I grew up in the country and look forward to the day when I can move back out there …
I want to live eventually in country — off-grid on a hobby farm so I can …
Listen to the sounds of birds and nature.
Have easy access to hunt and fish.
Enjoy the scenic beauty of a rural landscape.
Have fires and burn things whenever I want.
Not have the stress of traffic and overly aggressive government enforcement.
Generate some of my own energy and grow or harvest some of my own food.
Have machinery and toys to explore and fully utilize my land.
It won’t happen tomorrow, as I essentially work an urban job, in an urban area. But I’m saving my money, learning, studying, getting closer to that day, one day and one dollar at a time.
If you are planning a trip to the Adirondack Park or the Green Mountains this spring, you aren’t just competing with the mud and lack of shade—you’re up against the infamous black fly. Known for their persistence and painful, itchy welts, these small insects can turn a scenic outing into a test of endurance. Here is everything you need to know to survive the “fifth season” in the mountains.
The Timeline: When Do They Arrive?
Black fly season typically follows the spring thaw.
Start: Mother’s Day weekend is the traditional kickoff.
Peak: Late May through the middle of June (Memorial Day Weekend).
End: Activity usually tapers off by Father’s Day or early July.
The exact timing depends on water temperature. Because black flies lay their eggs in clean, running water, a late snowmelt or a rainy spring can extend their reign well into the summer.
Behavior and Habitats: Where to Find Them
Black flies are visual hunters that rely on the sun.
Worst Times: They are most active from dawn until dusk, particularly on humid, overcast days with no wind.
The Night Shift: Unlike mosquitoes, black flies are not active after dark. Once the sun sets, you can finally step away from the smoky campfire and enjoy the evening in peace.
Hotspots: You will find the highest concentrations near moving water—streams, rivers, and waterfalls. In the deep woods, they congregate in damp, low-lying areas where the air is still.
Impact on Spring Recreation
For outdoor enthusiasts, the “bug factor” is a major consideration for any May or June itinerary.
Hiking: Steep climbs become grueling when you are inhaling gnats. Stopping for a view often results in being swarmed instantly.
Camping: Setting up a tent or cooking outside becomes a race against the clock. Without a screened-in porch or bug net, “relaxing” at a lean-to is nearly impossible.
Fishing: Anglers are prime targets. Since black flies hatch in the same water where the trout are rising, you are standing directly in their nursery.
Turkey Hunting: Staying perfectly still is the name of the game for spring turkey season. It is incredibly difficult to remain motionless when a dozen flies are crawling into your ears and eyes.
Top Repellents for Black Flies
While black flies are visual hunters, chemical barriers can stop them from landing and biting.
Picaridin (20%): Often more effective than DEET for flies. It is odorless, non-greasy, and won’t damage plastic gear or synthetic clothing.
DEET (30-50%): The gold standard for longevity. High concentrations provide hours of protection, but be careful—it can melt watch crystals and fly lines.
Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE): The best plant-based option. It provides a strong scent barrier that confuses the flies’ tracking.
Permethrin: This is an insecticide, not a skin repellent. Spray it on your clothes, hats, and tents before your trip. It stays effective through several washes and provides a “kill zone” on your gear.
Essential Gear for the “Fifth Season”
Sometimes, no amount of spray is enough. Physical barriers are the only 100% effective solution.
Fine-Mesh Head Nets: Look for “no-see-um” grade mesh. Ensure it has a wide enough diameter to fit over a brimmed hat, which keeps the netting off your face.
Bug Jackets: These lightweight, hooded mesh shirts provide full upper-body protection. They are essential for stationary activities like fishing or hunting.
Light-Colored Clothing: Black flies are attracted to dark, “low-heat” colors like navy, black, and forest green (which mimic the fur of moose or deer). Wear white, tan, or high-vis yellow to stay off their radar.
Neck Gaiters: A simple Buff or bandana tucked into your shirt prevents flies from crawling down your collar—a favorite target for “crawlers.”
Survival Tips
To make the most of the mountains during bug season, remember the “Three B’s”: Bug nets, Breeze, and Barriers. Wear long sleeves, cinch your cuffs, and don’t forget a head net—it might not be a fashion statement, but it will save your sanity.
Slowly but surely, spring steals in, Grass grows green where grey has been. Branches bloom with bright, bold buds, Midst mild mayhem and midday muds. Warmth wakes the winds as winter wanes, Sweetly shifting the season’s stains.
That’s what the Morning Ag Clips said, it could be rather spendy right now as is diesel if you didn’t buy it months ago at this point. And while you can say cow poop is fertilizer, there is a lot of other nutrients that are needed to replace those taken off the farm when crops and products are sold with wastes rarely returned. Sounds shitty and pungent in spring time, dragging the line of poo and water.
Partly cloudy this morning, 🌥️ but my bike is in the office, so I will be busing it in. 🚍 Went to a Colonie Planning Board Meeting last night, where another development was approved in Pine Bush. 🌲 🏗️ 🦋 It’s fine, I should be able to ride home this evening. Rear tire – with that other tube – wasn’t holding air all that great yesterday and had to pump the tube up mid-commute to work, though in the afternoon when I put the bike in my office, the pressure seemed fine.
Stopped by the Albany Public Library yesterday, to see if they could move the balance 💳 of my CDTA Navigator Card to a new card, but while very polite and helpful said only CDTA World Headquarters 📞 via the phone can do that. I ended up using the Navigator App on my phone 📱 which worked fine, but I was nervous about the app either crashing or not working or battery dead on my phone, though I did have a few singles in my wallet if necessary. I do want to get another Navigator Card but I also don’t want to lose the $13.15 balance on the expired card. I don’t ride every day, but when the weather is bad or the bike is down, the convience of the tap and go is good compared to having to open up the app and navigate through the menus. I put $27.65 on app, so I can do it either way.
Between work 🏢 and Pine Bush stuff yesterday, 🦋 I never got a chance to reach out about the spray in bed liner. I still think that’s going to be a $1,000 in unallocated cost, but I really should do it for a decade of good camping adventures. They uncoated bed sucks, and it can’t be done once the cap is installed. Maybe it will be less, depends on how the estimates come back but inflation and taxes. The bedliner and cap really are the last two big expenses left on building my rig. 🔥 I was watching SunnySlope Homesteads video on his burn barrels yesterday, and was thinking how much I miss having fires and burning shit. Amazing how with most modern trash, you toss the big white sack in the fire and it disappears down to nothing, and isn’t even that stinky or smokey. ♻️ Recycling is such a fucking scam to make city people feel less guilty about their overflowing trash can each week. Sucks being in New York. Andy Ruth when buying the cap was definately right on that point.
Well I got to shower and grab the bus. 🚿 Being it’s a session day, I want to get downtown early and catch the early shuttle over to the office lest I get caught in the protests and craziness of a session day. ✊ 📢 I really don’t miss not working downtown. I keep my suit and tie in the office, 🏢 lest some day I get summoned downtown but for the most part I just hide in my office overlooking the old city garbage dump, avoiding most of the mess except on days when I can’t ride in. I could take the SuperDuty but you know how much I love driving, especially in traffic.
