Blackflies 2022!

[Jwojcik1990]

I think the Blackflies might be done with in the Southern Adirondacks. Just got back from a few days at Nelson Lake and they were pretty bad Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday but by Friday and today (Saturday) they were gone.

[Wldrns]

I don't believe it. it is far too early for them to depart so soon. I was out working today (Saturday), in the SW Adirondacks (Woodgate area), temperature was very comfortable in the low 60's and quite windy, thankfully keeping most bugs away. Had a number of blackflies, more mosquitoes.

[Jwojcik1990]

You are probably right, it is really early. It just seemed like they totally dried up and disappeared yesterday morning. We fished all day Friday and a good chunk of today without seeing any.

[Wldrns]

Several years ago, on a beautiful Memorial Day camping weekend I was guiding a scout troop in what would otherwise be the height of black fly season, and we didn't have a single biting fly the entire time in the North Lake area (Herkimer County). Not windy, not cold. Such a disappointment. The next week they were back to normal. I did not understand it then, still do not.

[poconoron]

Originally Posted by Wldrns

Several years ago, on a beautiful Memorial Day camping weekend I was guiding a scout troop in what would otherwise be the height of black fly season, and we didn't have a single biting fly the entire time in the North Lake area (Herkimer County). Not windy, not cold. Such a disappointment. The next week they were back to normal. I did not understand it then, still do not.

Indeed.........it's a temporary lull. yesterday with the dry, crisp conditions with plenty of wind, they were nearly non-existent in my area north of Stratford. Don't worry - they won't disappoint us. They'll BE BACK.

[Buckladd]

One of my most memorable (if you want to call it that) black fly experiences was on July 4 weekend, roughly 15 years ago. A bunch of us paddled Cedar River Flow. We stopped at a campsite on the river, not far from the lean-to, and just couldn't take it. Things were fine out on the flow, but otherwise they were swarming. One woman we saw in a canoe had her face covered with bites, we felt so sorry for her. Another time was around Memorial Day coming down between Dix and Hough peaks. Just brutal, clouds of black flies.

[Wldrns]

Old Tyme Woodsman. A friend and I were out on Little Tupper a few years ago, each in our solo canoes. I was trying to avoid the black cloud around my head by slathering with Ben's DEET, while my buddy was wearing OTW. When sitting still, he nad nothing anywhere near his boat , like an invisibile barrier surrounding him, while I was swatting and trying to paddle fast to get away. Even that seeems highly variable, sometimes it works, other times not so much. Research will show that the formula for OTW has changed significantly from the original formula that my dad used and I know worked well many years ago. Probalby due to one of those special California cancer risk warning scares.

[tenderfoot]

Will have to try OTW

[mmcmdl]

Originally Posted by poconoron

Indeed.........it's a temporary lull. yesterday with the dry, crisp conditions with plenty of wind, they were nearly non-existent in my area north of Stratford. Don't worry - they won't disappoint us. They'll BE BACK.

I'm in Stratford . How were they ? May be coming up Sunday and heading north to Lake Placid .

[Bunchberry]

Black Flies where thick on top of Santanoni yesterday.

[Tug Hill]

Still plenty of black flies and deer flies in the Five Ponds wilderness, and mosquitos are really bad.

[Wldrns]

After spending a few days on Lows this past week, the wind was very strong on Monday and Tuesday, so the bugs, while present and persistant, were not terribly troublesome in my chosen well exposed campsistes.

In a calmer wind yessterday I decided it was safe enough without whitecaps to paddle over to the Oswegatchie traverse trail, to revisit s couple of old sites by bushwhack that I would often use as a student guide navigation training challenge using map and compass only to navigate the way

The Tri-Coiunty Marker is unique in the area in that you can simultaneously stand in three counties all at the same time (if you three legs that is). Not far away, but still a bushwhack challenge to find, is what we call "the Old Man". A giant white pine that at one time was in contention for the largest in the state, until it lost its top in the 1995 derecho. He had dozens of nearby brother trees of nearly the same size, but they all perished in that wicked windstorm, leaving him alone to stand and be awed over by those who know of his location.
By the way, the mosquitoes and deer flies were wicked on this bushwhack yesterday. Black flies were only a minor irritating presence in comparison.

[St.Regis]

The dragonflies should be eating well

[geogymn]

Wldrns,
That white pine must be a sight! Thanks for the pics.

[Crash]

Went for an overnight on Grass Pond (off Lows) from Wednesday to Thursday. I thought bugs were not bad at all. I only used some DEET in the evening around the campfire. I did not have the urge to use any black fly repellent during this trip. Had a couple deer flies bothering me while sitting at lakeshore, but I didn't even bother looking for my deerfly tape.

Thursday morning, after the thunderstorm, since the winds were from the south, I paddled back along the south shore of Lows. Virtually no breeze there and virtually no bugs there also.

[TrailBlaser]

Originally Posted by Wldrns

After spending a few days on Lows this past week, the wind was very strong on Monday and Tuesday, so the bugs, while present and persistant, were not terribly troublesome in my chosen well exposed campsistes.

In a calmer wind yessterday I decided it was safe enough without whitecaps to paddle over to the Oswegatchie traverse trail, to revisit s couple of old sites by bushwhack that I would often use as a student guide navigation training challenge using map and compass only to navigate the way

The Tri-Coiunty Marker is unique in the area in that you can simultaneously stand in three counties all at the same time (if you three legs that is). Not far away, but still a bushwhack challenge to find, is what we call "the Old Man". A giant white pine that at one time was in contention for the largest in the state, until it lost its top in the 1995 derecho. He had dozens of nearby brother trees of nearly the same size, but they all perished in that wicked windstorm, leaving him alone to stand and be awed over by those who know of his location.
By the way, the mosquitoes and deer flies were wicked on this bushwhack yesterday. Black flies were only a minor irritating presence in comparison.

Nice pics, thanks for sharing. Brings back the memories of when there were a lot of big trees like that in the Five Ponds Wilderness.

[geogymn]

Took a float down the Black River yesterday and the bugs were not an issue albeit there was constant wind.

[Zach]

Bugs were not bad in Piercefield this week either, hardly any during the day and only some in the evenings.