Mosquitos and black flies appearance

[Reverse]

Hey tarps and anyone else who sleeps outside of a tent, Just wondering where or when on the trail did the mosquitoes and black flies start really bothering you? Wondering on not starting with my inner and just maildropping it when the time comes. I know Mass and northwards can be bad esp. Maine. I am wondering about before that.
Thanks
Reverse

[Pony]

I left Damascus on April 15th 2010 and hiked with a tarp and no bug netting. I was fine until New York at the beginning of July. At that point it got miserable in a hurry. Temps and humidity shot up and the mosquitos came out in full force. Like a dummy, it never occurred to me to pack bug netting. I had one mailed to me in Kent, and it saved my life. I'm sure it varies from year to year, but NY/NJ to Vermont was the hottest, buggiest, most humid part of the trail for me. I learned the hard way. Only had black flies once in Vermont, and they destroyed my neck before I knew what was happening.

[Slo-go'en]

Unless your SOBO, black flies will not be a concern. However, mosquitos will be. Black flies are active during the day, mosquitos are active at night. Black fyies peak in New England is the spring, mosquitos during the summer. There can be some over lap towards dusk if your so unlucky to be out when the two seasons overlap for a bit. In general, the AT is a buggy trail, which is why tents - or at least something with good bug netting, is preferred.

[BuckeyeBill]

I carry a head net that weighs next to nothing. My hammock has a net attached as well. During the day it sucks at meal times because if the bugs are bad you have to eat, you need to raised the net with each bite or drink to avoid eating something that is not on the menu.

[jj dont play]

Honestly I had one night in Mass sleeping in a shelter that mosquitos were bad other than that I never felt the need for head net or bug spray. But I am from Louisiana so.. my definition of buggy is different than others haha


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[peakbagger]

For NH, Me and VT the rule of thumb is the black flies arrive by mothers day and leave by fathers day. It obviously shifts somewhat, black flies can be an issue almost to July in BSP and may be goen in late May in Southern VT.

[Reverse]

Thanks folks. This is what I was thinking. I was in Maine in August last year and stupid no-seeums or numjas chewed me up. But I figured they would not really be out while I am in the southern states.