If camping, get some fly traps or fly strips. 1, 2) develop in moist organic matter, especially in rain- or urine-soaked straw or grass. In addition, you may experience mosquitos, no-see-ums, stable flies (most active in hot humid weather! } All rights reserved. Hopefully the flies aren’t that bad! These little guys look like harmless house flies but pack a serious punch in swarms. } MANAGING BITING FLIES IN MICHIGAN. No more forgetting things! Bugs in the UP are unpredictable. Unlike a mosquito (which sucks up blood through a proboscis), black flies slash the skin and lap up the pooled blood. Stable flies also have long, bayonet-like mouthparts for sucking blood. Often known as biting Family Diptera. Its maggots are often seen in the rotting manure near cattle and poultry. Peak black fly season in Michigan is usually from mid-May to mid-June but the number of species we have means one can enjoy them well into August and early September if your are in the right place. And during our early July visit to the Lake Superior shoreline, we found them everywhere – on the beach, in the woods, at the campground. Stable flies are usually found in open sunny areas, although they may enter a house during bad weather. They can be a problem in cattle feedlots in the Midwestern USA. Each Monday we publish our RV Lifestyle Newsletter, where we share weekly articles about RV travel that inspire and inform. Stable flies have dark stripes on their back and a checkerboard-like pattern on the top of their abdomen. [2], Cattle heavily infested with stable flies have been noted to become anemic and milking cows have been observed to show lower milk production. You can save it to your computer and print it out for every trip like we do. Locals – they call themselves Yoopers – told me not to buy into the Chamber of Commerce spin that there is a season for bugs in the UP. What do flies look like? The stable fly adult is similar to the house fly in size and color. I really can't tell you which is which, or which is worse. Black flies are small, stout flies with a humpbacked appearance. window.mc4wp.listeners.push( Habronema or Summer Sores. The duration is highly dependent on temperature and nutrient quality available for the larvae. Geat job with the blackflies! I had no idea there were two distinct species tormenting folks up there until our visit. They are all over the north, with a significant portion of Canada & Alaska being the worst areas in the western hemisphere for them. [9] âStable flyâ is just one of the many common names used to refer to this pest. He and Jennifer also host the weekly RV Podcast and do twice-weekly videos on the YouTube RV Lifestyle Channel. Black fly season occurs from mid-March to mid-July in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, north through New York and New England, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and into Southern Canada. Nevertheless, sanitation can be an important method of controlling some biting flies. While stable and deer flies remain on shore, horse flies often target people swimming in the water. To have your voice heard on the podcast, you can leave us a comment or question via Google Voice by calling 1-586-372-6990, Our mailing address is: However, the number of species we have means one can enjoy them well into August and early September if you are in the right place. Appearance. Stable flies become a major problem in early spring. There are more than 16,000 species of flies in North America. Adult Occurrence: More common in warm months,after a rain. Stable Flies have a needle-like, stiff, piercing mouthpart that protrudes forward below their head. Great video, Mike. [9][10] Megan and I will be hitting the UP in the 3rd week of August as we start our Journey out West. [4], As its name suggests, the stable fly is abundant in and around where cattle are kept. Adult stable flies (fig. As a general rule, black fly season runs from mid-May through mid-June. } The stable fly (Figure 1), Stomoxys calcitrans,is a blood-sucking filth fly of considerable importance to people, pets, livestock, and the tourist industry in Florida. I always tell people in the U.P. Many that have fed on me have white stripes on their legs. The other major concern you have is the risk of infestation from the stable flies that are buzzing around your animals and stables. [2], The stable fly resembles the common housefly (Musca domestica), though smaller, and on closer examination has a slightly wider and spotted abdomen. that if a beach has the stable flies in large numbers, move 5 miles down and give that a try. [1] Unlike most members of the family Muscidae, Stomoxys calcitrans ('sharp mouth' + 'kicking') and others of its genus suck blood from mammals. Michigan's Upper Peninsula is a wild and beautiful place. listeners: [], These flies like to feed on the shoulders, neck, withers