5. When does black fly season typically begin, peak and decline in central Maine? Some months are much worse than others though inland is bad in the spring and summer is bad on the coast. Unfortunately, insect repellent doesn’t seem to deter these flies much, Dill said. They reach over a half of an inch in length. Black flies typically appear in mid-May and hang around until mid-June or later. While these tiny, 1/6th of an inch, black flies … “In that way, they’re kind of a mixed blessing,” Russell said. House flies (Muscidae: Musca domestica) are perhaps the most common of all flies encountered indoors, but they are also abundant outdoors. These flies have a tendency to circle and ping off your head, a behavior that can be outright maddening. The final larval stage overwinters and then enters the … Found in large parts of the United States, black flies can be a major public health hazard in some areas. Natural predators of horse flies and deer flies include such things as frogs, toads, spiders, wasps, hornets, dragonflies, and birds. In addition to having a painful bite, deer flies and horseflies are fast, strong flyers. Winter is just about the only time you don't have to deal with some type of biting fly. The last human predator in Maine’s insect world are the larger flies, popularly called horse, deer and even moose flies. The larvae, stage usuall… The males feed on nectar and pollen, Dill said. If the problem lasts six to eight weeks, there may be several species present or that species lasts longer than most. The bite is often quite painful, resembling a bee sting for many people, and a lot of people react to the fly’s saliva, causing pain and itching at the site of the bite. Horse flies (genus Tabanus) are very pesky flies of not only humans, but also other mammals such as cattle, horses, dogs, etc. When riding and working around your horse, stay alert–you never know when it might buck, kick out or swing its head around to rid itself of an offending attacker. Certainly will rethink ever going back to any Maine coast beach resort during the month on July ! “Their mouthparts are described as knife-like or scissor-like,” said Jim Dill, a pest management specialist for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension. Thanks, Tim Black fly season started about Memorial Day weekend this year. The larvae of horse fly and deer fly species develop in the mud along pond edges or stream banks, wetlands, or seepage areas. They are attracted to fruits and other sugary foods. Horse flies are very similar to deer flies, which share the same family (Tabanidae). I did a little research and found that our writer, Tony Russo, addressed this topic almost exactly 4 years ago. They are thought to be alerted to our presence by the carbon dioxide we breathe out--and by sight. Because it has as many as 250 species. A horse fly’s saliva causes pain and swelling for most people, but those with allergies may have severe reactions that require medical attention. Fly spray and fly predators are a good start, but during horsefly season a fly sheet is invaluable. Mosquitoes are bad and so are deer flies and horse flies. Adults are gray to black, with four dark, longitudinal lines on the thorax, slightly hairy bodies, and a single pair of membranous wings. “They basically slash their way in[to your skin]. During the summer there are even signs posted at the entrance to the parking lot stating "Greenhead Season - No Refunds." They attack livestock and humans alike. This is a time for patience. Most horsefly species range from .25 inches to well over 1.5 inches in length. “I think I’ve been bitten by them all.”. So far, he has been fascinated by the variety he’s found. Emerging in full force mid-summer, deer flies and horse flies are among the most intimidating creatures in the Northeast. For more information on the services these farms offer, see our Maine Farm Directory • -• 1961 • 1963 • 1966 • 1969 • 3 Eagle Farm • 5.8 Acre Horse Property • A Five Acre Farm Females usually deposit egg masses on wet soil or vegetation that overhangs water. When pest experts talk about these types of flies, it sounds like they’re discussing monsters or aliens from a Hollywood thriller. While “horse fly” is typically used to describe species in the genus Tabanus. They have distinctive, large eyes that are patterned with gold or green, and dark bands across their wings. The black fly season moves, in general, from South to North and simultaneously from the coastal plain to inland areas and from lowest elevations up to the highest. “Fortunately, the season for deer flies is rather short, usually four to five weeks in June or July, and three to four weeks in August for horse flies. And usually, people don’t thoroughly spray their scalp. Both genuses are in the Tabanidae family. We have horse flies down south as well, as well as smaller, stealthier deer flies. One way to tell them apart is to look at their overall size, and their wings. These larger biting flies are found throughout the summer. Black flies like the woods. This story appears through a media sharing agreement with Bangor Daily News. Dill is working on a project that involves capturing and identifying different deer flies and horse flies throughout Maine. Deer flies (genus Chrysops) are very pesky flies of not only humans, but also other mammals such as cattle, horses, dogs, etc. I strongly recommend not performing this experiment because there are horse-flies in certain parts of the world that are carriers of disease. Fly intensity varies daily and they are frequently not present on the beachfront between July 11th and August 7th. Adult horse-flies are eaten by generalized predators such as birds, and some specialist predators, such