Escape Velocity

Darkside Shaman wrote

I have always gone by the notion that blackfly season is Mother's Day to Father's Day, but the early spring this year has bumped them up, hopefully the end of the season will be cut back even shorter
The males hatch first and they usually just buzz you and are a general nuisance, the dreaded females are the ones that come out after about a week or so, and they suck your blood!
The females just started appearing and biting last weekend, but hopefully the hard frost last night will set them back a little.
Save the hiking for later in the season, biking at "Escape Velocity" is the best way to fend off those biting bitches

They can't find you if you keep moving.  They mostly detect you by C02.  Try it sometime when they are really bad.  Sit somewhere until they start biting you, then move quickly to another location.  It'll take them some time but they'll find you and be just as bad as they were.  That's also why sometimes being out on or along the water where there is some breeze will be fly free.  Camp fires actually attract them, unlike skeeters...

Bad news about them biting already... I was hoping for a few more weeks... had backpacking plans for this weekend but they may shift now.

I always consider them to be worst in all of June.  I was out on a canoe trip in the southwestern Adirondacks around Memorial day last year and they weren't that bad.  They had just started to become bitey and when we were on the water we were fine, as long as we didn't get in any stale spots close to shore.  When I was sitting in a leanto I kept a long sleeve shirt on and that was enough to keep the few that were biting from tearing me up.

I'm lucky I don't react bad to them.  Some people (my wife) swell up and can't handle even a few bites.

campgottagopee wrote

SJ, or anyone for that matter -- I was always told that putting a dryer sheet under your hat would help keep them little things away....ever hear that before??

The blackflies or gnats are bad all summer in the southern tier. The folks down there swear by the dryer sheets. Avon skin so soft works well also. Other than that holding your hat up high draws them up which is fine if you are just standing still. I usually hope for a little wind when I play down there which makes it a non issue.

MikeK wrote

  Some people (my wife) swell up and can't handle even a few bites.

Women seem to be less tolerant. My daughters and granddaughters all get badly revenged by bugs.

I wont camp this time of year, too wet. I'll wait until after June. It either has to stay below freezing or be in the late summer, fall is the best - late Sep through October. Mosquitos don't bother me too much, but black flies are a completely different thing. How a bug the size of a the head of a pencil can borrow a hole in you that will cause misery beyond belief is unknown to me. Come to think of it - I will have to research this, might be a thesis to start company number 3...

OK - Black flys are starting to swarm. Still not biting yet but getting close.
I will have to get my hill climbing legs back in a hurry.
Rode quite a bit today, surprisingly sunny. Out around Blue Mtn Lake, the hill up by the museum is where they were buzzing me,