Any black files yet in southern ADKs?

[poconoron]

I may be going up into the Ferris Lake Wild Forest country next week and was wondering what I might expect in the way of the nasty little flying bloodsuckers......... any info greatly appreciated.

[lumberzac]

I swatted a few last weekend just south of the blue line.

[windsong781]

And I swatted more than a few south of Albany last weekend in the Hudson Highlands, and they were biting. They are on there way.

Windsong

[redhawk]

The little buggers haven't hatched in Wells yet.

[Adk Keith]

Nor in North Creek. Lot's of larvae on the sticks in my brook. All we need is some more non-freezing nights and they'll be out.

[twochordcool]

Guess it's not the same every year, but I usually figure that I am safe from them until mid May - am I wrong?

I remember one Memorial Day weekend about 15 years ago in North Hudson - TOTAL NIGHTMARE.

When do they get lost by the way? (approximately)

[Wldrns]

Guess it's not the same every year, but I usually figure that I am safe from them until mid May - am I wrong?

I remember one Memorial Day weekend about 15 years ago in North Hudson - TOTAL NIGHTMARE.

When do they get lost by the way? (approximately)

It is quite variable. I've had rare Memorial Days when not a bug was to be found in perfect weather, but usually it is the nightmare as you experienced. The first hatch tends not to bite, only annoy. Their biting cousins follow a week or so later, usually the same time the leaves fully come out, about the 3rd week of May. Expect them to be fierce until after the 4th of July, tapering off a couple of weeks later in mid-late July. It's best to learn to not let them annoy you when you are inside a cloud of them, and keep moving to keep them off from biting you.

Warm humid nights bring out punkies (no-see-ums), worse in some ways because they follow you on your clothing inside your tent. It's hot so you try to sleep with no or minimal covers and they get you all night.