Re: Mosquito conditions around Young Lakes

Saw a post from July 9th of conditions in Tuolumne Meadows... wondering if anyone has been up to Young or Roosevelt recently and can comment on the mosquito condition?

Thanx,

Burroboy.

Was at both less than a week ago. No mosquitos, but biting flies. They were really no issue at any of the lakes, but they were somewhat annoying in the wooded area along Conness Creek.

Thank you LVRay, Goatie, and Ttilley.

Donk,
I forgot to tell you that had been in TM to Twin Bridges and back and
didn't see a single mosquito. However that doesn't mean that a number
of the little buggers won't come a looking for you once dusk starts.
Even though there was no water anywhere really near Watkins a number
pestered me at night. I persume they zigged up from the spring near the
cabin looking for Twinkies. With them at Conness Crk. I'd expect the same.
Have fun this weekend. Hopefully it's not too smokey up there... but we will see.

Comment on "biting flies". I keep hearing this... and I really don't know what
people are talking about. Personally I just haven't seen nasty biting flies in
The Sierra. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. The only annoying flying things
that I have run into are the little black knats and mosquitos. At least from my experience.
I just thank whomever that The Sierra doesn't have Horse Flies. Now those
will drive you completely bonkers.

---

I've seen horse flies in some not-very-high and dry areas. For example, one time hiking mid-summer from Duck Lake towards Reds Meadow, that dry southwest facing slope had horse flies. Haven't seen them very often in the Sierra, though. More commonly I've seen them east of 395.

Quote
chick-on
Comment on "biting flies". I keep hearing this... and I really don't know what
people are talking about. Personally I just haven't seen nasty biting flies in
The Sierra. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. The only annoying flying things
that I have run into are the little black knats and mosquitos. At least from my experience.
I just thank whomever that The Sierra doesn't have Horse Flies. Now those
will drive you completely bonkers.

That's cuz anyone who has lived anywhere near the east coast knows how REALLY annoying "biting flies" can bee, and while those Sierra black ga-natz can bee irritating, nothing compares to the authentic biting fly that I remember as a child in coastal NY & Conn!

---

The body betrays and the weather conspires, hopefully, not on the same day.

Both stable flies and deer flies are found in the Sierra, but I really wasn't paying attention to which these were, but I think stable. I worked in Yosemite for a few years in the early 80's and have been hiking there off and on ever since. And I agree with you - I don't ever recall running into them in any numbers before - but memory is not what it use to be. Also spent many years working in the Adirondacks as a bear biologist for the NYSDEC and the bugs in the Sierra aren't even in the same ball park, even when they are at their worst. There is simply no comparison. When I lived in Newcomb (dead center in the middle of the Adirodacks) we use to joke that we had 2 seasons - snow flies and deer flies..

Quote
chick-on
Donk,
I forgot to tell you that had been in TM to Twin Bridges and back and
didn't see a single mosquito. However that doesn't mean that a number
of the little buggers won't come a looking for you once dusk starts.
Even though there was no water anywhere really near Watkins a number
pestered me at night. I persume they zigged up from the spring near the
cabin looking for Twinkies. With them at Conness Crk. I'd expect the same.
Have fun this weekend. Hopefully it's not too smokey up there... but we will see.

Comment on "biting flies". I keep hearing this... and I really don't know what
people are talking about. Personally I just haven't seen nasty biting flies in
The Sierra. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. The only annoying flying things
that I have run into are the little black knats and mosquitos. At least from my experience.
I just thank whomever that The Sierra doesn't have Horse Flies. Now those
will drive you completely bonkers.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2013 12:58AM by LVRAY.

I haven't experienced any biting flies in the Sierra too. And the many gnats I have experienced have never been of the biting variety. They've been more of the open your month and some might fly in variety.

But others have reported biting flies in the Sierra, so who am I to doubt them. The reports of biting flies seem to be more common in the southern Sierra compared to the central Sierra (Yosemite) or northern Sierra.

.

Yeah. Wisconsin has some lovely Deer Flies. They love to zip into your hair
and bite your scalp. Only thing I found to do was just run. Actually wife and I
did that once... went camping and for a hike... near Madison... and the deer
flies were so bad we did some trail running long before it was in vogue...
and promptly picked up shop and drove home. We talk about that wonderful
experience still.

When we did Secret Pass to McCabe and beyond earlier this year there
was a report about some sort of flies ... so maybe that is what it's about.
Perhaps the flies you speak of were around Saddlebag. That is where
we saw some sort of flying thing-a-ding that was a bit annoying. But it
was pretty windy so both on the way in and on the way out we weren't
really bothered.

Anywho, not necessarily doubting ... it's just haven't had that experience
in the Sierra. And it's an experience I would prefer to avoid.
Pretty much I would be flabbergasted if Donk would come back and say
that his trip was ruined due to biting flies.

Have fun

---

The flies we've encountered in the Sierra were definitely flies, not gnats. A ranger in Kings Canyon called them "face flies." They did not bite, but would fly or crawl into every accessible orifice! Drove me crazy for miles heading into Road's end after a week out... What a miserable finish... Have always kept a headnet on me since... We've had less annoying encounters with flies in Hetch Hetchy, as well.

True face flies are non-native to North America (and according to Wikipedia were introduced to North America in 1940). Bit surprised that there would be so many in Kings Canyon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musca_autumnalis


While hiking in the Sierra I've only had to deal with an occasional fly here and there. The most annoying ones preferring to buzz around my ears. Never dealt with swarms of flies. Never had a fly bite me (that's I'm aware of). I've found mosquitoes, fleas, gnats and ticks to be the more common insect pests that I have had to deal with.

.

Quote
JustKeepWalking
They did not bite, but would fly or crawl into every accessible orifice!

A friend of mine calls them Orifice Flys.