Bug Pants

Aug 21, 2019
156
Catalina 315 18 Grosse Pointe Park, MI
Has anyone tried bug pants to deal with those awful biting flies in the Great Lakes and other places? I wonder how well they work.
 
May 25, 2012
4,335
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
have not. however during Mac races we all wore white. white painters pants, white cotton dress shirts. the flys prefer color.
 
May 25, 2004
436
Catalina 400 mkII Harbor
i read here or another board to mix 50% scope mouthwash and water in a spray bottle. it works for a while but have to reload.
others say essential oils.

for those that dont know the great lakes has these crazy effing biting flies that show up even in the middle of the lake and these suckers draw blood. if you have enough speed and keep you extremities in the wind you are ok. but on a calm day it sucks!!!
 
May 17, 2004
5,079
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Never tried bug pants. Avon Skin So Soft works ok (not miraculously) for New Jersey Greenheads. Might be worth a try.
 
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Jan 23, 2021
114
beneteau 323 Corpus Christi marina
Encountered the biting black flies many years ago on Lake Superior. Especially bad when stuck in doldrums and not ready to motor. Kiling them with fly shatters didn’t deter them at all.

But wat did.. sounds sick, but worked very well:
We’d (my buddy and me) each caught one live. Pull off the wings. Set them side by side for a “foot race” across the cockpit. Then we each cau another and did it again. Then we couldn’t even find a single fly on the same boat that had been swarmed with them. We found them all hugging on the hull near the bow. They didn’t seem to mind getting splatted en masse, but wouldn’t tolerate the torture or humility of the wingless foot race.

Many many years ago. Never heard of bug pants. Bored with no wind and plenty of beer...
 
Mar 26, 2011
3,414
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
Try Catnip Oil. We've only used it a couple of times, however, it seems to work. May have to be reapplied every few hours.
^^ This.

It is not an old wives' tale. The USDA actually recommends catnip oil as the most effective repellent (including synthetics) for biting flies from cattle. It does need to be applied more often, but it really works, won't ruin plastic, and does not stink. And no, cats won't attack you (we have a cat, he likes cat nip, but he does not react when we have used the spray).

It works better than DEET on flies. The USDA research says so and we have tested them side-by-side.

It does not work on mosquitoes. That's what DEET is for.
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,005
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Clarification......... the biting flies y'all are referring to: Would that include the annoying Noseums, No-see-ums, aka sand fleas, or sand flies? My only experience with them is in Florida.... never had the problem in Bay area or SoCal.
Our only protection was no see um netting on the boat, and stay inside with a fan on, Non of the repellent we had worked. My friends live on the beach but on the 5th floor... too high for the biters, but the right height for the occasional lost palmetto bug:)
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,423
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Clarification......... the biting flies y'all are referring to: Would that include the annoying Noseums, No-see-ums, aka sand fleas, or sand flies? My only experience with them is in Florida.... never had the problem in Bay area or SoCal.
Our only protection was no see um netting on the boat, and stay inside with a fan on, Non of the repellent we had worked. My friends live on the beach but on the 5th floor... too high for the biters, but the right height for the occasional lost palmetto bug:)
Nope. These are strange deranged insects that inhabit the Great Lakes. In the middle of the lakes some 25 or more miles off shore these agressive critters live and thrive. When it is hot and still the seek the shelter of the cockpit of unsuspecting sailboats looking for vulnerable ankles and calves. I think they are on the payroll for fly swatter manufacturers and those who make remote controlled autopilots.
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,005
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
Nope. These are strange deranged insects that inhabit the Great Lakes. In the middle of the lakes some 25 or more miles off shore these agressive critters live and thrive. When it is hot and still the seek the shelter of the cockpit of unsuspecting sailboats looking for vulnerable ankles and calves. I think they are on the payroll for fly swatter manufacturers and those who make remote controlled autopilots.
Yikes!:yikes:
 
Jun 14, 2010
2,096
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
I looked it up - and black flies hatch from the water. That's why you run into swarms of hungry critters miles from shore. Biology
 

danm1

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Oct 5, 2013
169
Hunter 356 Mamaroneck, NY
Pine tar. Homemade and commercial bug dope. Used Old Time Pine Tar bug dope as a kid in the Adirondacks.
Have you ever seen a fly bite a pine tree?
 
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Apr 11, 2010
947
Hunter 38 Whitehall MI
I looked it up - and black flies hatch from the water. That's why you run into swarms of hungry critters miles from shore. Biology
yup they hatch on the water, immediately go into a feeding frenzy, lay eggs and die. very short life cycle and they are ravenous the entire time.
The scoff at DEET And most any other repellant. They tend to move slow so you can swat and kill them when they bite.

Have never tried fly pants but have heard of people attaching mesh around the brim of a hat to keep them away from their face. The love ankles.
 
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Jan 23, 2021
114
beneteau 323 Corpus Christi marina
I’ve experienced black flies in Lake Superior and noseums in VIs. No comparison. Noseums are annoying, but black flies hurt when they bite. They’re also larger, not hard to see.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,423
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
I looked it up - and black flies hatch from the water. That's why you run into swarms of hungry critters miles from shore. Biology
Nope, not black flies. We are familiar with these critters, especially in the Adirondack Mtns. They hatch in running water, like brooks, springs, and creeks.

The Great Lakes flies are quite visible about the size of a house fly and when slaughtered are filled with blood. Our cockpits can seem to be the scenes of great carnage on a bad day.

Some have resorted to high powered weapons to counter their assaults.