Surf

[DBOldford]

Whatever you do, don't scratch those bites. The biting flies can leave scars. And do not wear black on the beach. Sounds nuts, but I have years of experience with these devils. They love my bod. My husband could not believe it one year when we were down there. They literally drove me back into the house and didn't bite him at all. Yes, they are particularly bad behind The Red Bar in that brackish inlet between Western Lake and the Gulf. Don't wade in there when the flies are swarming. Yuck. When will evolution catch up with this curse?

 

[Smiling JOe]

I don't know if it was flies or mosquitoes, but something was eating the h*ll out of us down there. I have about 50 (literally) bites on my legs.
Worst seemed to be out back at the Red Bar.. we were all smacking all over ourselves as soon as we walked out there. Maybe water got trapped under the deck in Dennis to breed skeeters?

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Definitely the Dog Flies.

 

[beachmouse]

It looked great about 9 this morning - I came back from my bike ride ready to load up the surfboard, but then a neighbor told my boys that there are a bunch of jellyfish out this morning. Then my husband repported that the flies were awful. The boys lost their enthusiasm. Boo hoo.

I did the triathlon at Sandestin this morning. Surf wasn't up yet during the swim (6:30 start time) but the jellies were out something fierce. Mr. Mouse said he saw a woman who had gotten a jelly stuck between her skin and her cycling-style race top. She then had to pull it out of her top when she got out of the water.

Not sure how long it was there, but I hope she was okay. That had to sting something really, really fierce.

 

[Smiling JOe]

More photos in my album.

 

[Miss Kitty]

More photos in my album.

Is that there HAY on the beach in GT?

 

[TooFarTampa]

Whatever you do, don't scratch those bites. The biting flies can leave scars. And do not wear black on the beach. Sounds nuts, but I have years of experience with these devils. They love my bod. My husband could not believe it one year when we were down there. They literally drove me back into the house and didn't bite him at all. Yes, they are particularly bad behind The Red Bar in that brackish inlet between Western Lake and the Gulf. Don't wade in there when the flies are swarming. Yuck. When will evolution catch up with this curse?

So the dog flies -- are they the round, fat black flies that look like bees? Because those things were hunting me down every time I was at the beach in June.

Got bit by a couple of yellow flies too. I am very popular among the six-legged set. :roll:

 

[Miss Kitty]

So the dog flies -- are they the round, fat black flies that look like bees? Because those things were hunting me down every time I was at the beach in June.

Got bit by a couple of yellow flies too. I am very popular among the six-legged set. :roll:

You must be a real sweetie!!!!

 

[Smiling JOe]

Is that there HAY on the beach in GT?

Probably not, mostly sawgrass from the lakes. However, I have seen a few people placing square hay bails in front of their eroded property. One is on Grayton Beach.

The photo of Gulf Trace shows concrete piled onto the beach. I know that is against the rules. They should be fined immediately and have to clean up before Katrina pushes it down the beach for someone else to clean up.

 

[Smiling JOe]

So the dog flies -- are they the round, fat black flies that look like bees? Because those things were hunting me down every time I was at the beach in June.

Got bit by a couple of yellow flies too. I am very popular among the six-legged set. :roll:

I hope this does not get too confusing for everyone, but the really big, fat, black Flies are Horse Flies. They really hurt when they bite, but typically, you want have 8-15 on you at one time like the Dog Flies.

 

[Ocean Lover]

Come to think of it I must have been bit by a yellow fly or a dog fly. I was getting on a raft in the pool and thought I sat down on a bee. I got off the raft and it was still there. It had yellowish stripes so I thought it was a bee but who knows? I'm allergic so I went immediately to the restroom to wash the area and check to see if it was swelling. It was a little red and no swelling so I was glad. I can be miserable for days because of a bee sting. My whole family was laughing at me because it was on my booty. They said any minute it could swell up and I would look like JLo.