So now that the Dog Fly plane is gone, what now?

Personally, I have no dog fly "problem". I've never considered dog flies anything more than a minor irritation that occurs so infrequently it's not worth considering. I believe the dog fly "problem" is more mental than physical.

Believe me, over the years I've been on the beach shooting photos with dozens of flies on me biting me, but I'm able to ignore them for the most part. Maybe I'm unusual. Maybe dog flies keep some people off the beach at times. Maybe dog flies would cause visitors to lament their decision to visit here, or not return. But if it this is an economic concern you have, I think we'll be OK.

If the flies get more numerous than they have been in the past because of the abscence of spraying or maybe for some natural reason, I'll let you know.

spray yourself with DEET if you have a problem, or wear pants and longsleeved shirts, or just don't go to the beach when the wind blows from the north. The Dog Flies aren't bothering me enough to justify spraying poisons from a plane.

I guess we'll see just how much you can stand! And I suppose it depends on just how much time you spend outside. Seems unfair for those who don't go outside much to regulate what those who do have to endure.

Hey Kurt i would say your definetly unusual or just plain tuff if you can handle that anymore than one or two. Joe probably has the best answer for now just wait for the north wind and flies to get pushed back inland by the seabreeze in the afternoon. long pants and shirt will help but they can still bite through some materials. or to Panama city beach they still spray there.

Maybe unusual - not really tough I don't think.

FG, for me the dog flies are a non-issue. The suggestions posted above are all good and can fairly well alliveate the problem. Do I go outside? Yes, everyday and if the dogflies get to be irritating, I go in. I'm with SJ and Kurt on this one. They are a nuisance not a danger. I had enough of Agent Orange exposure in my lifetime to now be wary of any unneeded pesticides and that is what spraying for dogflies is.

I have discovered that a fly swatter in your dominant hand, a drink in your non-dominant hand and a beach chair to relax in makes for a fairly exciting fall beach sport.

The dog flies this year seem worse than ever!! I can't stand the little buggers!! But luckly we only have them in our area for a short period of time. From what I remember, when this issue came up a few years ago, they don't carry diseases and are just annoying!! So my feelings on the issue is to just deal with, I think it is a small price we can pay to live in paradise!

I am sure that people in AL and GA are lining up to pay thousands of dollars to come here and get eaten alive by critters we could control. Great way to pump up the economy.

I am sure that people in AL and GA are lining up to pay thousands of dollars to come here and get eaten alive by critters we could control. Great way to pump up the economy.

I line up about every other weekend from Alabama to come down and the dog flies are not a big enough problem for me not to want to come down. Yes, I spend a good deal of time outdoors and I do as Smiling JOe has suggested above and they don't seem to be that big of a problem to me. I would much rather deal with covering myself up, using deet or just going inside during the short time they seem to be bad as to be exposed to chemicals I don't want to be exposed to.

Then again, I think I will try skunky approach next time.


Question for you florida girl, I have been coming down there most of my life, how long have they been spraying the beach? I remember in 1996 we were in Grayton Beach for Labor Day weekend and were about eaten alive! It did not make us want to leave, we just covered up and made do.

I am sure that people in AL and GA are lining up to pay thousands of dollars to come here and get eaten alive by critters we could control. Great way to pump up the economy.

I bet if more people knew that they would be sprayed with poisons from an airplane, the line would be even longer, only to evacuate.

Dangit, Kurt and SJ...you should both get outside more!

I am sure that people in AL and GA are lining up to pay thousands of dollars to come here and get eaten alive by critters we could control. Great way to pump up the economy.

I prefer yellow fly season, myself.

So as someone who doesn't live in SoWal, I gotta ask, are they a seasonal issue?

We rented a house in SoWal last August and they were terrible then. So this year we decided to visit in late October hoping to avoid them. I personally can deal with them, but my wife and the 3 year old and 1 year old were absolutely miserable last year. We absolutely love the area, but they really put a damper on things when you travel a long way to the beach for the week and your kids don't even want to leave the house because of the flies. If they are around again this year when we visit, I would probably say we won't be coming back. It's just not worth the hassle of dealing with when there are other "fly-less" beach options to spend our vacation dollars on. But then again, if I lived down there, maybe I wouldn't mind a few less tourists, so maybe you guys don't see that as a bad thing.

Somebody mentioned that Skin So Soft worked well against them, is that true?

Anyhow, Like I said we absolutely love the area, it just really sucks to drive 9 hours and spend $2,500 on a house rental only to be eaten alive all week.

