BLACK FLY FEVER - It's Awful!

Black Fly Fever - Something we never want to go through again!

Despite the fact that we have been traveling to and spent a tremendous amount of time in the Adirondacks (my parents live there and we own land and are building a homestead there), I had NEVER heard of nor had I experienced Black Fly Fever.

Yes, I had heard of black flies, but not about their bites or how awful they are!

Being a teacher, I had never had the opportunity to be there for any extended amount of time from late spring to early summer because, well, I was teaching!

But this year, thanks to COVID 19, I was teaching online and I was able to do that from the Adirondacks. That also meant we were there for black fly season. And not only were we there, we were outside blazing new ATV trails through the woods. And that is when it happened, though we didn't know it until the next day.

That's what happens with the black fly bites. Not only are they so small you don't see them, you also don't feel the bites. Until the next day that is. And by then, well, it is too late to do much but take care of them.

And that is how we ended up with black fly fever. We had so many bites, which swell up and get a sort of pimple in the middle, that our bodies couldn't fight them. Our glands swelled, we had headaches, and we basically felt like total crap. That lasted about a week. 

Yes, that's right, a WEEK! And we are never going to let that happen to us again because it was AWFUL!

I'm sharing information so YOU and YOURS can avoid having to deal with this but still have fun in the Adirondacks!

What is black fly fever?

• Black flies bite the neck and behind the ears the most - but they also bite any exposed skin as well.
• Black fly bites may not show up until the next day.
• They will be large lumps and very itchy and if you have any sort of allergies they will most likely be even worse.
• Those lumps will have a small scab, pimple, or oozing hole in the center that will itch like crazy. It is VERY important that you do not itch them because they are easily infected and will definitely leave a scar.
• If you get enough bites and your body needs to fight back neck glands are known to swell and you can feel like you are coming down with a cold: run down, swollen glands, headache, maybe nausea, and an overall not well feeling.

​Season is from May to early July

• Black flies are not the kind of fly you might think they are! Check out this link at the Illinois Dept of Health to learn about the different types of biting flies: https://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/environmental-health-protection/structural-pest-control/biting-flies
• They are super small and you will generally not see them. In fact, there is a good chance that you won't even know you are bitten until the next day when you are swollen, terribly itchy, and possibly have a small scab or oozing spot where they bit you.
• The bites are brutal and last up to a week because they literally slice you open to get at your blood. 
• Unfortunately you may even end up with a scar from their nasty little bite!
• And worst case scenario, you get Black Fly Fever (not the African one). See below for more information.

Active Times & Locations:

• They are more active in the mornings and late afternoons so it is best if you plan your activities during mid-day. Unfortunately for us that is when it is the hottest and basically unbearable for getting any work done!
• They are also more active nears rivers and streams because it is where they lay their eggs and during hot times of day they can be found in the understory of forests where it will remain cooler and more humid.

​Smells:

• Do NOT wear any sort of perfumes or deodorants. They will love you if you do!
• ​They do not like the smell of pine, lavender or vanilla so if you are going to wear a scent or wash with a soap, try one that smells like any of those three.
• We use either pine essential oil or a 50/50 combination of Pine essential oil and Cedarwood essential oil. Rub on back of neck and behind ears with a cotton ball. 

Colors:

• ​​Avoid dark colors because they seem to like them. Especially black and dark blue. 
• The best color to wear is white so that is what we wear during the worst of the black fly season.

WHAT WE DO to AVOID BLACK FLY BITES AND BLACK FLY FEVER:

• We wear a light color. Usually white.​
• We use either pine essential oil or a 50/50 combination of Pine essential oil and Cedarwood essential oil. Rub on back of neck and behind ears with a cotton ball. 
• We wear either a bug jacket (see video below) or a netted bug hat.
• We will also use a bug spray with picaridin in it on the occasions when they are swarming very badly. My favorite is the AVON brand bug spray in the silver can.

​*How WE Treat Black Fly Bites:

• We prefer to clean them with rubbing alcohol and apply plain ole calamine lotion.  That is the method that works the best for us. We have also used some sort of anti itch cream like Benadryl when it is really bad. Just remember that we clean them often and keep them covered to avoid scratching them.
• We sometimes find it helpful to take a Benadryl pill if we are experiencing a bad reaction, including black fly fever.

​*Note that this is what we do to treat black fly bites. This may or may not work for you. We are not doctors and recommend seeking the advice of a medical professional before utilizing any treatment plan for black fly bites.

Watch this video where we share how we avoid black fly bites while still enjoying our time outdoors clearing another ATV trail!

So now that you know what black flies are and how you can get black fly fever, you can make the most of your outdoor experience in the Adirondacks! Check out other bugs in the Adirondacks and how we deter them here: ​https://www.creatingasimplerlife.com/adirondack-insects.html

Sincerely,