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Well I experienced my first horse flies today here in central Maine. So this must be the beginning of horse fly season. This sticks it will make hiking a little miserable now.
Tim Rich
06-07-2004, 13:48
Well I experienced my first horse flies today here in central Maine. So this must be the beginning of horse fly season. This sticks it will make hiking a little miserable now.
We have horse flies down south as well, as well as smaller, stealthier deer flies. When does black fly season typically begin, peak and decline in central Maine?
Thanks,
Tim
We have horse flies down south as well, as well as smaller, stealthier deer flies. When does black fly season typically begin, peak and decline in central Maine?
Thanks,
Tim
Black fly season started about Memorial Day weekend this year. I was in Caratunk and almost got chewed alive. So when you get here it should not be as bad for black flies. But you will have the skeeters and horse flies to deal with.
Mr. Clean
06-08-2004, 07:25
Yeah, I had my first horsefly a couple days ago. Aren't they early this year? Deer flies should be starting soon to, damn it.
Yeah, I had my first horsefly a couple days ago. Aren't they early this year? Deer flies should be starting soon to, damn it.
Horse Flys are a nusiance, but they are really easy to kill. I was bitten by one horse fly during my thru-hike in 2000. Then I learned. When a horse fly lands on you, he sits there for a moment. This is a time for patience. Then the horse fly gets the urge to bite. As the horse fly homes in for the bite, whack him! If you try and swat him before he goes for the bite, you'll miss nearly every time. Once they start to move to bite you, I found my kill rate to be about 95%.
Hope that helps what's bugging some of you.
The Old Fhart
06-08-2004, 09:26
I agree with MOWGLI16 on the method to kill horseflies. The problem I had was I had so many of them to kill that by the end of the day my hair was all sticky from horsefly mousse. YUK!
I agree with MOWGLI16 on the method to kill horseflies. The problem I had was I had so many of them to kill that by the end of the day my hair was all sticky from horsefly mousse. YUK!
I have a solution for that, and no, I'm not talking about Head & Shoulders. he he
When I am being swarmed by a horsefly or five, I stop and put my arms up to give them an inviting target. They are usually very cooperative.
Lone Wolf
06-08-2004, 10:27
HORSE flies are about the size of a quarter. They generally prey on horses and cattle. DEER flies are much smaller and prey on smaller mammals and us.
Alligator
06-08-2004, 10:40
The DEER flies in Maine are much larger than those found elsewhere. I always preferred to call them MOOSE flies. They are not, as LW points out, the same as the HORSE flies commonly found irritating horses. But they are often just as big.
I agree with MOWGLI16 on the method to kill horseflies. The problem I had was I had so many of them to kill that by the end of the day my hair was all sticky from horsefly mousse. YUK!
When that happens, one need only jump into the nearest stream and let the water flush the mousse away. Those of us who are not politically correct, use a bit of ivory soap to speed the process. But to each his own, providing the "each" is harmless.
Weary
Streamweaver
06-08-2004, 22:20
Worse horse/deer flies Ive ever encountered were at a place called Plum Island Mass. We ended up having to take my younger brother to the emergency room ,where a doctor gave him a shot of something to keep him from going into shock. The rest of us just got loads of really nasty red welts.Streamweaver
Worse horse/deer flies Ive ever encountered were at a place called Plum Island Mass.
I can think of few places prettier than Plum Island. I love it there in September & October. I don't recall any bugs at that time of year.
What the north lacks in a shorter bug season, it makes up for in the viciousness of the bugs.