National Black Fly Day
It's National Black Fly Day and if you spend time near the foothills 🌄 of the San Gabriel Valley or are near running water ⛲, you've probably encountered Black Flies.
#NationalBlackFlyDay facts:
They grow in flowing water 💦 THINK: fountains, rivers, ponds, streams, cascades, & irrigation ditches
They fly in great numbers 😲
They bite around the eyes 👀 & neckline of humans & domestic animals 🐕🐈
Their bites are painful😖, but they do NOT transmit diseases in LA County
Mosquitoes 🦟 VS. Black Flies
Black flies emerge from running water (rivers, streams, fountains, cascades, irrigation ditches, & etc.) They're only 2-3 mm large📏 and way smaller than mosquitoes. Most importantly though, black flies painfully bite people in LA County.
In comparison, mosquitoes emerge from stagnant water 💦, are bigger than black flies (about the length of the tip of one's thumb 👍🏾), and they also bite people!
Mosquitoes are a threat to all communities because they transmit disease while sucking our blood (🦠 = yikes!).
How you can avoid Black Fly bites: 🙅🏽♀️
Wear repellent (DEET) on exposed skin to stop the bites 👍🏾
Turn OFF personal water features for 24 hours once a week 🚫💦
** Don't forget to turn water back on to prevent mosquitoes 🦟using the stagnant water **
🤓 Want to learn more about Black Fly repellents?
Continue learning: How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes?
🖋 Written by Ally Gaspar, Outreach Assistant