black flies

We%26#39;re planning a trip to Bethel in June or early July. Will black flies be a problem then? Which would be better - June 13 or July 4th?

Thanks

black flies

Flying insects -- black flies, mosquitoes and ';no-see-ums'; are present in Maine from mid-Spring until it gets cold enough in the Fall to kill them off or send them into dormancy. The exact ';fly season';, when they are at their worst, varies from year to year depending on the weather, and on where you are in the state.

To make a very gross generalization, they are apt to be thickest in mid-June, but certainly won%26#39;t all have disappeared by early July either.

Your best bet is to come anyway, knowing they%26#39;re going to be around.... Plan to invest in some good repellant....one used by many people with good success is Avon%26#39;s Skin-So-Soft product even though it%26#39;s not designed as a bug deterrent. Please also be aware that not all people are equally attractive to them, or equally affected by their presence.

Some folks also grossly over-rate the abundancy, tenacity, perserverance and impact flies can have on a Maine visit -- it%26#39;s become part of the Maine folklore and gets exaggerated at times.

Come withe mind-set that while they will be here, you%26#39;re not going to let them ruin your fun. Get some good repellent -- many of the local establishments in the Bethel area will have plentiful stocks of various products -- and go ahead and enjoy yourself.

black flies

Your choice of dates are pretty similar in respect to the black fly population... they can be present at both times... it depends so heavily on our weather, and that is a hard thing to predict too far in advance. I think the 4th in Maine would be great, but then again early June%26#39;s good too! What is it you are planning to do in Bethel? Camp? hike? ..just be prepared and have fun no matter what.