Black Flies (live in, cabin, eat)

[gussie]

Does Minnesota have black flies? Wisconsin does not.. Just wondering.. They are hell!!!!......gussie

[gussie]

I am being serious.. DOES MINNESOTA HAVE BLACK FLIES???????????????????/

[acrylic]

You're not going to get any replies being like that. You don't even wait an hour an a half and then you start using caps lock to indicate you're shouting. Give it time, someone will most likely answer your question.

[fishingprof]

yes we have some of the little black biting flies at least up north

[gussie]

Okay.. I didn't think you did....

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by gussie

Does Minnesota have black flies? Wisconsin does not.. Just wondering.. They are hell!!!!......gussie

I would be surprised if an insect that lives in Minnesota did not also live in Wisconsin, since the two states are quite similar in geography and climate.

A Google search indicates that black flies might indeed live in northern Wisconsin:

"black flies" Wisconsin - Google Search

[Clifford63]

Originally Posted by gussie

I am being serious.. DOES MINNESOTA HAVE BLACK FLIES???????????????????/

Two very helpful links

What's Eating You? - Young Naturalists - Minnesota Conservation Volunteer: Minnesota DNR


BLACK FLIES


There are a lot of small bugs that bite in MN and people do not always correctly identify them and on top of that there are many terms for some of the same things.

Black Flies are commonly called gnats in MN. They do exist and vary in numbers from year to year. They seem to be most prevelent from mid May to Mid June. They also exist in Wisconsin. Generally any bug you find in MN will also be in WI.

Often confused with gnats are mites and these are sometimes called chiggers or no-see-ums. They dig into your skin and are nasty. Not as common as gnats, but also tend to be more prevelant in early part of the spring.

There are a variety of Mosquitos and the varios species tent to peek at different times of the summer. Some are more aggressive than others. Most aggressive one seem to be in peak around late June to early July

Flies are worst in July. Not all of them bite.

You will get a lot of advice on what does or does not work for bug repellent. Personally I find deet to work on mosquitos, but not so much on gnats and flies. SkinSoSoft lotion tends to help with gnats and flies for me.

I pretty much quit using deet all together unless the skeeters are absolutely horrible, which upon occasion will be the case. Even when they are bad I found that a better idea is to get a long sleeve shirt and hat and spray those items rather than my skin.

Also, I found that clearing a 100 foot ring around my cabin did more than any repelent will ever do. I did not clear cut, just took out the fir/balsm trees and scrub brush that the bugs like to hang on. Left all the cedars, white pines and red pines. Much improved situation.

If you really hate bugs, but want some outdoor adventure. The best time of the year for that is August 15-September 15th. Cooler, drier weather seems to reduce the bug problem significantly. First part of June is pretty good too.

All of this is making assumption you are out in the woods. As far as I am concerned bugs are not a problem in the metro beyond a minor one.

[Blazer]

The mayflies are creepy - I've heard in some areas there are so many dead on the road that there are slick spots the fire department has to hose down.

This year, I felt like I was an experimental blood station for the mosquitoes. I gave up counting the number of bites and when one would be in my room at night, I'd put a pillow over my head and stick my leg out from under the covers to offer it like a sacrificial lamb to them.