The Bugs Are Out.

[truepatriot09]

Just an FYI that I was over at Pawtuckaway this morning and the mosquitos were out like I haven't seen in a long time. They were brutal. Thank god we were on Mtn. Bikes so we could keep moving...

 

[ADK4Life]

Makes me wonder what the Daks are going to be like tomorrow

 

[lumberzac]

The black flies and mosquitoes were out and pretty bad Tuesday in Newcomb.

 

[rhihn]

They were swarming Saturday on the Indian Pass trail, near ADK Loj, but not biting too much (I received a few bites). Swarms seemed to be in "pockets" not constant throughout the trail, and things improved as the day went on (lunch near a stream was bug-free). We experienced no problems when walking, but most of the time we were stationary (doing trail work). Whatever you experience will depend upon location, weather, wind, etc. Be prepared with DEET, and personally I'd bring a headnet, and perhaps a bug shirt/jacket if you're camping, though I ended up using none of these.

 

[Grumpy]

I always look forward to bug season.

(Well, not exactly in the usual sense that we make such an announcement, and definitely not exactly like looking forward to, say, Christmas.)

Anyway, I find that waddling down the trail while waving my arms around to shoo the bugs away gives me what the mirror says is a badly needed full body workout. Been doing it for five decades-plus, now. Hasn’t done any real good in the slim-and-trim department, but makes me feel like I am getting some extra exercise while hiking.

G.

 

[Peakbagr]

Grumpy,

That image is priceless.

A few of us were thrashing an ADK100 peak in the ADKs on Saturday. LOTS of black flies. Annoying at first, biting as the day progressed, and driven into hiding when the cold rain pelted us on the way out.
At times, I had groups of flies perched on and biting different parts of each arm. Aspirated more than a few during uphill puffing and huffing.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

So, one good thing about the cold and rain of the past month has been the delay in black fly season. Maybe the weather will become dry and hot really fast, and shorten the bug season this year, as in a classic year without a spring in the Northeast.

 

[truepatriot09]

After every winter of memorable hikes I always resolve to continue to hike throughout the summer. Then I go out around this time of year, get chewed up, say 'f this, i'm waiting for fall' and go put my kayak in the water!

Seriously though, we'll hike this summer, but I miss the (fresh) snow and lack of insects of fall and winter!

 

[TCD]

On Lower Wolfjaw (adks) on Monday, there were almost no bugs. The season is very late; there were also no leaves above about 3000 feet.

With this week's warm weather, I expect the black flies will be at full power in the High Peaks this weekend. Somewhere in some dark place, the master of the flies is saying: "At my signal, unleash hell." (apologies to "Gladiator.")

 

[1ADAM12]

Last year at this time there were no black flies in the Dacks just the mosquitos. I am heading up to Sawteeth on Saturday so we will see what they bring!

ADam

 

[Toe Cozy]

I have half-formed plans to hike a 14 mile section on the LT from the Emily Proctor Trail up to Lincoln Gap. But then I thought about the bugs....and don't know if I can stand the eye, ear, nose swarming, biting menaces for two days. Now I'm thinking of doing it in one day...at least then I'll have to keep going at a good pace and not have deal with them in the early evening while setting up camp and eating dinner etc. Or maybe I'll just wait until later. sigh.

 

[MrAmeche]

I was planning on hitting Jackson/Pierce this coming Monday (6/6), and this is my first spring in the Whites. I was planning on bringing some Deet, but what are my chances that I'll get eaten alive? My "How bad can it be?" attitude could end up being famous last words, I know...

 

[Neil]

Stupid bugs, life would be so much easier without them.
Winter hiking involves hard work in the snowshoe department, requires more careful planning and the days are short. Then, as the planet works its way beyond the equinox we have the pleasure of postholing through rotting snow. Next on the agenda is mud. And then we get the icing on the cake in the form of myriads of blood sucking, stinging insects. This is followed by swealtering heat which may overlap with both mud and bugs. Finally, by around August we enter into the best season: no bugs, no mud, cooler temps. Then we notice that the days are getting shorter and we wish it was spring again because all that bug venom has addled our brains so badly we can't remember what it was like to take a drink of water and swallow 6 blackflies!

 

[markv]

oh dear...

I logged on for the first time in months, to get some beta for a trip to the 'dacks 10 days from now, and this is the FIRST thread i saw.

Headnets for real?

 

[TCD]

I've been bringing the headnet and DEET to the daks for the last two weekends, and haven't needed it. But I would expect the black flies to be worst case about ten days from now. I'd plan on headnets, long sleeves, DEET, the whole deal. Good luck!

 

[hardrain]

St. Huberts/Colvin, 6/2/05

I was up and down the Gill Brook trail yesterday and no bugs! not a single black fly all day and very few other flying insects.

 

[Doc McPeak]

Panther Gorge had none from 6/1 to 6/3. However the summits of G/M/S/H had them aplenty. Luckily the winds, and ample room for exploring kept them at bay ... except for the scrub run from Gray to Marcy. A couple of bites there. The worst was leaving. No problems until the climb over the Boreas range. Then it was blackflies in pockets, but nothing compared to the tour through the regions great mozzie haunts. They had just hatched and were pretty ravenous. You can outrun the black flies, but not the mozzies. At least they don't leave welts!

 

[NewHampshire]

Spent yesterday going up Cardigan. Even with a decent breeze we still had a black swarm around us that literaly drove us off the mountain! Its OK though. It was only last week I was saying to myself "hmm I think I might look nice with a hundred red spots all over my body, and I dont do nearly enough itching....." .
Brian

 

[marty]

The bugs were not bad at all during this morning on the Mt. Kinsman and Kinsman Ridge Trails.

 

[^MtnMike^]

I was on the Glen Boulder Trail today and there weren't many at all. Nothing biting me at least, but when I did The Roost near Evan's Notch on the way home later today I almost got eaten alive!