They're Here (Black Flies)

Well they were out in force this Sunday on the Taconic ridge on the NY/MA line, getting down my neck, but not biting. Start packing the Deet!

Where were you, Remix? Alander, Everett, Frissell? Further north, like at Berlin Mtn?

They were out in Nashua, New Hampshire too. They arrived early this year.

Driver8 said:

Where were you, Remix? Alander, Everett, Frissell? Further north, like at Berlin Mtn?

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I went up the Alander Mountain Trail and went north on the South Taconic Trail. Only the stiff wind at the top of the mountain kept them from swarming. As an aside, the trail was full of bee flies, which I had never seen before. They look like tear drops with the giant spike in the front, and its good that they stay near the ground.

Remix said:

I went up the Alander Mountain Trail and went north on the South Taconic Trail. Only the stiff wind at the top of the mountain kept them from swarming. As an aside, the trail was full of bee flies, which I had never seen before. They look like tear drops with the giant spike in the front, and its good that they stay near the ground.

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The news you bear is grim. I was at Mt. Tom this past weekend and ran into minimal insects. A few nagged me along the way, but nothing to write home about. I'm headed to New Hampshire this weekend and hope to avoid the pests.

We were on Rattlesnake Mt (Rumney) on Monday 4/30. A few black flies landed on me but none were biting .....yet

Had a few annoying me Wednesday night on the way home from a walk. First day of annoying for me. Webster in northwest of Concord, NH and I was walking down on the floodplains.

I saw them for the first time today while walking Lauky here in Bridgton. They're not biting yet.

we saw a few on Chocorua Sunday, nothing major yet. We will probably have to deal with them on our overnight to Nauman tomorrow

They have begun biting in central CT. Was on Race & Everett last weekend & they were annying but not really biting as reported. Will be interested in seeing when they get to the Whites or ADK's as I'll be in the ADK's in two weeks. Camping this weekend with the scouts near Norwich CT.

(guess I'd call that southeastern CT - was thinking of sleeping under a tarp only, not that I'd be sleeping around dusk but would be near dawn unless I go fishing)

They were swarming in West Lebanon, ME all this week, but I only got bit once.

Conspicuous by their near absence on trails around Sunapee today. 7 miles, no protection, no bites, just a few blackflies after 3 pm near the end of the hike, and they didn't seem to be biting yet.

Got one bite today on Peekamoose (the southern most of the Catskills).

They were around in the AM at the Kearsage North Trailhead. Not biting but definitely a warning of things to come.