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Spring
is the season for blackflies and mosquitoes in Algonquin Park.
What
to Expect and When
Blackflies are out by mid-May (depends on the
weather in any given year) and are usually around until late June.
The worst time of day for blackflies tends to be the last 2 or 3 hours
of sunlight. Mosquitoes
are abundant, beginning in mid to late May and last
longer than blackflies (usually into July). Mosquitoes are most often a
problem in cooler, shady parts of the forest, as well as in the
evening, and into the first couple of hours of darkness. They become less of a problem through the night (although they do not
disappear entirely).
How
to Prepare Yourself
- Wear light-coloured clothing (white, tan, khaki, etc.) – blackflies
are attracted to dark colours.
- Cover up. Wear
long-sleeved shirts (if it is hot, lightweight cotton shirts are good) with cuffs and collars that can be buttoned
tight, as well as long pants with elastic cuffs (or tuck your
pants into your socks). Blackflies will land on you
and then crawl under clothing if they can.
- Use
insect repellent when outdoors – something with
DEET works best. The concentration of DEET should be no greater than 30% for adults and no greater than 10% for children.
Be very careful with DEET around your eyes,
lips and nose. It stings!
Be careful with DEET when handling plastics or rubber (camera
housing, the rubber rim around binoculars, etc.); DEET will melt
the plastic/rubber.
- If you cannot, or prefer not to, use insect repellent, try some type of netting (a bug hat or bug jacket), available at most outdoor stores. When camping, you can try a bug tarp shelter to avoid biting insects.
West Nile virus
West Nile virus is established in Ontario. The disease is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. There is no way to predict how serious West Nile virus will be in any given year. It's important you take steps that will protect you and your family from mosquito bites.
For more information, visit www.health.gov.on.ca/westnile or telephone 1-877-234-4343
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