Bug updates?

[Tightlines01]

Hey all. Heading to the island on Friday 6/10. This will be my 7th trip but my 9 year old twin boys first trip! 9 days 8 nights for us. I was curious of any bug updates.

Thanks
Andy


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[carol.tran]

Just returning from IR trip (6/7 to 6/11). Bugs virtually nonexistent between Rock Harbor - 3 Mile - Daisy Farm - Moskey Basin - Lake Ritchie. However, mosquitoes were starting to come out in force in some sections between Lake Ritchie - Chippewa Harbor.

[Kelly]

Left Malone Bay on June 12. Increased mosquito activity the last couple of days, especially around sunset.

[Tightlines01]

Just got off the boat hours ago. A black fly or two but really non existent yet. Skeeters were increasing on warmer days and in wooded areas. I'd expect a breakout soon.


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[Mark_NK8Q]

My last day of work today, heading out of town tomorrow morning early for about a 1000 mile drive from central PA to Houghton. Sea plane trip planned for early Saturday morning to Windigo to start my hike to Rock Harbor. Glad to hear they aren't too bad yet. I sprayed the tent and clothing with Permethrin and have bug juice & head net, planning for the worst and hoping for the best. I would imagine the recent heat spell will be getting the bugs more active!

I'll post a bug report update after my trip when I get back to the mainland, sometime around July 4th or so.

[Ingo]

... planning for the worst and hoping for the best ...

Best plan ever . Have a great trip!

[Isle Royale Rob]

I was on the island from 17th to the 24th. Black flies only noticeable when I was at the Feldtmann fire tower. Skeeters were ever present! Some days were better than others. I had mostly dry weather for the last 5 days so that helped a bit. However I found myself using the preferred backwoods deodorant, DEET, quite often in AMs and PMs! Don't leave home without it. No deet = bug bite city! leave the weak stuff at home.

[Mark_NK8Q]

I arrived on June 25th via Sea Plane at Windigo and left from Rock Harbor on July 2. Hiked the Feldtmann trail to start and it was the highest vegetation and wettest area of the island, although I also hiked through a rain/hail storm on Saturday and my boots were soaking wet for three days! I didn't notice much of an issue with black flies. Wind of 40+ mph at Feltmann Ridge helped keep black flies from being bad there, I guess. Worst place I noticed for mosquitoes was Hatchet Lake.

Personally I didn't think the bugs were as bad as I had expected. Permethrin on the tent, clothing and gear must have helped a lot! I took two 1.5 ounce spray bottles of Deep Woods with 98.5% Deet and only had to spray my hands, neck and face, only used one of the bottles the whole week. I didn't spray my legs when I got done hiking and was wearing shorts and sandals and until I got my tent set up I had LOTS of mosquito bites, but they are better now.

Warm weather that we had during the past week or so will likely drive the bug population up, though.

[Tom]

Just returned last night (14 July) - On the NE side of the Island, along the water, bugs were minimal. On the trails, in the morning, you would find some mosquitoes, but nothing in significant numbers. No head head required, a small amount of bug dope if you wanted, but often I just left it off. It was breezy several days, though, and that helps.
No black flies to be found.
White Admirals were everywhere. This is a bug report, after all

[Midwest Ed]

A little live bug update. Actually look like maybe several Shad (May) flies. Here in Illinois they swarmed a little late, not too long ago; not really sure how bad (if at all) they get around Lake Superior. Can't imagine as bad as along the Mississippi; so thick sometimes they have caused car accidents.

[johnhens]

My cousin just got back from IR. He said the black flies were bad and the trails were muddy.

[RICHIGAN]

anyone have a Minong bug update?

[JHaveman]

I just got back from 7 days on IR. The bugs were completely manageable - the only flies that were a problem were at Scoville Point, and even then if you kept moving it wasn't an issue. I stayed in RH, Daisy Farm, McCargoe Cove, and Mosky Basin and had no issues.

[RICHIGAN]

I just got back from 7 days on IR. The bugs were completely manageable - the only flies that were a problem were at Scoville Point, and even then if you kept moving it wasn't an issue. I stayed in RH, Daisy Farm, McCargoe Cove, and Mosky Basin and had no issues.

Thanks, I did that same trip last year, about this time, and didn't have to put on bug spray the whole time I was there.

[mjamo001]

Bug Update .... we were backpacking for 7 days (RH to Windigo) and the bugs were completely manageable to the point where we never applied any bug dope. Quick overview by campsite:

Daisy: Nothing at all, barely an insect of note
Lake Richie: Same as Daisy
Hatchet Lake: A few skeeters, but only an occasional swat required
South Desor: Heavier here but to be fair this was a day of steady rain that seemed to bring them out. Worst day bug-wise
Siskiwit Bay: Very few skeeters, although the black flies did come out on the beach at that "golden hour" time of day. Had we stayed on the beach there bug dope would have come out
Feldtmann Lake: Hardly a bug to speak of
Winding: Again, nary an insect.