Saturday, May 25th, 2024

Ugh. It's black fly season! For those of you who are not familiar with these biting kamikaze insects, be forewarned if you venture to the U.P. in May till July. You can see why the voyageurs, with the extreme physical pain and suffering they had to endure, were also subject to the psychological torment from black flies. They found the most effective repellent was a combination of bear grease and skunk urine. Let that sink in for a moment. These hardy voyageurs had to decide who had the privilege to stand upwind from their counterparts.

These days, a head net is a necessity, along with the common repellent referred to as DEET. Studies over the last 40 years (since Vietnam) suggest DEET is not cancerous. But like so many claims by major chemical companies, I still question that analysis.
More on mosquitoes later....
​P.S. Please don't be discouraged about coming north in black fly season. As one old man told me, "no black flies, no trout". Remember, black flies are a part of God's grand plan.