# AI Bugs



## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

Just wondering why there are so many bugs at AI? I thought beaches don't have any bugs...

Planning to do lots of trips with my 4 year son and I heard it can be bad in the summer. Is it that unbearable during summer?


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Yes it can get real bad. The whole eastern shore has many swamp marsh areas and the bays behind the beach are no exception. You are ok if the wind direction is coming in off the water (NE,E,SE) at least at 10mph. Anything from the WEST is bad news.

This applies all up and down the shore (3Rs down through Chincoteague)

The skeeters don't get bad until dusk and are active until just after dawn. Its the biting flies and green heads that you have to deal with during the day.

Remember that DEET won't work on the flies and green heads (trust me)


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

hmm... so it would be a bad idea to camp there during the summer. Might have to go down OBX to camp I guess... 

I guess deet don't work there either. I guess its going to be long sleeve shirts and pants...


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## Doormat (Dec 18, 2006)

I'm planning on camping there around the begining of April. I hope the flies are not too bad then.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Doormat said:


> I'm planning on camping there around the begining of April. I hope the flies are not too bad then.


April should not be too bad ... just be prepared.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

SeaSalt said:


> hmm... so it would be a bad idea to camp there during the summer. Might have to go down OBX to camp I guess...
> 
> I guess deet don't work there either. I guess its going to be long sleeve shirts and pants...


The end of Spring through the beginning of fall is the worst. Although its not always bad. Alot of people camp there. All I know is that I have been swarmed by the black flies during the day and met a cloud of skeeters in th eparking lot at night just waiting for me.

I do not know about the OBX. The more people/buildings the less of a nuisance they are (hence why OC is not bad)


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

just pick a day w/ some easterly wind and you'd be ok... but summer time is bad time for bugs...


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

CrawFish said:


> just pick a day w/ some easterly wind and you'd be ok... but summer time is bad time for bugs...


That is easy for us to say but if you are in the position of having to schedule your time off in the summer now then you have to be concerned if you plan to camp there.


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## CrawFish (Sep 23, 2003)

cygnus-x1 said:


> That is easy for us to say but if you are in the position of having to schedule your time off in the summer now then you have to be concerned if you plan to camp there.


Hey, he was talking about taking a 4yr old. I assume he was talking about day trip. I was just suggesting the option.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

It is a great option Crawfish ... I wasn't trying to start anything ... I was just refering to his second post which led me to believe he intended to camp there and that he seemed concerned

see this ..


SeaSalt said:


> hmm... so it would be a bad idea to camp there during the summer. Might have to go down OBX to camp I guess...
> 
> I guess deet don't work there either. I guess its going to be long sleeve shirts and pants...


... thats all!


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

heehee.. thanks for all your inputs. we'll see how it goes. :fishing:


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## fishin'girl422 (Jan 30, 2007)

does anything help keep the flies away?
any secrets you guys have?


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## KT_UMCP (Oct 11, 2005)

Welcome fishin'girl!! Them green heads are quite nasty and I have yet to find anything to keep them off me. Skeeters are easy enough and them blackflies are just a nuisance.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

fishin'girl422 said:


> does anything help keep the flies away?
> any secrets you guys have?


Welcome fishin'girl! The only thing I know that keeps the flies away is a good easterly breeze and/or winter.

Howdy from MD's beautiful eastern shore!


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Avon Skin So Soft*

whats the word on Avon skin so soft ..... heard it works ok .....


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

surfchunker said:


> whats the word on Avon skin so soft ..... heard it works ok .....


Works great for skeeters! The flies are not attracted to the CO2 emissions like the skeeters are. One thing I noticed is that the biting flies are REALLY attracted to the color blue. I was at 3Rs and we had a SW wind. I was in a white shirt and black shorts. I was getting bit about every minute or three. Now my cooler was blue and they were on that like a swarm. A friend of mine wearing blue jeans (don't ask about him wearing jeans and tennis shoes to the beach) anyway they were swarming his llegs. 

Then we were at AI on a 15-20 W wind and this lady had a blue sunbrella. Her old dog was under the sunbrella and they swarmed the blue canvas like mad. I had my dog and family with me and we were not bothered at all but they wanted that blue sunbrella something fierce.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Distraction*

So your saying I need to take a buddy with me and convince him that Blue is Lucky ...


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## Big Rad (May 19, 2003)

*Thermacell*

works on the deer flies (greenheads) if there is little to no breeze.


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## fresh bunker (Jul 9, 2006)

those biting flies can be a pain. i had my ankles bitten so many times that they looked like elephant ankles. I usally call them ankle biters


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## Surf Fish (Dec 16, 2005)

fresh bunker said:


> those biting flies can be a pain. i had my ankles bitten so many times that they looked like elephant ankles. I usally call them ankle biters


I went camping to AI in 1972. I woke up in the morning, got out of the camper to strech, and got attacked. I got back in the camper, started the engine, and drove away. I've never been back since....


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## KT_UMCP (Oct 11, 2005)

Looks like fresh bunker has a bad case of "Kankles". So i guess it is safe to assume that greenheads are not colored blind? Once at CHSP digging for clams I got swarmed by then knats right as the sun was coming down. It just infested my hair, or what's becoming left of it made me want to just go crazy and start swinging at the air like a mad man.


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## Catch This (Nov 19, 2005)

Wind from the west is coming across the bay and the marshes and putting all of the bugs on the beach. Summer time can be brutal depending upon the wind direction. ....and if you think the flies are bad in the day, spend the night when the kamakazie mosquitos come out!


