Last week, we talked about deer flies and how they were on their way out very shortly. Unfortunately, as we’ve discussed before, they are far from the only biting flies we need to worry about on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

While the aforementioned deer flies are out almost every year from May through early September, other annoying insects show up pretty exclusively for the rainy, aka, hurricane season. In years when we have less rain we get fewer of them. But given how June came in, we are “in for it” this year.

The NOAA National Weather Service predicted this to be a very active storm season. We kicked off June with a disorganized storm system that dumped more than 6 inches of rain per day for several days on Sarasota and Bradenton. July was a little quieter, but we’ve still had five named storms already this year - and November’s still a way off.

Suffice it to say, our drought is over and the danger of certain biting flies is high.

Black Fly in my Chardonnay

We all know that flies tend to carry disease or at least nastiness with them wherever they go. But even worse, like deer flies, there are several species of flies that feed on human blood. If that’s not a scary enough picture, we’re told there are 18 different species of black flies present in Florida.

Sorry to say it, but once again, the ones that bite are females. Males usually feast on nectar but female black flies use the blood to feed their brood. Female black flies can lay between 200 and 800 eggs every cycle. If you’re wondering about the water, they cluster the eggs on the undersides of leaves and other vegetation that rests just under the waterline.

In three to four weeks adults emerge, live for another two to three weeks, sometimes up to 85 days, mating and laying more eggs. And, of course, chowing down on our blood.

Unlike mosquitoes that inject themselves into our flesh, black flies will literally carve a hole in your skin while drooling anticoagulants. Your blood pools in this chewed open hole and the flies partake.

Unfortunately, some humans have a bad allergic reaction to the foreign matter the flies inject. Everyone feels pain and itching, but some folks may have severe anaphylactic reactions to the bites. The flies tend to swarm around your head and ears, attracted by your heat signature and will bite any exposed flesh: head, arms, ears and legs, if you’re wearing shorts.

Thankfully, the main species in Florida is Simulium slossonae, which tends to prefer the blood of birds.

Spotting and Stopping Black Flies

Black flies have some resemblance to house flies but they’re much smaller, only 1/8”-1/4” in length. In their middles, they have shiny, hump-shaped segments that range in color from black to gray to yellow. The protrusion led to them picking up the name Buffalo or Turkey gnats.

The best way to prevent black flies is the same as mosquitoes. Make sure you don’t have any swampy or standing water on the ground near your house. That includes your birdbath, if you have one, as well as pet bowls. It should also be noted, black flies can range as far as 8 miles away from their home base in search of warm blood.

Black flies are daytime biters who prefer low or no wind conditions. That may be why some experts recommend using an oscillating fan to keep air moving and prevent swarming. It should also be noted that these flies are small enough to squeeze through standard window and door screens, or hiding on your arm before they bite. However, they do prefer to bite outdoors.

It also helps to minimize any plants or shrubs in your yard that produce nectar, as that attracts the male black flies.

On a positive note, they’ve found that DEET and other harmful chemicals do little to nothing to prevent black fly swarming. However, proper lawn care and our Go Green Perimeter Plus, 100% all-natural treatments are highly effective against most flies, as well as roaches, ants, and other common Florida pests. It’s also affordable and safe for the whole family. For more details on this or any of our other eco-superior solutions, please give us a call!