Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Dog Days and Mutant Flies

wBAA_reflection

The "dog days" have arrived.

After weeks of rain and cool temperatures summer has emerged from the shadows pronouncing itself alive and well.  Life at Little Red has adjusted accordingly.  The garden needs water, green beans are picked on a daily basis, the kayak is launched in early morning or after the dinner hour to avoid the heat of the afternoon, and the air conditioning has even been tested a time a two.

I have attempted day in and day out to set up camp in the shade of my maple tree and immerse myself in a good book.  Within minutes I find myself under siege from an air force of pesky, "BITING," flies.  Not the over sized horse fly variety, but the common housefly.  You know, the ones that usually show up at picnics or sneak in the house through minute tears in the screen door and proceed to do touch and goes on the carefully prepared food you are serving.  Yea, those ones.  Now they bite.  I'm convinced this is a mutant variety that has mated with an unsuspecting mosquito and has now evolved into a lethal biting Ninja.

Yesterday I doused myself in bug repellent.  It worked.  For about five minutes.

Last night three of them stowed away with me in the kayak for a sunset cruise.  After successfully eliminating the little buggers you can imagine my dismay when I felt the now all too familiar sting on my ankle.  Somehow the three originals had managed to summon reinforcements before meeting their demise.  I swatted and cursed the entire outing.  When one went down there were always two more to take its place.

It has now become all out warfare and I'm afraid I am losing the battle.  I need a plan and I am open to any and all suggestions.

Now please excuse me while I go search Ebay for a suit of armor.  It could work.

2 comments:

Audrey said...

I fight gnats every evening when Cooper and I go for our walk. While they dont' bite - yet - they are very annoying!! Ahhh. The joys of summer.....

Unknown said...

Cover yourself with Bounce dryer sheets; they help with mosquitoes (not sure about flies?) If you wear a hat, tuck one inside the back and let it hang on the back of neck. They work (at times) for my dogs and me when jogging/walking.