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## fresh bunker (Jul 9, 2006)

One time the bugs got so bad that i just wanted to take out a shotgun and start blasting away.


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

Don't shower or use soap or antipersperants or perfume or anything('cept toothpaste) for a few days before you go. It's not your smell there're after as much as all the crap that's on you. Seems to work for me. Charlotte's not very impressed by my theory though.


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## fingersandclaws (Oct 17, 2005)

dirtyhandslopez said:


> Don't shower or use soap or antipersperants or perfume or anything('cept toothpaste) for a few days before you go. It's not your smell there're after as much as all the crap that's on you. Seems to work for me. Charlotte's not very impressed by my theory though.


W T F  Dude, you are a true angler. I must confess, I would not be able to pull that off. I suppose, once you get enough bunker on your hands and shirt though, you'd probably get the same smell as not showering for a couple days. 

I think I'm gonna get one of them mosquito nets and just drape it over my head (physical deterent vs. chemical deterent)  

So basically, after reading this thread, there is NOTHING that works against these bastards? This is America, there should be something!!!


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

Here's a bugsuit to keep those pesky critters off your skin. It's available from LL Bean










Fingers, Here's a bug suit for you also. Available at Amazon.com


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## fingersandclaws (Oct 17, 2005)

Very funny!!! I like that net suit . . . but am curious how many others would laugh at me when I'm walking around in that thing? I guess I need to weigh comfort vs. "looking like a tool"  If the bugs are indeed that bad, i'll look like a tool any day and laugh all the way to the bank when you guys look like you just had a 10 round fight with a bee hive.


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## fishbait (Nov 11, 2005)

My guess is that when you pull the hood down, it looks ok. Now with the hood on your head, it's a whole new story. The antenae might get in the way of your cast!


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## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

hmm... so it would be a bad idea to camp there during the summer. Might have to go down OBX to camp I guess... 


Yeah the ain't no bugs in Carolina... LOL.. JAM


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## Big Rad (May 19, 2003)

*Ok*

There is a suit made for hunters that even keeps the no-see-ums at bay. It is called a bug-tamer suit. It is done in camo so you can still look cool and stay cool as it is designed to help keep you that way. They sell em where you buy hunting goods.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

Actually that looks exactly like what I have (seriously) I use it all the time. When we have wet summers on the shore and I have to mow the lawn or work outside this thing is a MUST!!! I also hit Janes Island for relaxation and for small spot (fun and bait for AI). If you go there in the summer / early fall around dusk you better have one of these on. Yeah you look funny but when that sun goes down and everyone starts yelling OUCH, ACK, GET AWAY ... Lets Go Home ... Who will be the smart one then !!


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

FYI, BPS has their BPS brand insect clothing on sale, $10 off. Olive color is $20 and camo is $30. On their web site, search on "Bug Suit" .

IMHO, they're worth having in your bag. You never know when you're going to be on the menu.  I've used mine at SPSP & KN-E occasionally too.
.


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## jerseysalt (Jul 8, 2005)

*Ai Bugs*

i have camped in the summer no bugs ....SE wind cool breeze.....spring and fall are wonderful....if the wind is W oh boy....got there on 7/5 about 10 yrs ago...W wind 103 on oc beach...thatwas when they lost power up there...wife and walked the beach at 6 am in the morn sweating and lots of bugs....forescast was for w wind for 4 days...packed up and went to the PA mts....look for the ocean breez in the forcast and u will be ok.......JS


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

BubbaBlue said:


> FYI, BPS has their BPS brand insect clothing on sale, $10 off. Olive color is $20 and camo is $30. On their web site, search on "Bug Suit" .


Digging out this old thread to add something that I forgot to say before.

One of the problems with these screen bug suits is when you get thirsty, or if you're a smoker like me. The BPS one I mentioned above has a little zipper right at mouth level. IMHO, that little zipper is worth a lot. 
.


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## KT_UMCP (Oct 11, 2005)

OK fellas I think I find a remedy for them AI bugs. In the March issue of In Fisherman magazineI came acroos an article titles "Pest Control" and this is how it reads:

_"...While fishing the Great Bay during 2006 I asked one of the commercial clammers, who rakes clams without a shirt, what they use to fend off flies and gnats. He indicated that while are many decent commercial products on the market, he favors *original strength Listerine mouth wash in a spray bottle*. For some reason, this mouth wash keeps the majority of the bugs off his body. If some industrial strength bug actually bites him, he'll apply a dab of "After Bite" stick to the bite. This product will erase the itch in just a few minutes...."_

If it is coming straight from the mouth of them commercial clammers, it must be very effective.


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## lipyanker (May 31, 2006)

*it's good*

my wife and I swear by the listerine the only thing is it has to be the original type with the brown color


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## old linesides (Oct 6, 2006)

Click on this link and you won't be sorry . These things are the BOMB ! I have one and strap it to my console on the boat when I'm fishing the Eastern Shore marshes and islands . I also carry it whenever I'm bank fishing or from my pier on the Wicomico . The thing is AMAZING ! http://www.thermacell.com/h1/


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

does thermacell work for no see ums? Thats what they claim but I just want to verify with someone who actually used it. 

I think I'm going to Dicks tonight to buy two thermacell things if it is true.


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## BubbaBlue (May 11, 2004)

From my experience with Thermacells, they work really well for skeeters as long as the air is still and you're in its protected bubble. If there's a breeze at all, or if you have to move around, they're useless. 

If you're thinking AI, I suggest a bug suit with spray on the back of your hands. 
.


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