Unusual NorthEast Mosquito Activity?

[willworkforwood]

Checking to see how many other folks in the Northeast are seeing unusual mosquito activity. Where I am here in MA, we typically get the bad ones in the Spring, and they last a few weeks past the Black Fly season. When I say "bad", I mean the ones that hang around in open areas and bite during a warm, sunny day. After early Spring, we almost never see daytime biters out in the open. But right after the tropical storms, we have had an infestation from hell. I'm back to wearing a net, jeans, and long sleeves, and need them EVERY time I go outside. I've never seen this here in the past, and it's been going on ever since the storms early in the month. These suckers are not taking prisoners, and I'm wondering if we're seeing the first of the "Tigers" that are showing up in other parts of the country. I can say for certain that this is different, because normally when I wear a net, they figure it out, and start looking for another meal. These things do not ever quit, and when I bend over to pick up a split, they try to fly UNDER the net. Now I understand how they are able to run large animals off a cliff (soon I'll be looking for a cliff of my own).

 

[Bubbavh]

Here too.
Never seen them this bad!

 

[Got Wood]

Here too - started after Irene went through. We need a frost to slow these buggers down

 

[maple1]

Everyone got eaten to pieces by these things at my kids soccer game the other night. Was the worst I had seen them all year.

It must be a widespread issue!

 

[lukem]

Not surprising with the amount of rain you guys had. They breed in standing water. For us, we were (and probably technically still are) in drought conditions. I haven't swatted one in months.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Once again I'll state that the best thing we've ever found for keeping the skeeters at bay is the ThermaCell. They are not expensive to buy or to continue to operate. During skeeter season we won't leave home without one. With one, we can walk around in t-shirts and such. They work fantastically.

 

[onetracker]

Checking to see how many other folks in the Northeast are seeing unusual mosquito activity. Where I am here in MA, we typically get the bad ones in the Spring, and they last a few weeks past the Black Fly season. When I say "bad", I mean the ones that hang around in open areas and bite during a warm, sunny day. After early Spring, we almost never see daytime biters out in the open. But right after the tropical storms, we have had an infestation from hell. I'm back to wearing a net, jeans, and long sleeves, and need them EVERY time I go outside. I've never seen this here in the past, and it's been going on ever since the storms early in the month. These suckers are not taking prisoners, and I'm wondering if we're seeing the first of the "Tigers" that are showing up in other parts of the country. I can say for certain that this is different, because normally when I wear a net, they figure it out, and start looking for another meal. These things do not ever quit, and when I bend over to pick up a split, they try to fly UNDER the net. Now I understand how they are able to run large animals off a cliff (soon I'll be looking for a cliff of my own).

i work outside every day
then go home and work outside some more
and the bugs this year have broken me. and we're in the midst of more warm rainy weather.
i can't WAIT for that first hard frost.
not too far off now.

 

[MasterMech]

Yup. Been noticing them here too. It's all the standing water from being super-saturated.

 

[mayhem]

Yep. Very odd late season bug populations.

Lots of new ants all over the place. Mosquitos, May Flies, gnats...we're getting near springtime levels of bugs here.

Its very annoying.

 

[daveswoodhauler]

Yup, its been real bad up here in North Central Mass the last few weeks.
My kids are gettin eatin alive at the bus stop, soccer, baseball, etc...
When is it going to get cold?

 

[krex1010]

They are horrible here too, I can't stand being outside, they weather is horrible, warm, muggy and super buggy and it looks like it will be that way for the next week. I cannot wait for some cool dry weather.

 

[Uncle]

I just noticed mold in the creases of doors I painted in the spring with $30.00 a gallon paint. Plus my septic field is saturated. But yeah, mosquitos, crickets and all kids of other bugs out there in droves.

 

[k9brain]

We got these new, really tiny mosquitos that swarm around your legs as soon as you get outside. Never seen em before. They're too small for the bug-zapper so that's useless. I'm glad it's not too muggy to wear jeans.

