Black Flies On The Beach - Dog Fly Report

Cactus Juice. Get it at For the Health of It in Blue Mtn.
The flies will be gone as soon as the north wind dies down and the sea breeze comes back. I went for a swim around 3 pm and the wind was out of the south, no flies then.

We had problems with the black flies biting us also. I didn't notice any yesterday thank goodness. They are a nuisance.

Well, if they hadn't gotten rid of the Dog Fly Program! Perhaps those who did that should go around and swat flies for us?

Well, if they hadn't gotten rid of the Dog Fly Program! Perhaps those who did that should go around and swat flies for us?

I got eaten alive when the dog fly plane was spraying poison. The benefits were nominal compared to the risk associated with spraying poison randomly in the air for all to breath--human and animals alike.

Good riddance to the poison spraying. Now if the mosquito spraying could only be halted too.

Well, if they hadn't gotten rid of the Dog Fly Program! Perhaps those who did that should go around and swat flies for us?

Maybe fisher will swat for you!

Now if the mosquito spraying could only be halted too.

You're deluded... I don't believe you or any of us would want to live here without mosquito control.

You're deluded... I don't believe you or any of us would want to live here without mosquito control.

I think there are a lot more people than you think that would be happy to live without the spraying for mosquitos.

I think there are a lot more people than you think that would be happy to live without the spraying for mosquitos.

...like the SC JOHNSON family--makers of OFF!

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I think there are a lot more people than you think that would be happy to live without the spraying for mosquitos.

Perhaps the opposite is true.

man i went down to the beach this afternoon for the first time in a few weeks and the black flies killed me. i stayed 20 min's and had to leave. what works to keep them away on the beach? does insect repellant work?

if the flies are swarming, nothing will repell them - you have to either get in the water or leave. I usually hightail it out of there. can't stand 'em!

A lifeguard recommended Bull frog because it has Spf and deet. I personally like deet in my morning omelet....;-)

They don't last long. They come and do their thing and move on. I think they do a lot less damage then we do. You should have been at my our last beach clean up at Grayton. Now that Bites!

The black flies live in the dunes, and they can be vicious. If the wind at the beach is
coming from the South/South East or South West then they are not a big problem. But
if there is no wind or the wind is from the North............RUN and hide. I have tried just
about ALL lotions, sprays and oils and they have VERY little effect. IF you really want/need to
stay at the beach on fly days, bring a bug net tent or stay in the water. Good luck.

PS: For the bug net tent to be effective you need to be inside it.

What Peter said.

G

Sadly a cold front is coming and will bring more of the vicious flies with it this week try to limit beach activity until the afternoon when the sea breeze blows them inland but beware of them at your cookout in the afternoon if you are staying inland

Running and hiding is very nice for those who can, but not everyone can. To consider the welfare of another human being should be a top priority.

Does anyone know how the black flies are now? We are coming down next week and I don't want to have issues like we did last year.

Does anyone know how the black flies are now? We are coming down next week and I don't want to have issues like we did last year.

None yet - lots of butterflies, dragon flies, love bugs but no black flies. We usually don't have any on the beach until we get a breeze from the north - rare until later in the year.

None yet - lots of butterflies, dragon flies, love bugs but no black flies. We usually don't have any on the beach until we get a breeze from the north - rare until later in the year.

Thank you. Last year at this time they were really bad and we had a few days we couldn't enjoy the beach so just hoping that doesn't happen again.

I brought one of these amazing electric bug zappers that looks like a tennis racket to the beach with us in August. It works very well killing mosquitos, fruit flies, and other small bugs and will stun flies but not necessarily kill them so you have to make sure they're dead after they fall to the ground. It may work with black flies. It's fun to use in a creepy way. I have one at home and one at our place in Florida. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DVWV4ZI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

As someone else said, Cactus juice may work, too. I've seen it at Seacrest Sundries and a lot of it at the Ace on 98 going toward Pier Park.

Can't stand those flies. Glad we saw none this year.

Modica has them. Last Tuesday, our last full day, the flies hit that afternoon. They landed and bit. Sprayed with cactus juice. They landed but didn't bite. Went up to Bud & Alleys later for last night drinks. Kept walking. Flies and love bugs everywhere. It was gross. We had arrived the Tuesday the week before and that was the only bad time. Otherwise best water EVER. 7 days in a row!!! Ellen

Modica has them. Last Tuesday, our last full day, the flies hit that afternoon. They landed and bit. Sprayed with cactus juice. They landed but didn't bite. Went up to Bud & Alleys later for last night drinks. Kept walking. Flies and love bugs everywhere. It was gross. We had arrived the Tuesday the week before and that was the only bad time. Otherwise best water EVER. 7 days in a row!!! Ellen

Thank you. Ok so maybe they are gone by now

As my dad used to say...
"They look like house flies except they are 90% teeth!"

Just got off the beach in Santa Rosa Beach and Dune Allen. Didn't see any flies but 100 yards north of the beach in the shade of a carport there were some little biters. They nibbled but were kind of lazy and not aggressive like they usually are.