I guess I learned sumpin' new. I thought you were just talking about a different breed of dog pecker gnats. I thought black flies were a whole 'nuther ball game. My first experience with black flies was in Canada while bear hunting. Those nasty little fuckers TORE MY ASS UP! Man, gnats are just irritating as f'ck, but those black flies take a chunk out'ta ya' when they bite. I'd take a frigging mosquito over those things ANY day if I had a choice. When I returned from my first bear hunt back in the early 80's, I went back to work looking like I'd been shot with bird shot! My ears were destroyed and swollen to twice their normal size with oozing sores and scabs covering every square inch. I went up the same time every year and that seemed to be the worst year ever, so I guess the numbers vary from year to year. I remember they were even driving the moose crazy and they'd spend more time swimming around in the little cove in front of our cabin than they did eating! I'm pretty sure they were simply trying to escape being eaten alive by those f'ing flies!

TBH, I didn't even know they came down that far south and thought they were just a Yankee skeeter on steroids. I'd never experienced those things in my life until going to Canada. I hope that doesn't mean they're spreading and working their way down here. Florida has enough flying critters, so the last thing we need is those flying cannibals! I'll take a blood sucker over an actual biter any day.