 

[ecocavalier02]

Yep sick of this weather. The cause of all the stupid bugs. plus its nasty out. i hate this weather. haha.

 

[gzecc]

Just said the same thing to my wife yesterday. I went out in the early afternoon to move some wood and I was attacked by these little gnats? The were so annoying I just gave up and came in. It was so wet and humid, I guess they had a population explosion.

 

[billb3]

I'm kinda surprised they're not too bad here.

We got enough salt with Irene to bother some things like maple trees and grape leaves (curled right up and turned brown).
A rainbow of mold types everywhere.

 

[stejus]

Real bad here in Central MA. I was out earlier patching up some bard spots on the lawn and was being attacked. Usually near the wood line it's bad, but it was just as bad in the middle of the lawn. I guess the wet August/Sep and current damp conditions and warm weather are extending their stay.

 

[charly]

Same thing here. One thing I noticed, they are really small mosquitos. I rubb clove oil on when I go to cut wood, etc. They hate that stuff. Dilute it in some water in a spray bottle. Just don't touch your eye's or down south when the oils been on your hands. I learned the hard way :ahhh:

 

[DanCorcoran]

Having endured 20 years in Houston (that's where my paycheck was), all I can say is BWAA-HAAA-HAAA! Flying insects, crawling insects, mold, mildew, rotting wood, termites, slugs, fleas, ticks, mosquitos...all that and hot and humid for 7 months of the year! (Don't get me wrong, I loved the people and cultural opportunities in Houston, but the climate? Yucch.)


(And you'll know the tiger mosquitos, they have easily visible black and white stripes)

And just to keep this in the WoodShed forum, how about those pine trees!

 

[daveswoodhauler]

Same thing here. One thing I noticed, they are really small mosquitos. I rubb clove oil on when I go to cut wood, etc. They hate that stuff. Dilute it in some water in a spray bottle. Just don't touch your eye's or down south when the oils been on your hands. I learned the hard way :ahhh:

Interesting....just grind up cloves...or do you buy the clove oil?
Just interested as I haven't heard of this one before but am interested.

 

[rottiman]

Went out in the bush to clear some wind downed trees on the trails yesterday and low and behold they started gnawing on me. Usually long gone here in Ontario this time of the year especially since we have had several frosty mornings already. Who'd a thunk it.................................................

 

[charly]

Same thing here. One thing I noticed, they are really small mosquitos. I rubb clove oil on when I go to cut wood, etc. They hate that stuff. Dilute it in some water in a spray bottle. Just don't touch your eye's or down south when the oils been on your hands. I learned the hard way :ahhh:

Interesting....just grind up cloves...or do you buy the clove oil?
Just interested as I haven't heard of this one before but am interested.

I order oil 100% pure from Young Living Essential oils. Purification is a blend of plant oils that ticks don't care for. Peppermint, lemongrass are also good oils for bugs as well. If the oils say do not ingest or take internally, they are not pure. A good way to know what your using internally as well as on your skin. I spray my garden with their oils as well, for bugs, on your dogs and on myself to fend of ticks. I like non toxic!

 

[kingston73]

I thought maybe it was just me noticing things more, but definitely bad this year. I've lived at my place for 3 years and I'd gotten to know the "buggy" spots on my property and avoided them, but this year EVERY place is buggy, they are literally everywhere, far from any water source even. And not just one or two, I'll take my dogs for a walk and have a cloud of them around my head. I've actually been spraying my dogs with some natural eucalyptus bug spray along with myself.

 

[weatherguy]

We all noticed in when we golf these past 2-3 weeks, Ive got to smoking a cigar while I play to keep them away.

 

[littlalex]

Upper New Jersey reporting in - same as everyone else. With breeding water everywhere no surprise. I am surprised, however, on the magnitude of the daytime attacks. I've never experienced so many mosquito's out for blood in the middle of the day.

Littlalex