Giles wrote:
>
>Date: Fri, 3 Jul 1998 21:53:33 +0000
>From: "Giles" <cnocbui@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject:
>
>What are black flies and why are they to be feared? Do they bite?
>
>Midges are my particular nemesis at the moment here in Connemara.
>They come out when it is still and calm and make photography or any
>outdoor activity something to be avoided. Much worse than mosquitos
>IMO. My brother acquired a very fine mesh suit made in Canada in
>order to foil these little nasties but they are so small they can
>squeeze through the fine mesh.
>
>Giles
>
>With sore red lumps in Connemara
I'd be willing to bet your midges are closer than cousins to black flies..
if not about identical. The black flies, or marsh sand flies we have here
in Florida will bite and leave behind a small blood blister on your skin.
They really swell up and burn and itch a long time on me. I'm highly
allergic to any proteinaceous material that insects can inject or leave
behind when they bite. I have to carry the "EPI-PENS" for emergencies, but
if I get into Africanized bees I might as well forget it. Actually, they
aren't too bad unless you bother or insult one of them. The small flies
can carry various illnesses but the illnesses must not be too common in the
New World Tropics, Central & South America, as opposed to Old World,
because I've never gotten one of them.. Believe me, if they were, I would
have.
Another nasty are the red bugs that occur from at least as far north as
Florida (deep South of the US??) through the tropics. They actually are
almost microscopic and burrow under your skin and can make you miserable
for a week before they figure out they can't survive in us. They are
especially sneaky and lurk in leaf litter and on innocent looking tree
trunks that tired photographers tend to lean against or sit on. It might
take them awhile, but they can get to a waistband or any other restrictive
part of your clothes where they usually are stopped so they just dig in!
One fix that some people say works is covering the offending reddened areas
with clear nail polish. Unfortunately, that's hard to come by in the
gallon size.
Pharmacies & General Stores like Walmart or KMart carry a pen like device
that is supposed to reduce itching rapidly. I think it contains something
like ammonia, but I'm not certain.
Kerry
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Kerry Dressler Email: bio-photo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Bio-Photo Services, Inc. http://www.bio-photo.com
21305 NW 86th Ave TEL: (352)466-4215
Micanopy, FL 32667 FAX: (352)466-3151
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