and belly, contributing to abdominal midline dermatitis. [6] The stable fly bites humans at rest in the outdoors. [7] Some of the reported parasites and diseases for which the stable fly might be a vector include Trypanosoma evansi (the agent of Surra), Trypanosoma brucei, brucellosis, equine infectious anemia, African horse sickness (AHS), and fowlpox. You know, about the size of a house fly, burns when they bite, and the more you swat and kill, the more they are attracted to you, mostly your ankles. It's all summer long, they say, from the first frost-free days in May through the first freeze in October. Both the male and female stable flies ⦠Better known as Stable Flies (or Sable Flies in the Grand Marias area) they tend to keep to farm animals, piling upon their ankles and slicing small cuts to drink blood from. 145 S. Livernois Rd., #165 Stable flies. The next day, which weather-and-wind-wise seemed just the same, they were no problem. } Of these 18 species Stomoxys calcitransis the only species that is present worldwide and the only species that is synanthropic. If you⦠Holding our flashlights, we enter with a group of 18 others. Most tourists are more likely to encounter stable flies because most tourists enjoy beaches. Unlike the housefly, where the mouth part is adapted for sponging, the stable fly mouth parts have biting structures. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { For egg production, the female requires its abdomen to be engorged with blood. âCheckerboardâ markings are obvious on the topside of the abdomen. Get a free Packing List for your next trip when you join our RV Lifestyle community and subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Stable flies are painful biting filth flies that resemble the house fly in appearance but just a tad bit smaller in size (5-7 mm long). Because they only have two wings, flies land often and therefore can deposit thousands of bacteria each time they land. Having a lot of deer means having a lot of animals that prey on them, including stable flies. The mosquitoes are pretty bad at times, too. The damage inflicted to cattle is caused by the painful bite and blood loss, and the irritation results in a reduced efficiency in converting feed to meat or milk. Host Material: decaying hay, straw, fermenting weeds, grass and sea weeds. })(); Get a free Packing List for your next trip when you join our RV Lifestyle community and subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Tips to avoid biting black and stable flies tips and bugs in the UP : The video shows what bugs in the UP season, aka summer, is like up there. Use an insect repellent like Bugzilla intended for biting flies. RVLifestyle Enter your info below and you are in! (function() { Answered: We usually do our UP visits in the fall, pretty much to avoid the flies while backpacking close to Lake Superior in the Porkies. As soon as you sign up, we’ll send you for free the RV travel checklist that Jennifer and I use. Adults are generally about 6â8 mm ( â4â â16 inch) in length and a lighter color than the housefly. The tour guide’s assistant bangs the door shut behind us and with that, we are at the top of a stairway leading to a series of underground tunnels built in 1883. In the summer, there are a lot of bugs in the UP! They are abundant throughout the United States where large numbers of domestic farm animals occur. Mike Wendland is a veteran journalist who, with his wife, Jennifer, travels North America in a small motorhome, blogging about the people, places, joys and adventure of RV life on the road at RVLifestyle.com. Ship your RV to Alaska in 2021 – New pros and cons, RV Living 101: Our Complete Guide to the Most Helpful RV Resources, 27 Effortless Winter Camping Tips for RVers. Adult flies are gray in color and are 6 to l2 mm long, the sides of their faces are hairy, on each end of their two antennae is a single and branched bristle, their thoraxes have three ⦠A distinguishing feature of the stable fly, visible to the naked eye, is the distinct stiletto-like proboscis of the stable fly which extends forward beyond the head. And they can be exacerbated by another Ohio animal. Plus, besides the insider’s newsletter each Monday, you’ll get lots of special perks and RV discounts. Unlike the housefly, where the mouth part is adapted for sponging, the stable fly mouth parts have biting structures. [5], The earliest and one of the most comprehensive accounts of stable fly biology was presented by F. Bishop in 1913. In my book, these two biting bugs in the UP are equally evil. The early morning and late afternoon hours are commonly peak feeding times. Bishop (1913) noted that the larvae can endure for more than 30 days in less nutritious environs. Summer is Biting black and stable flies season. S. calcitrans is also reported to be a vector of Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax. Stable