We all look forward to time off of work, a summer vacation, and when we start to plan those several glorious days away we envision exactly how we want it to play out. Some of us are lucky enough to be able to get away more than once a year, and when the weather starts to turn warm and the days get longer we want to get away and get up north as often as we can. Sometimes spring will bless us with some stretches of nice weather and when it does we want to be ready to jump in the car with our luggage and head north. But before we run up north with our hair on fire, some planning needs to take place, especially if you’re traveling in May and June when the black flies are out and hungry.
Before I give you my pro tips on keeping black flies at bay while you get the most out of your coveted time off, allow me to back up and talk about what a black fly is. First of all, they’re small. They’re gnat size. When I first started coming up here I thought they WERE gnats because that’s what I was familiar with in my neck of the woods (Detroit). I thought the black fly everyone was referring to was the bigger house fly size fly. No, these guys are small. And when you’re coming up here in May and June and driving along US2 traveling west or east – depending on where you’re coming from – you’ll see them in SWARMS hovering as you travel along the highway next to Lake Michigan. They’re rather daunting seeing them by the thousands and as they splatter their bodies all over the windshield and grill of your car. But make no mistake….they are tiny but mighty. They show up as early as late April and hang out until about mid-July. When you see these tiny guys swarming around your head you’ll know it.
I’m not going to get into the hows and whys of the history of the black fly here. I come from the school of thought that most of us are mostly concerned about things like – what is it, and what do I need to do to attract it or avoid it?
First of all, If you’re in the planning phase of your trip and you have time, you can get netting, hats, and body suits. Believe me, if you want to spend any time hiking in the woods in the spring up here, these are a great investment and they don’t take much space in your luggage. If you don’t want to go that route, you can just get a headnet and call it good. If you’re looking to pick one up at the last minute, check the bait shops in the area – they usually have some.
Second, pack lighter color clothing and preferably clothing that you can tuck in – like a long-sleeved t-shirt tucked into your pants and to really nerd out tuck your pant legs into your socks. No worries – everyone will know what you’re doing and nobody around here thinks it’s weird. Wear comfortable shoes of course and when you wear your headnet, you need to wear either a baseball cap or small-brim outdoor hat (like a bucket hat) underneath the headnet. Tuck the headnet inside your shirt or jacket. Those little buggers are crafty at finding a way to burrow in and chew you up so you’ve gotta outsmart them.
Third, I usually try not to use any kind of repellent but that’s just me for the most part. I don’t run into many people who share my thought process on this subject, but if I have to go that route, I usually use this product. It’s an essential oil blend that naturally repels insects like citronella, peppermint, and others. But if you believe that stronger is better, by all means, grab your favorite DEET repellent and head north. I can’t personally recommend anything because I don’t use it but check out this website if you want to educate yourself on the best DEET repellent available.
Fourth, and very importantly, try to stick with unscented shampoos, lotions, soaps, aftershaves, etc. Black flies are attracted to fragrance like crazy. Even chewing gum has a sweet scent and can get you in trouble with those pesky things. One option is to use products that contain lavender, pine, eucalyptus, lemongrass, cedarwood, and peppermint.
So I gave you four very important pro tips on How To Keep Black Flies From Ruining Your Vacation In The Upper Peninsula Of Michigan. The last thing I’m going to talk about is what to do when you DO get a bite from a black fly, you’ll know it. You may not see them coming but you’ll know when they’ve been chewing on you. I swell up like a balloon when I get one. There’s a product called After Bite that my friend never leaves the house without. It’s a pen-shaped item that’s stored easily in a backpack or purse. After Bite is readily available at most pharmacies or possibly dollar stores. Again, check the bait shops in town they probably stock up for the season. I like to use aloe vera myself. I have a plant that I cut a leaf off of whenever I need it. Calamine lotion works well too. And try to keep from scratching – it only makes it worse!
So there you have it. The good and the bad about black flies. The same goes for most flying biting insects. And then there are ticks…..but we’ll leave that for another blog post.
Does anyone out there have an experience with black flies you might want to share? A unique tip or remedy? Feel free to share in the comments below.
More later.