Hey Chefs
Unfortunately the dogfly season typically runs from late august thru november and skin so soft only works so-so depending on who you talk to a high #25-40 deet spray (Deep woods sportsmen off ) becareful with this around young children don't put it on bare skin It seems to help a little or there are some special home concoctions you may be able to find. If you google dogfly or Stable fly you will find that they come to the beach with the north winds so sometimes in the afternoon when the water heats up the seabreeze will push most of them inland and possibly make the beach outing bearable.

.............. But then again, if I lived down there, maybe I wouldn't mind a few less tourists, so maybe you guys don't see that as a bad thing.
...........................

People who do not live there don't have to worry about the cumulative affect of being sprayed with the poison. I'd guess the possible small loss in tourism would not be worth the health concerns for most locals' families.


.

Let me add that 5'6" of warm gulf water also tends to keep them from piercing your skin (note: it may not be 5'6" for you, take your height and subtract the distance from the top of your head to your upper lip).

No flies this evening at the beach.

I line up about every other weekend from Alabama to come down and the dog flies are not a big enough problem for me not to want to come down. Yes, I spend a good deal of time outdoors and I do as Smiling JOe has suggested above and they don't seem to be that big of a problem to me. I would much rather deal with covering myself up, using deet or just going inside during the short time they seem to be bad as to be exposed to chemicals I don't want to be exposed to.

Then again, I think I will try skunky approach next time.


Question for you florida girl, I have been coming down there most of my life, how long have they been spraying the beach? I remember in 1996 we were in Grayton Beach for Labor Day weekend and were about eaten alive! It did not make us want to leave, we just covered up and made do.

The Mosquito Control here was founded I believe in 1964, and I'm sure they started spraying soon after. As far as the chemicals go, I know of no one here who has had their life shortened due to it, or suffered any kind of health problem. In fact, Mr. Pat Patterson, who lived in Grayton for many years, lived to be 105.

So as someone who doesn't live in SoWal, I gotta ask, are they a seasonal issue?

We rented a house in SoWal last August and they were terrible then. So this year we decided to visit in late October hoping to avoid them. I personally can deal with them, but my wife and the 3 year old and 1 year old were absolutely miserable last year. We absolutely love the area, but they really put a damper on things when you travel a long way to the beach for the week and your kids don't even want to leave the house because of the flies. If they are around again this year when we visit, I would probably say we won't be coming back. It's just not worth the hassle of dealing with when there are other "fly-less" beach options to spend our vacation dollars on. But then again, if I lived down there, maybe I wouldn't mind a few less tourists, so maybe you guys don't see that as a bad thing.

Somebody mentioned that Skin So Soft worked well against them, is that true?

Anyhow, Like I said we absolutely love the area, it just really sucks to drive 9 hours and spend $2,500 on a house rental only to be eaten alive all week.

Skin So Soft helps, but only goes so far.

spray yourself with DEET if you have a problem, or wear pants and longsleeved shirts, or just don't go to the beach when the wind blows from the north. The Dog Flies aren't bothering me enough to justify spraying poisons from a plane.

Quite amazing, really, that you would advocate the use of DEET on a person, yet object to the Dog Fly Plane!!! I understand there are risks associated with DEET!

I went to the grocery store this afternoon, and a couple approached me asking if I was a local. They were concerned about the Dog Flies and wondered what we were doing about them. They seriously were considering whether to stay the 2 months they were planning, or go somewhere else. They had been coming down here for many years. I told them what had happened to the plane, and suggested for them to write letters to the editor of our local newspapers, and contact the State Mosquito Control, and the Department of Agriculture. They were amazed that such a thing could happen considering Florida's major industry is tourism!
By the way, I love being outside. I maintain 6 rentals and my home, including the grass. I also love to go boating and fishing. Dog Flies are a mostly preventable annoyance. They used to talk about the black cloud!

Dog flies...

Quite amazing, really, that you would advocate the use of DEET on a person, yet object to the Dog Fly Plane!!! I understand there are risks associated with DEET!

Only on someone who can handle poisons being sprayed from a plane, would I recommend DEET. I use a special homemade and cheap potion which I could drink without harm, and it repels them nicely. DEET merely repels insects, and yet you are okay with insecticides (poisons which kill insects) being sprayed on all of our plants, animals, friends, family and tourists? You crack me up.

I went to the grocery store this afternoon, and a couple approached me asking if I was a local. They were concerned about the Dog Flies and wondered what we were doing about them.

how coincidental.

I went to the grocery store this afternoon, and a couple approached me asking if I was a local. They were concerned about the Dog Flies and wondered what we were doing about them.

how coincidental.

Coincidental? John R, that was downright serendipitous.