flies usually attack the legs and ventral abdomen and may also bite the ears. forms: { Stomoxys calcitrans is commonly called the stable fly, barn fly, biting house fly, dog fly, or power mower fly. I do hope you were able to enjoy your stay amongst the flies! Available for order $99+, Where to find FREE or Cheap RV Sites Camping (2021), Off the Beaten Path: Old Asylum in Michigan. [11], "Veterinary Entomology | Veterinary Entomology", "Risk Factors Associated with Anthrax Outbreak in Animals in North Dakota, 2005: A Retrospective Case-Control Study", "Mechanical transmission of Bacillus anthracis by stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans) and mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti and Aedes taeniorhynchus)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stable_fly&oldid=987104044, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 4 November 2020, at 23:07. These larvae pass through 3 instars and pupate in the last larval skin. Plus free perks, discounts and exclusive RV travel tips! The life cycle has a duration of about two weeks at temperatures around 27 °C (81 °F). Stable flies like to fee⦠If Lake Michigan's beaches seem unusually bad, head up to Lake Superior or vice versa. No-See-Ums resemble miniature, short-legged mosquitoes, and are usually less than 3 millimeters long. stable Flies The immature stages of stable flies (figs. The female takes approximately 2â5 minutes to engorge, after which it becomes sluggish for a while. Males usually die after mating and the females after laying eggs. You'll still get bit by these biting black and stable flies, but maybe not as much. Get 10% OFF RV Parts at CampingWorld.com with our code: RVLIFESTYLE10. Insecticide repellents are effective. In many parts of the world, the species is a carrier of trypanosomid parasites. Now found worldwide, the species is considered to be of Eurasian origin. Wear long pants or jeans (they tend to bite the most below the knees, especially around the ankles). Stable flies occur primarily outdoors and are daytime biting flies. Seldom seen or heard but sometimes felt is the No-See-Um , also called Punkies or Biting Midges. Life Cycle:3-4 weeks. Now I know these are widely known as stable flies, though I mostly encounter them on the big lake. What is Stealth Camping, and How Should You Do It in 2021? They can be a problem in cattle feedlots in the Midwestern USA. A distinguishing feature of the stable fly, visible to the naked eye, is the distinct stiletto-like proboscis of the stable fly which extends forward beyond the head. callback: cb All that beauty comes with a cost. { ); Biting stable flies and houseflies that feed on wounds or chronically moist skin can infect the tissue with Habronema stomach worms. These regions include coastal New Jersey, the Lake Superior an⦠Stable fly eggs are laid in places such as decaying hay, straw, fermenting weeds, grass, and seaweed. It’s a chilly autumn night with a mist of rain falling on rustling dying leaves as the tour guide opens a creaky metal door that seems out of place in the middle of what appears to be an insignificant patch of grass. on: function(evt, cb) { The brick-lined tunnels are under the former Traverse City State Hospital, located in the northwest part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula (a relatively short distance from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, see map at bottom of story). Go figure. In warm weather, the pupal stage lasts 6 to 20 days. Peak black fly season in Michigan is usually from mid-May to mid-June. The abdomen has dark spots. The maggots from these flies use rotting organic matter to develop and the items in your barn or stable â straw, horse feed, hay, water, and urine â can provide the perfect environment for this. The video gives you a sense of what to expect about bugs in the UP if you'll be visiting the area. This sharply pointed beak is used to pierce the skin and draw blood. Stable flies can be a problem across the Great Lakes. [8] The stable fly resembles the common housefly (Musca domestica), though smaller, and on closer examination has a slightly wider and spotted abdomen. Stable flies primarily attack animals for a blood meal but in the absence of an animal host, will also bite man. The eggs are laid among putrefying organic materials such as hay, manure, and wood. Many that have fed on me have white stripes on their legs. ⦠Biting flies. Be prepared with insect repellent and protective clothing. Sheila. Though there might not be time when they disappear entirely in the warm part of the year, it is true that they aren’t quite as bad after the 2nd week of June (though that depends on when winter ends in the UP). ), and other biting insects when you visit Pictured Rocks. Stable Flies resemble House Flies with their dull appearance and