Black Fly story ... tell yours

[4 for Boating]

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?

[RI Swamp Yankee]

Early Thanksgiving in New Hampshire looked like this.

[SAMIAM]

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.

[jack1706]

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

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

[jmen24]

Originally Posted by jack1706

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.

[CrawfordCentury]

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:



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

[Argie's Wife]

...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....

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.

[ClosetExtrovert]

It was covered in black flies.

Ick.

[WinnDixie]

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

...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....

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.

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!

[SIKSUKR]

Originally Posted by WinnDixie

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.

[Lucy Goose]

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

[Chickie]

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.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Originally Posted by Lucy Goose

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

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





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

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

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

Too funny!

[Jonas Pilot]

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

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

[ApS]

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

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".

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

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

[Tallyho]

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.

[jmen24]

Originally Posted by Jonas Pilot

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

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

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.

[Seeker]

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.

[WinnDixie]

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???

[jmen24]

Originally Posted by WinnDixie

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.

[angela4design]

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.

[jrc]

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.

[Sunrise Point]

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.