Mosquito and Fly Repellent

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Buggspray Insect for Biting Flies Contains 25% DEET plus 2 fly repellents (same formula - two packages) NO FRAGRANCE This composite formula effectively repels: stable flies (ankle-biters), no-see-ums, deer flies, horse flies and black flies (biting gnats or buffalo gnats) For use when the biting flies get thick (because plain DEET doesn't work)

In northern Minnesota, there are a number of species of biting flies that come out during the day. When the weather is warmer, the more active they are. This presents a dilemma - you're trying to cool off out on the lake in the boat with as little clothes on as possible but these flies are relentless. The stable fly, or ankle-biter, can ruin your fishing trip or day in the sun. They are too fast to swat with one hand and very difficult to kill with two. One fly is bad, sometimes there are 50. How are you going to fish or hold your drink?

Now the deer fly, they are slower but pack a very painful bite. In doing their business, they inject saliva into your skin to prevent coagulation. This causes an allergic reaction in most people and some have severe swelling. These guys are out on the boat and they dive bomb your head in the woods. Mean suckers that can number in the dozens around one person.

Horse flies are huge and can be killed quite easily for the experienced outdoorsman (or woman). They also pack a painful bite but the reaction is less severe. As a kid at my grandparents cabin in northwestern Wisconsin, I remember killing over 100 in less than an hour.

Now black flies (aka gnats, no-see-ums or buffalo gnats) are probably the worst, especially when they are swarming. In May and early June, Simulium venustum develops in smaller streams and is a very aggressive biter. They are attracted to carbon dioxide in your breath and fly around your head. Way too small and fast to catch, they can number in the hundreds, if not thousands, for a small camping party. With their slashing mouth parts and saliva laced with an anesthetic or numbing agent, you may not know you've been bit until you see your sock tops turn red or you realize the blood running down your neck is not perspiration.