[OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Questions regarding Weather, Bugs, Northern Lights and other "natural" phenomena.

Moderator: drobarge

User avatar
fonixmunkee
Forum Moderator
Posts: 953
Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2007 10:58 am
Isle Royale Visits: 18
Location: Soupe Towne, WI
Has thanked: 46 times
Been thanked: 60 times

[OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by fonixmunkee »

If anyone has any updated bug reports, post them here.

I just got back on May 28th and am happy to report there were NO BUGS yet. No one ever touched bug spray or a head net.

We were on the west/south west side of the island, to include Windigo, Hugginin Cove, and Feldtmann Lake.

However, the island is very wet with lots of standing water and it's been warm and sunny the last few days. I would anticipate that the black fly and mosquito hatch isn't too far away, but as of May 28th, enjoy a bug-free island!
treeplanter
May actually live on IR
Posts: 498
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2012 6:57 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 12
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 69 times
Contact:

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by treeplanter »

I just got back from Rock Harbor earlier today. (5/30). Spent most of the week in the northeast part of the park. Definitely no bugs anywhere near the Lake Superior shore, but I did pick up some Black Flies and Mosquitoes on the Greenstone around Mount Franklin and around Mt. Ojibway. I suspect anybody who spends time in the interior of the park from this time on will see a lot of bugs.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
jerry
IR Expert
Posts: 539
Joined: Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:52 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 14
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 19 times

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by jerry »

Guess what? As of June 11 when I left ISRO NP the little flies, and the state bird or Minn./Mich. (those m. creatures) were becoming a pain. They were biting like crazy. I was at Huginnin and Washington Creek.
drobarge
Bushwacker
Posts: 214
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2010 7:25 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 24

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by drobarge »

Got home today from a six day trip from Windigo to RH via the Minong, Moskey, Ojibway tower and Mt. Franklin.
Mosquitoes are in full bloom! I didn't really get bothered by flies but saw many.
WindChill
NewbieCake
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2014 11:31 am

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by WindChill »

Six days on the island (6/29 - 7/3) going from McCargo to Todd Harbor, S Desor, Siskiwit Bay, Feldtmann and Windigo. The only bugs we had were mosquitoes and for most of the trek they were tolerable. Group campsite #2 at Siskiwit Bay was the worst - worse than any BWCAW campsite or portage trial Ive every been on. Along the trail, the worst bugs were on the eastern end of Feldtmann Ridge tail where the undergrowth is tall and close to the trail.
User avatar
trailgoat_70
NewbieCake
Posts: 29
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2015 12:25 pm

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by trailgoat_70 »

Thanks for the report, WindChill. I'm guessing the little buggers are going to be full-throttle when I get there next Sunday. Todd Harbor and McCargo are both on my itinerary, although the farthest west I will be is on the hike north out of Malone Bay. I really need to do a September trip some time to avoid them.
"I am a happy camper so I guess I’m doing something right."

- Henry David Thoreau
ldavidjm
NewbieCake
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 2:07 pm

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by ldavidjm »

Anybody got any updated bug reports? Heading up for my first trip soon!
Gimp
LNT Expert
Posts: 88
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 3:52 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 6
Location: Macomb TWP, Michigan

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by Gimp »

ldavidjm wrote:Anybody got any updated bug reports? Heading up for my first trip soon!
I returned from IR on Saturday. As usual for this time of year you need bug spray. I saw a couple of people wearing head nets on the island but I never had a reason to pull mine out of my pack. My worst experience was at a tent site in Rock Harbor on my last night. I just moved 20 yards to another site where things were more tolerable.
User avatar
Tom
Forum Moderator
Posts: 789
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:16 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 16
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota
Been thanked: 12 times

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by Tom »

Having just returned on Thu, 30 Jul, bugs were mostly light. At Feldtman I was able to walk around with a shirt off and not a mosquito went after me. (May have been other reasons for that. :) )
Siskiwit had similar low levels; as did Malone. About the only place we encountered any number of them wanting to pester us was Desor South, and then standard repellent (Ultrathon) worked fine. I never felt a need a pull out a head net.
No biting black flies were around, I'm pretty sure that season is over and done with.
On the western trails, other than a few morning mosquitos in the understory, they certainly were not bad. If you stopped for a break, they might find you, but not in huge numbers.
Tightlines01
May actually live on IR
Posts: 320
Joined: Sun May 08, 2011 9:19 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 7
Location: Kentwood MI

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by Tightlines01 »

Thanks for the bug update Tom. I leave for the east side on Sunday's boat (pending queens repairs). Hopefully the bugs will be good there also.

We're the thimble berries popping yet?
User avatar
Tom
Forum Moderator
Posts: 789
Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:16 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 16
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota
Been thanked: 12 times

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by Tom »

Blueberries and raspberries could be found, but thimbleberries were still a week or two out depending on where you were on the island. I think we picked two or three, and those were still early. I will say that from what I could see, it will be a bumper crop...
RICHIGAN
NewbieCake
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 4:13 am
Isle Royale Visits: 2
Location: Chapel Hill, NC

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by RICHIGAN »

Tom wrote:Blueberries and raspberries could be found, but thimbleberries were still a week or two out depending on where you were on the island. I think we picked two or three, and those were still early. I will say that from what I could see, it will be a bumper crop...

Perfect timing for me.... No need to dehydrate fruit for my oatmeal.
Tightlines01
May actually live on IR
Posts: 320
Joined: Sun May 08, 2011 9:19 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 7
Location: Kentwood MI

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by Tightlines01 »

Just got back. Bugs weren't too bad other than at Chippewa Harbor.
User avatar
TexanTrekker
NewbieCake
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 11:06 am
Isle Royale Visits: 1

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by TexanTrekker »

Returned from FL/SB/SD/HL/MC/DF 8 to 14 August. Only irritating mosquito bugs were at South Desor, but had leeches at the shallow Hatchett lake 'beach.' Trip report coming.
Stile
NewbieCake
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2015 6:15 pm
Isle Royale Visits: 1

Re: [OFFICIAL] 2015 bug report

Post by Stile »

Just got back from an end to end hike and didn't touch the bug stuff once. A couple mosquitoes here and there but they all died a flattening death.
Post Reply