Ouch ... the mere mention of these critters is enough to make
most paddlers wince! Even more prolific than the
mosquito, with 110 different species, blackflies tend to attack
in groups. Clouds of blackflies hover over the water,
waiting for their prey to come within range, then move in for
the feast.
A study in Alberta showed that a cow could lose up to half a
pint of blood in a single day to blackflies. These insects
are less subtle than their cousin, the mosquito. Rather
than use a hypodermic appendage to extract their meal, they
simply chew a hole in the surface of the skin and lap up the
blood which collects. The anti-coagulant in their saliva
also causes the itching sensation.
Unlike mosquitoes, which breed in still, stagnant ponds,
blackflies breed in swift running water. They tend to be
most active during the day, and disappear in the evening.
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