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For the fourth year in a row western Illinois is swarming with
an infestation of Buffalo Gnats or what is also called Black Flies.
In this article you will find out information like. Were did they
come from? And how do you keep them away from you?
The question I here from most people are were did they come
from and why are they here? The best answer I have found in my
research is that they have always been here but in very low numbers.
However in the past 4 years western Illinois has had extremely
wet summers, receiving plentiful rain fall and no droughts. This
gives the eggs and larvae optimum conditions for reproduction
and survival.
The other question that most people have concerns the painful
bit. The swarm of gnats around a person’s head is uncomfortable
and irritating but the bit hurts, and some people have allergic
reactions to the fly’s saliva. But interestingly enough
it is only the female gnat that bites. It must feed on a blood
meal in order for it to have enough protean to lay eggs.
Vanilla extract is the best-known remedy for repelling these
irritating insects. But I have found that does not last for long
and only gives you partial protection. Vicks vapor rub is also
suppose to repel gnats but agine the effect is short lived and
has a strong medicine odder.
It has also been reported that marines who spend long periods
of time in the back woods and jungles like to mix Avon skin so
soft with rubbing alcohol to keep insects off of them.
But for me I have found that the best protection from Buffalo
Gnats is Skin So Soft bug guard plus towelettes. When I play golf
in the spring or work in the yard I wipe it on my exposed skin
and cloths and I never see another gnat agine. Another plus about
it is it does not use the chemical deet that other bug sprays
use. You can read more about it at this web site.
http://shop.avon.com/shop/product.aspx?pf_id=33985
Below is more technical information on this particular
species of insect.
Simuliidae is a small family of blood sucking flies commonly
known as black flies or buffalo gnats. Over 100 species are known
from North America and new ones are still being described.
Humans as well as domestic animals may be viciously attacked.
The eyes, ears, nostrils, wrists, and all exposed parts of the
body are subject to attack. In some individuals, the face, arms,
and other exposed parts may be greatly swollen as a result of
the bites.
Livestock and poultry are sometimes killed by large numbers of
black flies. Death seems, in most cases, to be the consequence
of a toxemia caused by the bites or the result of an anaphylactic
shock; although debility resulting from blood loss and suffocation
brought about by inhalation of the flies is apparently a contributing
cause.
The egg laying habits vary with the species, but all lay their
eggs in running water. Some lay in masses on plants trailing in
the water, others drop the eggs singly into streams, while others
lay their eggs in long strings. Each female will lay from 150-450
eggs.
When the adult emerges, it floats to the surface in a bubble of
air and quickly flies away. Mating occurs in swarms in many species
but on the ground near the emergence site in others. Both males
and females feed on nectar and the females of most species also
require a blood meal for development of the eggs.
Adults are often found several miles from the nearest known breeding
area. They are commonly reported to move 7-15 miles and wind-aided
migration of 90-150 miles have been reported in some cases.
Here in Illinois the generation occurs in April and May. Numbers
depend on the availability of running water and on water temperature.
Larval numbers are known to decline sharply when water temperatures
reach 75-80 degrees F.
Matt Capps
matt@avalonn.com
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