as the horse guard wasp (a bembicinid wasp), also preferentially attack horse-flies, catching them to provision their nests. The deer fly is the term given to the small counterpart of the larger horse fly. Females feed on blood, and they are not averse to taking it from anything that has it. Horse flies tend to be much larger (from three-quarters of an inch to an inch or more in length), with a stout body and a very large head with very large eyes, and their wings are usually clear whereas deer flies have dark bands across their wings. Listen to the In Tune 24/7 Music Stream with Sara Willis. At Crane Beach there’s another sign, too: No Refunds. They are also attracted to dark colors, especially blue, according to instructions on how to make a deer fly trap by North Florida Research and Education Center. When pest experts talk about these types of flies, it sounds like they’re discussing monsters or aliens from a Hollywood thriller. Then I learned. The period of greatest activity of coastal species that plague our beaches is from the second week of July through the first week of August. The second black fly life cycle overwinters in the larval stage. The females lay their eggs, then spend the rest of their short lives — greenhead season lasts about six weeks — hunting for blood, which they need to lay a second batch of eggs. Note: Please note that insects do not adhere to man-drawn borders on a map and as such they may be found beyond their listed 'reach' showcased on our website. The larvae that hatch from these eggs fall to the ground and feed upon decaying organic matter or small organisms in the soil or water. They are very similar to Horse flies, which share the same family (Tabanidae). Though the common names — deer fly, horse fly and moose fly — are sometimes used interchangeably, people generally use the term “deer fly” when describing species in the genus Chrysops, said Howard Russell, entomologist at Michigan State University. “Off the top of my head, I don’t know how many different species there are in Maine,” Dill said. So when you get here it should not be as bad for black flies. Their bites are painful, and once they home in on a target, they’re nearly impossible to shake. Some are aquatic and a few develop in relatively dry soil. Also, they do not use scent to find their hosts (as mosquitos do), therefore, it doesn’t matter if the repellent masks your scent. Horse-fly bites and wounds me: an experiment and explanation - I allow a vampire-like horse-fly to bite my hand wounding me to show what can happen. As the horse fly … But it won’t be long before you have another one.”. I was bitten by one horse fly during my thru-hike in 2000. Horseflies are attracted to dark colors so keep that in mind when dressing. Black Horse Flies are about an inch long, making them highly visible and somewhat intriguing to watch. “As you’re walking along, one fly can bounce around your head and after you’ve gone 10 to 15 feet, oftentimes it will leave you. House flies will breed in feces, garbage, or other rotting organic material. The Difference Between A Deer Fly And Horse Fly. Here’s what you can do to keep them at bay. Insects are typically drawn to a given area by available food supply, weather, environmental factors (pollution, etc...), water supply, mating patterns, etc... and can be territorial. And they don’t just follow you. A horse fly. When flies lay their eggs in the manure, the product prevents the larvae from maturing, thus killing the insect. Adults emerge from late April through May and females deposit eggs in May and June and remain in the water until fall when they hatch. As will be noted in the dates of collection given with each species, from early June to mid-August some species of deer fly and/ or horse fly is at the peak of its activity with the resulting annoyance. Removing these breeding sources will reduce house fly numbers. “But there’s a lot, and some of them are kind of regional. Significant allergic reactions can develop for some people. In addition to livestock, dogs, cats, and other pets are targets for horse fly bites. Millions of these tiny, flying, black insects swarm in giant clouds around your head. I heard of the dreaded New England “black fly” season when we first moved to New Hampshire more than 20 years ago. The size of a deer fly lies somewhere between the horse-fly and the housefly. If you want to spend most of your vacation outdoors, try to choose another time of year. He believes one reason is because deer flies and horse flies often aim for people’s heads, where they wiggle under hair to find skin. Over the years we have advised visiting friends to wait until the Greenhead horse fly season in July is over before venturing to Crane Beach. significant when you consider the life cycle of the insect: biting black flies are female only – they need a meal of blood to lay eggs. Often during peak greenhead season–generally early or mid-July to mid-August–beaches will post warnings about fly conditions, like some weird variation on the surf report. July 26, 2011 Greenheads are a type of large biting fly that live in saltwater marshes from early July until early August. But, it can be a daunting task to locate a deer fly. Their bites are painful, and once they home in on a target, they’re nearly impossible to shake. “Deer fly” and “horse fly” are common names used to describe hundreds of species in the Tabanidae family. And the larvae feed on aquatic predators, including mosquito larvae. Reproduction. Black flies, also known as buffalo gnats and turkey gnats, are persistent and irritating pests that swarm around humans and other animals making control necessary in certain regions. Deer fly adults are 6-10 mm long and yellow to brown