- Blackflies are attracted to humans largely because of the carbon dioxide we exhale, but these bloodsuckers can also be attracted by dark colored clothing, perfumes and sweat.
- In Maine, black flies are so numerous they’re referred to as the unofficial state bird.
- The best defense against black flies is to cover up, including tucking trousers into socks and tightening wrist cuffs. Blackfly fever affects a sensitive minority following multiple bites, and causes short-term nausea and fever.
- In 1995 pop star Alanis Morissette showed the world she didn’t understand the meaning of the word ironic through a release of a song by the same name. Some of the many things she listed that are not ironic, and merely unfortunate, include: rain on your wedding day, 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife, and a blackfly in your chardonnay.
- The good news is that blackflies are markers of the health of an aquatic ecosystem. Their larvae are only found in flowing, clean and well-oxygenated water—let this fact comfort you next time you’re being swarmed.
- When numerous enough, blackflies have caused suffocation of farm animals by crawling into the nose and throat. There are also reports that black flies have to caused exsanguination (death due to blood loss) in livestock from extreme rates of biting.
- “Always the black fly no matter where you go, I’ll die with the black fly picking my bones” is the chorus to folk songwriter Wade Hemsworth’s well-loved ode to the tiny terror.
This article was first published in the Spring 2015 issue of Canoeroots and Family Camping magazine.