their 4 dark stripes on the upper body. In its normal agronomic environment, livestock facilities, the stable fly does not usually bother human beings. We didn’t have many problems with them when we went in the 3rd week of July last year to the Pictured Rocks area…then again, we also regularly used a spray bottle of a home-made mix of Listerine & catnip, which the flies that were around really seemed to hate. Black flies are small, stout flies with a humpbacked appearance. The adults have a piercing/sucking proboscis that is used to extract a bloodmeal and seven circular black spots on a gray abdomen. Stable flies have dark stripes on their back and a checkerboard-like pattern on the top of their abdomen. Black flies are small, dark flies with a humped back that can give a painful bite. But in this post we're talking about flies. The eggs hatch after 1 to 3 days into yellowish-white maggots/larvae. Horses have been known to go lame from continuously stomping off the flies. These flies are 3/16â-5/16â long. They would be there one day in hordes. Stable Flies: Identifying Characteristics:1/4-inch long, pointed proboscis. Plus free perks, discounts and exclusive RV travel tips! Area-wide control of biting flies can be difficult due to the hidden habitats in which the larvae are found, and because some adult biting flies may fly miles from their larval habitats. However, certain regions of the U.S. have particular conditions that result in stable flies attacking people. That seems to catch a few hundred every day. He was born January 10, 1947, in Jackson, Michigan, to Robert and Rose Deschaine. Filth flies, including stable flies, exploit habitats and food sources created by human activities, such as farming. The stable fly is a globally recognized pest of livestock. The meanest of the Bugs in the UP – Biting black and stable flies. [2] The adults of both sexes feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals during the daytime. Stable flies breed in soggy hay, grasses, piles of moist fermenting weed, grass cuttings, peanut litter, seaweed deposits along beaches, in soiled straw bedding, and sometimes in hay ring feeding sites. But all that gorgeous scenery comes with a price - black flies. There are 18 known species in the genus Stomoxys. Michigan State University Entomologist Howard Russell begs to differ, he believes they're stable flies. [3] Adults are generally about 6â8 mm (1⁄4â5⁄16 inch) in length and a lighter color than the housefly. The adults are particularly annoying to humans and animals because they feed by piercing the skin and sucking blood. Inside my RV. But they all belong to the order Diptera, meaning two wings. One of the guys calls black flies what I commonly refer to as lake flies (among other names). Stable flies represent >90% of flies developing from rotting crop residues of either cauliflower, celery, broccoli, carrots, onions, potatoes and corn. Stable flies are also known as âdog fliesâ because the fly often bites and irritates dogs. Stable flies usually attack the legs and ventral abdomen and may also bite the ears. Management Methods: Residual and contact sprays, traps Peak activity usually occurs during warm periods following rainfall. Stable flies are strong fliers; however, most of the flies on dairies developed on or in close proximity to the individual facility, but a breeding area one to two miles away could still affect your farm. Thanks for visiting us. Stable flies strongly resemble the standard house fly, but are slightly smaller in size at 5 to 7 millimeters. They have written 10 books on RV travel. event : evt, 3) are most abundant Rochester Hills, MI 48307, © 2020, RV Lifestyle. Stable fly, (Stomoxys calcitrans), a species of vicious bloodsucking fly in the family Muscidae (sometimes placed in the family Stomoxyidae) in the fly order, Diptera. The damage inflicted to cattle is caused by the painful bite and blood loss, and the irritation results in a reduced efficiency in converting feed to meat or milk. Adult stable flies are typically 5mm to 7mm in length and unlike the house fly, which has an unpatterned abdomen, stable fly abdomens have seven circular spots. The average adult lives about 20 days. How To Identify & Control Flies Latin Name. Tom was a proud and decorated veteran of the US Army (Vietnam) and a graduate of Eastern Michigan University. Answered: We usually do our UP visits in the fall, pretty much to avoid the flies while backpacking close to Lake Superior in the Porkies. Friendly flies resemble house flies, but they are larger, slower and distinctly more bristly. Technically, we're talking about two kinds of biting flies. Large numbers of domestic farm animals occur sucks up blood through a proboscis ), and are usually than. Bugs in the Midwestern USA are a lot of bugs in the outdoors to! 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