Anyone at Topsail Hill? How are the Yellow Flies?

[FLfamily]

We've been going to Topsail Hill every summer for the past 7 years. Last year, the yellow flies were the worst we'd ever experienced, I'm assuming because of the flooding a month prior, they were terrible! How are they this year? We arrive next weekend.

Thanks!

[lizzie]

On July 5th they all start flying north on I-75. Since they fly north in the southbound lane the traffic has them all mowed down by the time they get to Macon. Macon, however, is the upper extent of the famous "Gnat Line". There seems to be some mystic relationship between pecan trees bearing nuts and the plagues of Gnats. The good news is that there are no pecan trees at Topsail and there is usually a hearty breeze blowing off the Gulf. Unless the No-See-Ums are out, you should be fine. lizzie

[diftw]

We will be there for the first time in September. They will be gone by then?

[FLfamily]

We're here, arrived yesterday and the park ranger said they're awful, she was right, like last year. I don't remember them being this bad all the years prior.

[jolooote]

hmmm ...I'm glad I'm in SOUTH Florida since north sounds like such 'WONDERFUL' place. lol

[lizzie]

I am a native of the Florida Panhandle. My Dad used to say the yellow flies were bad from Memorial Day to the 4th of July. Freshwater fishing is usually good during the "Fly Season", so we had lots of remedies to fight them off. He was a nonsmoker most of the time but would puff away on a noxious cigar while fishing. Mom and I slathered every exposed part of our body with an awful oily repellant called Six-12. We also burned Citronella buckets in the bottom of the boat. While camping, everybody brought old tires to burn. It's a wonder we are not all suffereing from horrible diseases! lizzid

[FLfamily]

lj2654 wrote:
hope they are not bad...we will be there June 21st for 3 days!

They're usually gone by the end of June...only then the horse flies are the problem! 😉

That makes sense if they're saying last year was the worst for yellow flies. Hopefully they won't be too bad this year. And by the time we arrive they should be dwindling. I'm hopeful!

[lizzie]

According to the insect experts at the U of F, last year the yellow flies were the worst they had been since 1996.We were at Ochlockonee River SP at this time last year and they were awful. Lots of campers left because they could not deal with them. We just left Ochlockonee yesterday and had seen few yellow flies....yet. You might want to call the Ranger Station and get an update. lizzie

[lj2654]

hope they are not bad...we will be there June 21st for 3 days!