Greenhead flies vs Sunbrella

[DougM]

Never have experienced what you guys call “greenheads” so I don’t even know what they look like...
Black flies are a different story. You can be 10 miles out in Lake Michigan and they come out of nowhere. They are uniquely talented in that they wait until you are totally occupied with both hands tending to a task on the boat and then attack the ankles. Even if you did wear socks, the only good they would do is to soak up the blood. They are slow enough that you can swat them, but then the cockpit floor becomes littered with them and the survivors just call in reinforcements.

 

[TomY]

You guys are making me feel pretty lucky to only have our granite ledges, pea soup fog and floating mats of lobster gear to avoid.

 

[sailnoproblem]

The greenheads don't bother me as much as the smaller, faster black flies that we also have. (they aren't the Black Flies that the Great Lakes folks suffer with - they are just more like a house fly). The greenheads are slow and stupid. They land on your body at easy to slap places, and after they bite, they stay there until they are killed. They don't even stop sucking your blood when you move. Besides that, they are large enough so that you feel them land and they often crawl around before biting, just giving you more opportunity to kill them. The only thing about them that is maddening is the sheer numbers of them. They arrive in thick swarms and it is difficult to deal with the sheer numbers.

OTOH, the small black flies aren't nearly as numerous, but they are far more wily and very difficult to kill. They never land where they can be slapped. Your slightest movement causes them to fly, even after a bite, and they are very fast. While the greenhead is typically a sitting duck when you make ready to slap, these small flies are gone as soon as you have your first impulse. You rarely feel when they land, so you don't have any advance warning and no chance of killing them before they bite. They usually attack the back of the ankles, They are nearly impossible to stalk because they won't land when they know they are being hunted. These are the ones that bother me the most.

Hey Scott, I haven't had much of a problem with the little black flies, maybe my bug spray or possibly my cigar keeps them away.
I do drive on to surf fish at Island Beach State Park and always check the wind direction. If it's coming out of the west I stay home.

 

[ToddS]

Not sure if Sunbrella color matters much... I've had blue and tan, and neither seems to make much difference. Perhaps consider adopting and training a small army/horde of chameleons, or bats, or preying (praying?) mantises to keep aboard... keep them hungry and ready to be released to exact a furious revenge on the swarms of devilish attackers at a moment's notice... either that... or... take up frostbiting.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

or... take up frostbiting.

That works for me! Once September rolled around, the weather and the greenhead situation really improved! When does frostbiting officially commence! Is it November? Three years ago I stayed in for my last sail on December 2. The last few years I've had the boat hauled as soon as November came around. I'm in the mood this year for extending the season. I've often visited the boat in January or February and wished the boat was in the water so I could sail.

 

[AlastairLC]

I ran into a fly here in Arizona once. Must have been 2008 or thereabouts. Said he left California to escape the high cost of living. I advised him to keep going as he wouldn’t find a mate in this state.

 

[jssailem]

Perhaps Black Flies are God’s way of telling us. I can get any time I want.
What is that bible verse about “Pestilence”?

 

[Banooma]

Excellent summary, Scott. We encounter the greenies more frequently, but they are thugs. I usually slap them after they start to clamp on, but before they sink their syringe to draw blood. The black flies are like stealthy and surgical in their methods, like professional assassins. Fortunately, the west winds that carry them out to the bay don't last too many days at a time. Also, they seem to disappear at dusk. If you're confident you can avoid the crab traps, Barnegat Bay is lovely for summer evening sails, no matter what direction the wind comes from. .

 

[Daveinet]

... They are uniquely talented in that they wait until you are totally occupied with both hands tending to a task on the boat and then attack the ankles....

Yes, they also know when your hands are greasy and only attack your face. Mosquitoes only land under your glasses.

 

[Ward H]

For those not familiar with the Jersey Salt Marsh Greenhead,