I had to rely on the oldest Argelet to get the phone and dial for help. It took everything I had just to hold the phone... I can't describe the feeling or the fear that just tore through me that morning. Several specialists later (and not being able to drive or really move for about a week) I was diagnosed with an arthritic condition (fibromyalgia) but it was a homeopath that felt it was Lymes. Basically the cure was time... it took a couple of years before I stopped having joint/muscle pain and felt like my body wasn't connected to my brain anymore. I'm one of those people who have just waaayyyyy too much to accomplish in a day to allow a headache or a cold drag me down - Lymes was like someone putting sugar in my gas tank. I couldn't function physically and so the emotional/mental was really challenged by the situation. Some supplements, steroids, and anti-inflammatory medications helped but really... it was a quite a while before I felt I could function again...

Angela - although I'm very, very sorry you're dealing with this horrible disease, I do thank you for bringing awareness to the public of this disease. Hugs to you for being so brave!

Anyone ever hear the Black Fly Song?

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:D

I fought some relentless black flies and other flying creatures today to shoot a 77.

Not bitten in Alton Bay
 

I was expecting the worst but today I was left alone. Not a bite, not even a buzz-by. There weren't out where we were (at the cabin). Now wasps we had ... plenty 'o' wasps.




Yes ... I'm refering to the insects, not the ...
http://www.sidedown.org/blog_pics/1397/1397_1.jpg

Here's an advance warning on a good place to avoid July 10.......www.timbermantri.com/blackfly.... just crawl'n with ugly black flies....waiting to bite!

Yesterday there weren't any black flies bothering me , but the mosquitoes were quite nasty.

Me too...the mosquitos were definately out in force yesterday...could have something to do with the high humidity? These mosquitos looked like the slower moving wide body, bomber species, as opposed to the fast & manueverable fighter jet species.

Shoot 'em down
 

Time for that mosquito killing laser ....

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10452992-71.html

Looks like this Black Fly Triathalon, taking place today, Sat & Sun, has really ramped up its number of participants. Last year was the first running, and this weekend is the second running, and the WV area sort of resembles the Tour de France what with all the hundreds of serious racer bicyclists-runners-swimmers; men & women, all decked out in lycra and aerodynamic helmets, etc. Looks like the Valley has the "no vacancy' sign out as every hotel and parking lot is probably filled with bicyclers from all over New England & New York State.

WV has definately seen an increase in serious look'n bicyclers out practicing the 10-mile down, and 10-mile return run on Route 49 in the past couple months. Could be it was for bicyclers, up for a weekend, to get familiar with the bicycle segment of this weekend's Triathalon? As you know; if you want to win, you got to practice!

Haven'T Got...
 

don't miss'em, however we do have some very LARGE scorpions & rattlers and such... Keeps one on there toes over here. Exercise is, and has been one of the many spices of life. Texas mex, will give you a few more. :) :liplick: :look:

Oh yes, I had all of the Upto Date anti virus software installed on my computer, Cept this guy creeped in [ under the radar, so to speak ] !
I was just very lucky however, in that 'he' looked like an overlooked drop, under my computer desk. When I reached down to pick it up, 'IT Moved'... OKAY... I survived NH... Could be another story though... Yup Yup!... Black Flies. Cantankerous! ;)
As I remember, 'It Was Saturday Night Live, for me'!...

My Dad Worked Very...
 

To support his family. He did get to enjoy gardening after he retired, yet had to wear a head net and heavy clothes, as he was allergic to the black flies. They were always a big pain to the rest of us, but he had an adverse reaction to them so as he needed extra protection.

To this very day, I think that this was his way of showing the rest of us that we would winni out, and I think that he was right! :)

Just try to walk a smile in his shoes!