Isle Royale Forums

Just an FYI (since I haven't yet started a TR) that the black flies were flying when we were on the Isle from 8-13 June 2013. Not in great swarms, and a breeze or cooler evening weather would certainly put them at bay, but they were definitely hanging around. Reports were that they had been around for a week or so. Interestingly, the first couple batches we encountered weren't very aggressive or wanting to bite, they just hovered around and would land on shirts, etc. Later we had a few bites, but minor. Mosquitos, on the other hand, were quite prevalent.
However, if you're going in the next couple weeks, I'd bring a bug net or dope, since they do get annoying at camp.

It was funny to see snow (which was still on a few north rocks, and I found a good pile in a Minong Mine) and have black flies... I was kinda hoping they would come as late as the spring, but no luck!

How long do they (black flies) hang around?

sgatz wrote:How long do they (black flies) hang around?

It's am ironic answer to this question, actually. Since black flow are from bell, they pay until help freezes over.

Seriously though, they don't go away until the frost or consistently cold temps hit, sorry to say .

Tom: I think you and I got to enjoy a unique trip this year to the island... Nice temps and very few bugs.

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Black flies hatch from cool, clean rivers (i.e. moving water). They usually emerge in mid-to-late May and last until early-to-mid July, when the heat of the summer becomes more consistent.