Black Flies

[Mihun09]

I've been working out in the yard of late and getting swarmed by what I believe are black flies. Nasty biting beasties they are and although we aren't close to any running water where they breed, research shows they will travel hundreds of kilometres with the wind to find food (me). In doing my research I uncovered this old classic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjLBXb1kgMo&feature=related

 

[Bothwell Voyageur]

Always worth another watch!
So how long after feeding do they breed and need to lay eggs? If you are away from running water does it mean your blood sacrifice was wasted?

 

[red langford]

I love the taste of Black Flies in the morning.

 

[LF_tripper]

I love the taste of Black Flies in the morning.

How was the bug situation in east WCPP? I leave this Friday and plan to be in WCPP for 5 nights before I enter Manitoba for the rest of the trip.
Also, how was the fishing?

 

[Boatman53]

I love that song, and sure can identify with it as surveying was my first real job, almost made a career of it but instead went with boatbuilding.

 

[red langford]

How was the bug situation in east WCPP? I leave this Friday and plan to be in WCPP for 5 nights before I enter Manitoba for the rest of the trip.
Also, how was the fishing?

Okay so first let me tell you that my theory of predominately west winds is complete tripe. The wind only ever blows 3 directions...In my face, in my face to the left and in my face to the right. The past week seemed to be always 15km/h+ which helped the bug situation. But on a scale of 1-10 where 1 is mid-winter and 10 is Yukon in a wet July I rate it a 3. Only time I really struggled in the least with mossies was sitting at the takeout and the black flies were really not a bother ever.

 

[Odyssey]

I love that film. The animation suits the lyrics perfectly, poking fun at what is often so danged irritating, irritating to distraction. I used to end up with blackflies in my sandwiches, wiping blackflies out of my tear ducts, seeing my summer holidays through a black specked fog, but not recent years. They and their blood sucking tag team partners the mosquitoes, have kept me home till mid-summer every year. I can endure bad weather and even bad company, but bad bugs really distract and defeat me.

 

[yellowcanoe]

BF.. ho hum. Because so many people hate em they ensure pleasant uncrowded June paddling.
Might as well get eaten on the water and at camp. More fun than getting eaten at home..we have all sorts of water within 500 feet of the house.

 

[Alan Gage]

I've never experienced black flies up north but here we have what we refer to as gnats, and I believe they're closely related. Miserable little buggers that swarm incessantly, are immune to deet, bite like mad, draw blood, and just make it generally miserable to be outside. While immune to Deet they are deterred by vanilla and Absorbine Jr., which work wonders.

Alan

 

[snapper]

I just got back from 2 weeks in the Adirondacks with a class and the black flies went from absolutely horrible to almost unnoticeable. For black flies I find (at least for me) that the natural repellants work very well; although I do need to reapply it a bit more often then DEET products but I'm OK with that. Once the flies had settled down the mosquitos, deer fly and no-see-ums made themselves known. For those critters I just can't find a natural product that works all that well so I end up using DEET but try to dress accordingly so as not to have to use too much. I've never tried vanilla or Absorbine Jr. so I'll have to check them out.

That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.

snapper

 

[memaquay]

Blackflies have manners. They know that once they are trapped in a tent, they will stay bunched up along the top and leave you alone. Mosquitos are rude, buzzing around all night, making you crazy. That's why we burn a little piece of pic in the tent every night before bed. Kills those pesky mosquitos very quickly.

 

[Matt Hopkinson]

BF.. ho hum. Because so many people hate em they ensure pleasant uncrowded June paddling.
Might as well get eaten on the water and at camp. More fun than getting eaten at home..we have all sorts of water within 500 feet of the house.

Ha Yellowcanoe, I always seem to be out in June. But you're right, I rarely bump into other folks.

 

[yellowcanoe]

Ha Yellowcanoe, I always seem to be out in June. But you're right, I rarely bump into other folks.

In a couple of weeks we hope to bump into moose.. The West Branch and Black Pond never disappoint.. I think the flies drive them to water ..also new vegetation.

 

[Philtrum]

BF.. ho hum. Because so many people hate em they ensure pleasant uncrowded June paddling.
Might as well get eaten on the water and at camp. More fun than getting eaten at home..we have all sorts of water within 500 feet of the house.

Ho hum? You must not be allergic to bug bites. I've known mosquito bites to linger, itchy, for over a week - without having scratched once. I've been bitten by one black fly that I know of. It hurt and itched for a month or more. More than mozzies or even crowds of people, BFs are the reason I go tripping in May and September.

 

[Odyssey]

Ho hummmm is the sound they make as they help themselves to my face under my canoe as I make a carry. No amount of cursing and swearing makes the least bit of difference. I wonder what I sound like inside that sweaty buggy echo chamber? Are the booming bad words the reason I've never encountered wildlife on a buggy portage?

 

[Guest]

My experience.
Black fly tape really works if you wear it on your hat. Deet works for mosquitoes. Old woodsman helps a little for blackflies and most other bugs, but smoke is the only sure blackfly repellant.

 

[Odyssey]

I recently bought some DEET that has a higher % than our regular stuff. Or did the regular stuff lower their % of active DEET? In any case I'm ready. I also bought some permethrin spray to treat our clothing. I've never used it before, but will from now on. Black flies are an annoyance but ticks are a threat.
On a recent camping trip my wife bought some large incense sticks, and insisted on trying them. They smelled like lavender and something else. I could close my eyes and imagine I was in a Fair Trade boutique listening to Gregorian chants waiting for the cotton clad hippy to check for Birkenstocks in my size...but I digress. My wife swears the burning sticks work great. I didn't have the heart to tell her I was still being bothered by bugs...but we all smelled real nice.

 

[Guest]

I forgot spraying the outside of clothes and hat with permethrin. It really helps for all bugs I think.
Turtle

 

[Robin]

On a recent camping trip my wife bought some large incense sticks, and insisted on trying them. They smelled like lavender and something else. I could close my eyes and imagine I was in a Fair Trade boutique listening to Gregorian chants waiting for the cotton clad hippy to check for Birkenstocks in my size...but I digress. My wife swears the burning sticks work great. I didn't have the heart to tell her I was still being bothered by bugs...but we all smelled real nice.

that was funny Thanks

 

[Philtrum]

Picaridin - in the maximum strength of 20% - is supposed to be as effective as DEET. Last year I used it on a very mosquito-y trip and found it worked quite well, though not having encountered black flies I can't how well they like it.