Has anyone else had a problem with flys and other insects in the middle of the LI sound? We were sailing past New Haven, mid sound, and about 40 to 50 flys plagued our boat for several hours. Where did they come from, we were 5 miles off shore?
flys
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No flies on me.
We were out on my Lightning last Wednesday afternoon and sailed more than half way to Stamford from Lloyd Harbor and did not notice any unusual flock of flies out there. Were you fishing or have along any unusual foods? I am going to guess that maybe the flies are coming from your boat. Even one dead and decaying mouse in the bilge could be a host to fly larvae. Perhaps someone left a sandwich in a locker. That or perhaps you are the 'Lord of the Flies'!
We were out on my Lightning last Wednesday afternoon and sailed more than half way to Stamford from Lloyd Harbor and did not notice any unusual flock of flies out there. Were you fishing or have along any unusual foods? I am going to guess that maybe the flies are coming from your boat. Even one dead and decaying mouse in the bilge could be a host to fly larvae. Perhaps someone left a sandwich in a locker. That or perhaps you are the 'Lord of the Flies'!
Only east of P.J.
Only have the problem east of port jeff. Cold spring to Stamford was clear. Flys went away around Huntington Bay.
Only have the problem east of port jeff. Cold spring to Stamford was clear. Flys went away around Huntington Bay.
Look and see if there are #'s located under the left wing.
If so they come from Camp Picket Va. Or AP Hill.. During my six year tour in the Army reserves in the 60's I spent some two week summer training there. The government grows large amounts of the biggest bitie'est flys I have ever seen for praying on the troops during training. I'm sure what you saw were lost squadrons that were sent out to find us afer we left from training. Five miles from shore is just to far for ordinary flys to travel. They were on a mission.
If so they come from Camp Picket Va. Or AP Hill.. During my six year tour in the Army reserves in the 60's I spent some two week summer training there. The government grows large amounts of the biggest bitie'est flys I have ever seen for praying on the troops during training. I'm sure what you saw were lost squadrons that were sent out to find us afer we left from training. Five miles from shore is just to far for ordinary flys to travel. They were on a mission.
More flies.
Those flies must really get around. At least a couple of times my boat has been hit by a huge cloud of big flies while well out on Lake Michigan. And they bite. After one attack I vacuumed up a good 1000 flies ( I'm not kidding) from the cabin and had to scape them off from wherever I'd walked. My action next time will be to quickly box up the cabin and, put on long pants.
Those flies must really get around. At least a couple of times my boat has been hit by a huge cloud of big flies while well out on Lake Michigan. And they bite. After one attack I vacuumed up a good 1000 flies ( I'm not kidding) from the cabin and had to scape them off from wherever I'd walked. My action next time will be to quickly box up the cabin and, put on long pants.
Yes we have, exact location on the LI Sound.
It was a warm day for May nearly 5 years ago and we were sailing towards New Haven. These were horse flys and there were hundreds of them. We must have killed at least 100. When we got to town we bought a couple of Texas flyswaters but next day the temperatures cooled a bit and we did not see any more flys for the duration of the trip. We were under attack for about 1 1/2 hours. Have seen butterflys miles out to sea but luckily the mosquitoes don't seem to have the range.
It was a warm day for May nearly 5 years ago and we were sailing towards New Haven. These were horse flys and there were hundreds of them. We must have killed at least 100. When we got to town we bought a couple of Texas flyswaters but next day the temperatures cooled a bit and we did not see any more flys for the duration of the trip. We were under attack for about 1 1/2 hours. Have seen butterflys miles out to sea but luckily the mosquitoes don't seem to have the range.
Flies look for contrasts
I'm an entomologist that more-or-less specializes in mosquitoes and biting flies. Though frankly, when we're plagued by flies on the boat this expertise accounts for nothing. It happens to us in the middle of the Chesapeake. We can only resort to our MPT (Mechanical Pest Traumatizer). Many kinds of flies will be attracted to your boat in the middle of nowhere. The most common biting flies are stable flies (they look just like house flies but bite like hell) and various kinds of horse flies (greenheads, deer flies, strawberry flies, and others). All of them have lousy eyesight but are highly sensitive to contrasts and movement. This is probably why they flock to a boat far from land. Flies closer to land have plenty of other interesting things to be attracted to. The only recommendation I could make is to paint waves on your hull and dye your sails blue-gray. Yeah, that's the ticket..... EvenKeel
I'm an entomologist that more-or-less specializes in mosquitoes and biting flies. Though frankly, when we're plagued by flies on the boat this expertise accounts for nothing. It happens to us in the middle of the Chesapeake. We can only resort to our MPT (Mechanical Pest Traumatizer). Many kinds of flies will be attracted to your boat in the middle of nowhere. The most common biting flies are stable flies (they look just like house flies but bite like hell) and various kinds of horse flies (greenheads, deer flies, strawberry flies, and others). All of them have lousy eyesight but are highly sensitive to contrasts and movement. This is probably why they flock to a boat far from land. Flies closer to land have plenty of other interesting things to be attracted to. The only recommendation I could make is to paint waves on your hull and dye your sails blue-gray. Yeah, that's the ticket..... EvenKeel
Flies 100 miles from land
In the Gulf of Mexico, after a strong northern blows through, we will get flies, and lots of them for just a day or so. Also sparrows and owls and anything else that flies. I dont know if they get blown out there straight from land or if they island (platform) hop. Tony B
In the Gulf of Mexico, after a strong northern blows through, we will get flies, and lots of them for just a day or so. Also sparrows and owls and anything else that flies. I dont know if they get blown out there straight from land or if they island (platform) hop. Tony B
Flies live on the water!
During dead calm crossings of Lake Erie, 20 miles from any land, close observation of the water surface shows two or three flies (and a number of other, smaller insects) per square meter of the surface. So they are just waiting out there for whatever comes along! A big boat passing by must look like a big opportunity - as we are! The storm of mayflies now declining on the Lake is another reminder that there is lots going on out there in the water, much of which we do not see. David Lady Lillie
During dead calm crossings of Lake Erie, 20 miles from any land, close observation of the water surface shows two or three flies (and a number of other, smaller insects) per square meter of the surface. So they are just waiting out there for whatever comes along! A big boat passing by must look like a big opportunity - as we are! The storm of mayflies now declining on the Lake is another reminder that there is lots going on out there in the water, much of which we do not see. David Lady Lillie
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