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

[Beachbummette]

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.

 

[Smiling JOe]

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.

 

[NoHall]

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.

 

[thechefs2003]

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.

 

[dogflyguy]

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.

 

[Rita]

.............. 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.


.

 

[Kurt]

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).

 

[30A Skunkape]

No flies this evening at the beach.

 

[florida girl]

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.

 

[florida girl]

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.