Yellow flies are here! Have fun hunting them!

[Teresa]

Could not go for a walk yesterday due to yellow flies swarming worse than ever. My dog even refused to go for a walk. They must be at their peak. Meanwhile trapped ones die on my back porch from natural causes I guess.

 

[happy2Bme]

I spent both days this past weekend working outside in heavily-wooded areas. The first day, I wore Cactus Juice, and the yellow flies bothered me less but, in the long run of the day, ate me up pretty good. The second day, I sprayed myself good with Cutter (face and hair included)....I pressure-washed for 8 hours, and was buzz-bombed constantly, but was never bitten. Not a commercial endorsement; just an interesting face.

Last Thursday evening, one got in the house and, at some time after I went to sleep for the night, must have parked on one of the prominent veins atop my right hand, because I awoke with the skin on my right hand stretched extremely tight over a hand that was like a catcher's mitt. I only swell from bites to my hands and feet, but it usually only lasts no more than an hour.....my right hand stayed swollen until early evening on Friday! Ugh.

 

[30A Skunkape]

I was doing some caulking outside yesterday and figured that trading out my shorts for long pants made more sense than swatting and dancing while up on a ladder. It worked!

 

[Teresa]

I was doing some caulking outside yesterday and figured that trading out my shorts for long pants made more sense than swatting and dancing while up on a ladder. It worked!

Yes I only walk with long pants during yellow fly season. They don't bite as long as I'm in motion. Usually. But they are aggressively dive bombing my head. Not sure but they may be worse bayside in the woods.

 

[Emerald Drifter]

Yes I only walk with long pants during yellow fly season. They don't bite as long as I'm in motion. Usually. But they are aggressively dive bombing my head. Not sure but they may be worse bayside in the woods.

Same here on the long pants. I also wear a white bandana around my neck. This seems to keep them away from my neck and head. Also baseball hat when I am walking my dog. Hopefully this dry spell we are in will keep them in check.

 

[BeachRob]

So, cobalt works. I counted 9 flies just now. Impossible to use the black one next to it as a baseline, as it’s reused from last year.

Dave,

My hand swatted versus bitten ratio, as of today, is 1-0 in favor of the good guys.

 

[bhnc]

Are yellow flies an issue along the beach itself or in the beachside state parks and towns, or is it more of an inland wooded concern? We're visiting in a couple days and our toddler insists on only wearing blue and black which is the color that typically attracts yellow flies . . .

 

[Jimmy T]

Are yellow flies an issue along the beach itself or in the beachside state parks and towns, or is it more of an inland wooded concern? We're visiting in a couple days and our toddler insists on only wearing blue and black which is the color that typically attracts yellow flies . . .

There are no yellow flies at the beach; they get worse the further you are from the beach. Where are you staying?

 

[bhnc]

There are no yellow flies at the beach; they get worse the further you are from the beach. Where are you staying?

Rosemary Beach. Called Grayton Beach State Park yesterday and they said the yellow flies are the worst they've ever seen and they're everywhere all day, including right on the beach. They're battling them inside the ranger station. But I guess the natural setting there may be a different data point than the beach towns themselves . . .

 

[Jimmy T]

Rosemary Beach. Called Grayton Beach State Park yesterday and they said the yellow flies are the worst they've ever seen and they're everywhere all day, including right on the beach. They're battling them inside the ranger station. But I guess the natural setting there may be a different data point than the beach towns themselves . . .

I really don't think you will have a problem at the beach. We spent Monday at Grayton Beach and we didn't see a single one. I also walk my dog there in the afternoons and they're not around. But they are kind of bad at our house, which is about 1/3 mile from the beach. I have heard that they are terrible in Point Washington. Hopefully, Rosemary won't be too bad.