Insect Levels in Early June???

/I realized that of all the time and times I have spent in the Northeast I have never been there in the vicinity of the first week of June. Just how bad are the insects this time of the year? Is this generally the worst time for bug swarms?

-Dom

A little more specificity re: location will help. It can be the worst of times for some locations for black flies and/or mosquitoes. Where are you headed?

I am headed definaely to NH. I am either going to do a ADK/Whites or a White MTN/Maine/Acadia trip.

Thats pretty vague, I know, but any info on these areas and their insect levels is greatly appreciated. It will likely effect where I ultimately go.

Where are the 'worst' areas?

Thanks.

If you're talking the Dacks, well, if you were a bug watcher you'd be in heaven. I can almost guarantee they will be bad now, it certainly is peak season for black flies. I would strongly suggest a bug net and insect repellent. I was up in the Adirondacks last weekend, and they were brutal. I imagine they won't have let up much in a week or so.

Some sample Trip Reports from last June will give you an idea:

Seymour, by yvon, 6/13/08

Carter Moriah Traverse, by bikehikeskifish, 6/13/08

Paugus, by buckyball, 6/8/08

Forewarned is forearmed.

I was in Fryeburg Maine for a week in early June 2 years ago. Black flies/knats were so bad that my lovelies refused to leave cabin. It was honestly, disgustingly bad. I pulled out the netting it was that bad. The kids ran to the car and we spent 5 minutes killing the knats before we put the car in gear. The only escape was to paddle to the middle of the lake or to go into town (ugh!). My 9-yo was in tears. It really depends where you are and how quickly the season progresses; it seems the BFs were out a little bit early this year, so perhaps gone sooner. I agreed with my family, we will never vacation in June again...
Sorry.... I hope for you better times....

And ticks, watch out for ticks. I've pulled 3 of them off me so far this year and I've never had a tick before. Bad year for ticks.

This was from early June:

http://mudhead.uottawa.ca/~pete/blackf.html

Some years they are worse than others.... some days they are worse than others.

Ouch

This is kind of what I feared...the blackflies, etc, are gonna be bad or at their worst point of the year...ouch!!! I may postpone!

dom15931 said:

This is kind of what I feared...the blackflies, etc, are gonna be bad or at their worst point of the year...ouch!!! I may postpone!

Click to expand...

OK, I was in the Berkshires last Monday. It seemed to be 30% BFs and 70% mosquitoes, unscientifically measured. I suspect the farther N you go the more BFs you'll encounter. Last trip to N Maine the BFs were out all summer!

In Maine this past w/e, they were presesent, but not a problem.

In my experience, by the 2nd week in June, they are dive-bombing to rival Midway.

I was at Elk Lake in the Adks during the last w/e in June a few years back, and they were so thick that you couldn't see anything past them. Lots of long sleeves and head meshes around the lodge then.

The 'bloom' is usually over by July 4th w/e, but can't seem to get corroborating evidence about that on this site.

Pete_Hickey said:

This was from early June:

http://mudhead.uottawa.ca/~pete/blackf.html

Some years they are worse than others.... some days they are worse than others.

Click to expand...

Wow. And I thought the time I got stung by a yellow jacket bee in the lip was bad...

Sucessful Trip...Black Flies not a Problem!

Thanks for all the info folks. We ended up going from the Adirondacks to the Whites, to the Maine coast and the black flies were not that bad. We got bit a few times, but nothing I have not received frequently in PA. The Moat Mountain Brewery in North Conway soothed any wounds we had! I will be posting my trip reports soon. I did get LAID OFF from my job on vacation though

Again thanks to all for the info, we were prepared,

Dom