Flies on Beaches? (North: allergies, organic, beach)
Charleston areaCharleston - North Charleston - Mt. Pleasant - Summerville - Goose Creek
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Do the South Carolina beaches get green head flies(the ones that draw blood when they bite)??
Certain beaches near salt marshes in NJ become very unpleasant with the large number of green head flies that end up on the beach whenever the wind blows a certain direction.
I'm hoping South Carolina doesn't have this problem??
It is not a problem, it is just part of the environment.
Are the flies present all the time or just certain day under certain conditions? It can be a problem for some people who I know are allergic to their bites. For someone who is highly allergic, an epi pen is necessary to prevent anaphylactic shock.
For those anaphalactic to them (a low %, I would guess), carry an epi-pin.
For those with garden-variety allergies, I'm not sure, but I would guess some type of repellant- either natural or from a lab- exists.
They are not a constant, but are indeed there. Good news is it's often windy on the beach, so that diminishes their aerodynamics somewhat, or if you're in the water you can just submerge temporarily.
My experience growing up on Folly and going there everytime I've visited since (including weeks at a time) is that the Horseshoe Flies being discussed are a few in number; perhaps no more than 5 at most per incident.
However, just like in every temperate/tropical environment I've personally been in, any garbage/organic matter decaying will attract swarms of Houseflies.
Just to clarify. There are barrier islands along some beaches in NJ. One side of the barrier island is the Atlantic Ocean and on the other side is the Barnegat Bay.
It is the beaches on the ocean side of the island that greenhead flies are typically found in very large numbers(hundreds at a time)! The flies I believe get "blown" onto the ocean side beaches whenever there is a West wind, so they are not present all the time. It is on those days in particular that people are advised to avoid the beach completely. The greenhead flies are aggressive and when they bite, they usually draw blood! It is a very different type of "bite" than from a mere mosquito!
I have known some people to develop a sensitivity to the fly bites and actually to start experiencing skin inflammation, swelling, infection, fluid collection under the skin where the bite occurs. When the reaction becomes this severe, usually antibiotics and/or steroids are needed to fight the resulting infection and inflammation!
I'm not positive but I believe the flies I'm referring to typically thrive in a salty marshy environment. So even when boaters are out on the Barnegat Bay they can sometimes be bothered by these flies.
Horse flies can be found in northern Ontario - Canada that is...And horsefly bites hurt....Them suckers cover a whole lot of territory it seems
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