Black Fly Season

[Waumbek]

I got whacked by black flies on the Benton Trail today. Kinda took me by surprise. I've been spraying the 100 proof Ben's on socks & boots & hat to ward off the massive tick outbreak around here and not even thinking about black flies.

 

[Lawn Sale]

I was on a cycling club ride Sunday morning and can't tell you how many I swallowed. They're out in full force now, but there were none on Saturday while I was lawn saleing.

 

[jade]

I was close to crying in frustration by the annoyance of black flies while on the Holyoke Range on Sunday....and this is ONLY the beginning Time to start using unscented cremes and hair stuff! I'm thinking about substituting my salad dressing with Ben's full strength DEET....

...Jade

 

[Pete_Hickey]

.... I'm thinking about substituting my salad dressing with Ben's full strength DEET....

Make sure you use metal cutlery. The DEET will disolve your plastic fork.

 

[roadtripper]

Black flies were hanging out around the base of Mt. Cardigan near the lodge over the weekend. They weren't biting, but there were enough buzzing around your head to notice it. Also flicked a tick off me....first one of the season for me.

- Greg

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Don’t forget about Picaridin. It is a lot less caustic to plastics and it does work. It is not as effective in my experience as DEET but it does actually work. Something you may want to test drive if you are dissatisfied with DEET. I am using both now depending on the situation. i.e how bad the bugs are, how long I'm going to be out, etc. Just a personal note. I don't believe that there is any problem with DEET but I know that some people may have a sensitivity to it and also I am leery of putting any chemical on children, no matter how safe it appears. The smaller the child is then the more skin surface area per weight they have which means more chemical can leech into them (if it can pass through the skin/blood barrier, which DEET apparently can do) and they get a higher concentration into their system. This is based on a similar application between adults and kids. I.e. you both spread it on face, arms, legs, whatever on both adults and children.

Keith

 

[DougPaul]

Don’t forget about Picaridin. It is a lot less caustic to plastics and it does work. It is not as effective in my experience as DEET but it does actually work. Something you may want to test drive if you are dissatisfied with DEET. I am using both now depending on the situation. i.e how bad the bugs are, how long I'm going to be out, etc.

Consumer reports (July 2005) rates Picaridin (Cutter Advanced) to be about as effective as 10% DEET.
http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?t=7059

Just a personal note. I don't believe that there is any problem with DEET but I know that some people may have a sensitivity to it and also I am leery of putting any chemical on children, no matter how safe it appears. The smaller the child is then the more skin surface area per weight they have which means more chemical can leech into them (if it can pass through the skin/blood barrier, which DEET apparently can do) and they get a higher concentration into their system. This is based on a similar application between adults and kids. I.e. you both spread it on face, arms, legs, whatever on both adults and children.

Both DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide, a solvent) and Picaridin (KBR 3023) are chemicals...
There is good info on both from the CDC in:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/insect_repellent.htm
and
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/RepellentUpdates.htm

Neither is recommended for use on very young children. (More details in the above 2 references.)

DEET has been shown over 40 years and billions of human applications to be very safe when used properly.
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content...IRSTINDEX=0&journalcode=nejm&journalcode=nejm
Note comments on safety near the end.


I personally use permethrin on clothing (in season, always) and ~30% DEET on skin if needed (not very often). I haven't tried Picaridin.

Doug

 

[rhihn]

I don't have the stats in front of me at the moment, but I've read that 100% DEET is no more effective than 35%, which is around the maximum effective strength. 100% just lasts longer.

 

[DougPaul]

I don't have the stats in front of me at the moment, but I've read that 100% DEET is no more effective than 35%, which is around the maximum effective strength. 100% just lasts longer.

I have read the same. 100% also feels greasier and is presumably better at dissolving plastics...

Doug

 

[SAR-EMT40]

I don't have the stats in front of me at the moment, but I've read that 100% DEET is no more effective than 35%, which is around the maximum effective strength. 100% just lasts longer.

I have also heard the same thing from a study I believe the army did years ago. 20-30% is about the maximum that is needed. Anything more doesn't result in any better protection and results in higher levels in the body.

Permethrin that DougPaul mentions is also a splendid alternative and like he says must be applied on the clothes to be effective, opposite of DEET.

Keith

 

[peakbagger]

black flies northern presidentials

The black flies have come out in force in the Gorham area in the last week. I was able to work in the yard (elevation 1400) on Wednesday evening, but yesterday 5/25 they were getting thick. The recent wet weather and the warm up this weekend, make it inevitable that hikers will encounter some rough black fly conditions. The Mahoosucs are probably not a good place to go until things dry up (plenty of nice clean streams and not a lot of open ridge walking makes for ideal black fly issues).

 

[slamdog]

Speculator/Lake Pleasant Area

Black flies are in full force right now. As thick as they have ever been. Lets hope for a windy weekend! S

 

[skibones]

Deet

In this month's copy of the AMC Outdoors, they summarized the article from the NEJM study that DougPaul cited on May 2. In that study heyy noted that the protection time varied with the concentartion of Deet.10% provided 2 hours: 20% provided up to 5 hours: and time increasing up to 50% with no improvement of levels higher than this. Picaridin, which is not available in the US, will probably replace DEET since it is odorus, safe on plastic, and provides long term protection at low concentrations. Of the natural bug dopes, the most effective is oil of eucalyptus, which provides two hours of protection,followed by soybean oil which provides 90 minutes of protection, and citronella oil which provides 10-20 minutes of protection. Deet works by interferring with the mosquito's ability to sense lactic acid, one of the key markers it uses for detecting prey.

 

[Klutz]

All the more reason, we'll be waiting to do some hiking.....damm pesky black flies......

 

[Quietman]

I climbed S. Pack Monadnock today and there wasn't a flying bug in sight. For memorial day in southern NH this is a great rarity. I'm wondering if the heavy rain in the southern areas of NH washed the eggs/larve out to sea. I hope so!!!!!!

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Picaridin, which is not available in the US

Huh?

Year old thread about Picaridin

will probably replace DEET since it is odorus, safe on plastic, and provides long term protection at low concentrations.

I still am not giving my DEET anytime soon. It is still the most effective thing I have found. 30% is the best based upon studies and my personal experience.

Keith

 

[DrewKnight]

Black fly report -- Waterville Valley, NH

As of Saturday 5/27, the black flies were just starting to hatch in Waterville Valley... stand still for couple minutes on the Livermore Road, and a few lazy flies buzzed your head. However, they had a frost Thursday AM, so that's probably what is slowing them down. It's headed for the mid-seventies today, so I would wager things will be on a steep decline curve from here on out.

 

[mavs00]

Adirondacks Report

Was in several locations around the high peaks the weekend, including the Western, Eastern and Northern sections and while there are PLENTY of bugs and annoying winged creatures, none were really bitting hard.

Mostly swarmers still. Both in crappy, low cloud heavy weather (Saturday) and todays HOT, stagnant heat of sunny 80 degree temps.

 

[dms]

Did a hike/bushwack to Sachem Peak off of Smart's Brook Trail today in Waterville Valley, and we had no problems with any bugs at all.

 

[^MtnMike^]

Cannon Mtn. had a lot of bugs flying around today, but nothing biting yet.

^MtnMike^