Black flies

Looks like the black flies are out in the Lakes region! A Gunstock, Belknap, and Piper trip report says:

Beware, the blackflies and the ticks are out....and hungry.

Click to expand...

I plan to hike in the Squam Range tomorrow, have already packed the DEET

Mohamed Ellozy said:

Looks like the black flies are out in the Lakes region!...

Click to expand...

Where have you been? They've been out for about 10 days now in central N.H.

They're about 2 weeks early.....Not a good sign.

NH_Mtn_Hiker said:

Where have you been? They've been out for about 10 days now in central N.H.

Click to expand...

Interesting! I was in the Middlesex Fells (quite a bit south of central NH!!) a couple of days ago and there were none. Come to think of it, I hiked in the Squam Range last Saturday, again no insects.

Mohamed Ellozy said:

Interesting! I was in the Middlesex Fells (quite a bit south of central NH!!) a couple of days ago and there were none. Come to think of it, I hiked in the Squam Range last Saturday, again no insects.

Click to expand...

They've been out in East Concord since last week. I gave some of them directions to Thornton.

NH_Mtn_Hiker said:

They've been out in East Concord since last week. I gave some of them directions to Thornton.

Click to expand...

The black flies have already found Thornton (in my yard at about 560 ft elevation), so no need to give them directions.

Interesting -- the thousand feet between Thornton and Waterville Valley seem to have saved us so far -- a few lazy mosquitoes last weekend, but no black flies, yet. However, the brown ticks were out in force on the Old Waterville Road last weekend. If you're walking through tallish grass, check yourself regularly!