in color with patterned wings. Interestingly, it’s only the female flies that bite. Deer Flies Deer Fly. There is some good news. “I have at least 15 to 20 species where I live,” he added. Credit Griffin Dill / University of Maine Cooperative Extension/via Bangor Daily News, Credit Courtesy of Howard Russell / via Bangor Daily News, Courtesy of Howard Russell/via Bangor Daily News, Maine Public On Your Voice-Activated Device, Maine High School Basketball Championship Weekend, Watch Maine Public Television on YouTube TV or with an Antenna, Community Calendar – Virtual and Live Events in Maine, Maine Public's Tiny Screen Concert Series/Brown Bag Edition, Maine Public's Dash of Maine Holiday Cooking Challenge, Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ - Christmas With Kennerley, Facts About Maine Public's Federal Funding, Maine Public's FCC Public Inspection Files, Jim Dill, a pest management specialist for the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Howard Russell, entomologist at Michigan State University, North Florida Research and Education Center. Weekend cut day short due to the AWFUL Greenhead horseflies. Greenhead fly season at Crane Beach generally begins by July 11 and the flies are completely gone by the end of the first week in August. Tabanids annoy cattle, horses, and humans alike by waiting in shady areas under trees or bushes for us to walk by. Index of all insects found in Maine. Deer flies are closely related to horse flies, both being of the Tabanidae family with deer flies in the genus Chrysops. “One under each arm would carry you away,” Dill said. Black Flies . Horse flies (genus Tabanus) are very pesky flies of not only humans, but also other mammals such as cattle, horses, dogs, etc. Mating often occurs in swarms, generally at landmarks such as hilltops. But, if you are anywhere in Hawaii, Greenland, or Iceland then you are safe from the annoying buzz of a deer fly. Home and Garden IPM from Cooperative Extension, 4-H Camp & Learning Center at Bryant Pond, 4-H Camp & Learning Center at Greenland Point, 4-H Camp & Learning Centers at Tanglewood & Blueberry Cove, Insect Pests, Plant Diseases & Pesticide Safety, Affiliated Programs, Partners & Resources, Non-Discrimination Statement & Disability Resources, Register for Workshops, Classes, & Events. Both horse flies and deer flies are abundant in damp, wooded and wetland environments, which provide the necessary habitat for their eggs and larvae. These flies are so big that insect repellant does not bother them. Horse Flys are a nusiance, but they are really easy to kill. When a horse fly lands on you, he sits there for a moment. I was in Caratunk and almost got chewed alive. They have a saliva that acts as an anticoagulant. Emerging in full force mid-summer, deer flies and horse flies are among the most intimidating creatures in the Northeast. Horse flies have from 6-13 larval stages, depending on the species. You can try to outrun them, but these flies hunt by sight and are attracted to movement. Then the horse fly gets the urge to bite. Because feed-through products work on fly larvae, they should be started a few weeks before the beginning of fly season. Here's some of the biology of flies and why a west wind bodes ill for beach-goers who are likely to attract the blood-hungry insect. The housefly (Musca domestica) is a fly of the suborder Cyclorrhapha.It is believed to have evolved in the Cenozoic Era, possibly in the Middle East, and has spread all over the world as a commensal of humans.It is the most common fly species found in houses. Greenhead flies are big horse flies. In the United States and Canada, about 350 different species of these flies exist, and they vary greatly in size and appearance. Their mouth parts cut open flesh, allowing blood to ooze out. And when you start bleeding from the wound, they lap it up.”. When is black fly season in Maine? For example, down on the coast, you hear of the ‘greenheads’ on the beaches.”, One of the species Dill found had yellow and black stripes, similar to a yellowjacket. They are fast fliers despite their hefty size. “They can be quite territorial, too,” Dill said. They dislike open areas or areas with breezes, such as coastal areas. Horse Flies Example of a Horse Fly Horse Flies (additional examples). “What’s very cool about them is their incandescent eyes,” Russell said. Females lay batches of 25 to 1,000 eggs on vegetation that stand over water or wet sites. This is due to the fact that the females of most species require a blood meal in order to reproduce effectively, if at all, and although some species are known to feed on birds or reptiles, the majority of them feed on mammalian blood. When they’re out in force, they can be a blood-sucking bane for beachgoers from North Carolina to Maine. You know, why? They are notably faster than mosquitoes or blackflies, making them a bane of runners and cyclists. “They’re very fast — among the fastest flying of all insects,” said Russell, though he does not know if their top speed has ever been recorded. Black fly larvae, which hatch in clear running streams, do not hatch until everything thaws and the water temperature has also risen a bit. Black flies have been plaguing us recently and I see that they are a hot topic of discussion for Ocean City beach goers this week. There are many different species of horse flies, and they display different patterns and colors. Get ready Scream! If you have never experienced Black Fly Season in Maine, here is my best description. Like horse flies, deer flies are strong flies and persistent biters. Larvae are active in moist or wet organic matter and look similar to house fly maggots. 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