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  1. #1
    PopcornFool's Avatar
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    Skeeter Factory in St Mary's Wilderness

    I believe I found the source of all mosquitoes in the Mid-Atlantic. Apparently there is a mosquito factory in St. Mary's Wilderness. These may not be large as the ones that carry off cattle in Wisconsin, nor as dense as the ones that block out the sun in the Everglades, but they certainly hold their own in the flying pest department.

    I went out for a short 2-night getaway this past weekend in that relatively isolated section of the George Washington National Forest. I've been backpacking in that area quite a few times in winter months, but this was my first summer trip in that area. I only decided to go because it was supposed to be rainy and cool (highs in the 70s) and I was going through a little withdrawal because I hadn't been out in awhile.

    After a fairly strenuous and soggy 8 miles on Saturday, my second night was at one of my favorite spots along Mills Creek. Tarp up (still raining), hammock up, feet up. Too wet to make a fire, so started dinner on my pocket rocket under my tarp. I didn't last five minutes before I was swatting and itching like crazy. I was fully covered from head (skully pulled low) to toes (medium wool socks) in various types of clothing. The only thing uncovered was my face, neck, and and hands. But it didn't matter. The little buggers were voracious and biting through my clothes. I was lathering on Picaridin like it was SPF 50 and I was a redhead at the beach, but it didn't seem to deter them. I finally just gave up, crawled into my Fronkey-covered hammock (thank goodness I thought to bring the bugnet!), and went to bed early.

    The next day, finally home, showered, and tick checked, I counted over 50 mosquito bites on virtually every part of my body including through my beard, on my eyelids and ears, and on the top of my head. (What the hell were they expecting to find up there??) My hands and face took the worst hits, naturally, but feet, legs, arms, back, and shoulders all have their share. I've already been through most of a tube of Benadryl and I've melted down half my cutlery doing the hot spoon trick. The itching is maddening.

    Needless to say, no more summer trips along Mills Creek.
    ~ All I want is affordable, simple, ultralight luxury. That’s not asking too much is it?

  2. #2
    SilvrSurfr's Avatar
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    Ever since I started spraying permethrin on my clothes, I've had hardly any problem with mosquitoes. Permethrin creates a no-fly zone that mosquitoes avoid. I see them flying all around, but I'm no longer a tasty tidbit!
    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson

  3. #3
    Senior Member
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    Sounds like black flies. Look like black mosquitos but way more persistent, but luckily a short season.

  4. #4
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    Sounds like something from a nightmare! That would not be pleasant. Reminds me why I winter camp was more than when it’s “nice” out. Lol
    The deep mystery gives rise to the spirits -Charc

    Always strive to be the best but never believe you are - Juan Manuel Fangio

  5. #5
    PopcornFool's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrPhun View Post
    Sounds like black flies. Look like black mosquitos but way more persistent, but luckily a short season.
    Could be ... but I've experienced black fly bites before and they hurt!! These were sneak attacks. Either way, it was a lot of annoying little creatures buzzing all around me ... almost as if I were the ice cream man who pulled up to a school playground at recess or if I were William Shatner making a surprise appearance at a Comic-Con convention ...

    ... only itchy.
    ~ All I want is affordable, simple, ultralight luxury. That’s not asking too much is it?

  6. #6
    Senior Member Hang Williams's Avatar
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    Ugh that sounds horrible. I've got a permethrin head net that mosquitoes love to land on. I've got some wind pants from a thicker material and will put on a sweater if I need to because they bite right through a normal shirt. Doing all of this, I can reduce bites. >50 is a level of annoyance I can't fathom.

  7. #7
    Senior Member JollyRoger70's Avatar
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    There’s some kind of fly/mosquito that comes right up out of the ground (nests there of some sort?) that I ran into last summer in one of the campsites along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. We were fine through dinner, but the second it started to get dark, they swarmed in (up?) and started driving us crazy, just like you described. Everyone in my group wound up dispersing to our hammocks to get away from them; fortunately we all had nets. At least they weren’t smart enough to find their way up through the opening at the bottom of the Fronkey. I’ve hit mosquitos before, but this seemed different.


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  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by PopcornFool View Post
    Apparently there is a mosquito factory in St. Mary's Wilderness. These may not be large as the ones that carry off cattle in Wisconsin, nor as dense as the ones that block out the sun in the Everglades, but they certainly hold their own in the flying pest department.
    I, for one, wish to commend you for an accurate field description of skeeter giganticus of the low areas of WI. I have friends from MN who brag about the lifting capacity of their state bird, but they ain't seen nuthin' when it comes to flying cows. Amazon drones have lower delivery capacity than a juvenile skeeter from our swamps.

    Sorry to hear that the swarms drove you out of the woods.
    The game is the best teacher.

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