Communities

Writing
Writing
Codidact Meta
Codidact Meta
The Great Outdoors
The Great Outdoors
Photography & Video
Photography & Video
Scientific Speculation
Scientific Speculation
Cooking
Cooking
Electrical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Judaism
Judaism
Languages & Linguistics
Languages & Linguistics
Software Development
Software Development
Mathematics
Mathematics
Christianity
Christianity
Code Golf
Code Golf
Music
Music
Physics
Physics
Linux Systems
Linux Systems
Power Users
Power Users
Tabletop RPGs
Tabletop RPGs
Community Proposals
Community Proposals
tag:snake search within a tag
answers:0 unanswered questions
user:xxxx search by author id
score:0.5 posts with 0.5+ score
"snake oil" exact phrase
votes:4 posts with 4+ votes
created:<1w created < 1 week ago
post_type:xxxx type of post
Search help
Notifications
Mark all as read See all your notifications »
Q&A

Effective black fly repellent

+0
−0

I am looking for solutions on how to effectively repel black flies while hiking or picnicking. In my experience, repellents that are effective against mosquitoes do not work at all with these ankle-biting pests as they seem to outright ignore the repellent while they feast upon my flesh.

Responses based on firsthand experience are preferred. I just got done scouring the first page of Google and found little more than articles stating "doing this may help" or "applying this could help" (ie, a lot of could/can/might/may/probably). I am most interested in the holy grail of repellents that will, in fact, keep black flies at bay without doubt, question, or speculation. Of course, if that holy grail doesn't exist, I'll have to end up settling for the next best thing.

History
Why does this post require moderator attention?
You might want to add some details to your flag.
Why should this post be closed?

This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/22860. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

0 comment threads

1 answer

+0
−0

I have never succeeded in keeping black flies away with a chemical approach. A hat is important to keep them out of your hairline. Long sleeves, long pants, tuck your pants into your socks. Yes, Ontario June can be too hot to dress like that. So you might want to go with something like this:

bug jacket and pants

A bug jacket (and pants are also available) made of lightweight mesh with elastic at the wrists and ankles. The jacket has a hood, and mine has a faceplate like a fencer's that attaches to the hood with velcro. I've worn the jacket (usually without the faceplate) for gardening at the height of black fly season and it works and is cooler than full-on clothes.

History
Why does this post require moderator attention?
You might want to add some details to your flag.

This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/22875. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

0 comment threads

Sign up to answer this question »