A black fly or blackfly (sometimes called a buffalo gnat, turkey gnat, or white socks) is any member of the family Simuliidae of the Culicomorpha infraorder. They are related to the Ceratopogonidae, Chironomidae, and Thaumaleidae.
What are White Sox in Alaska?
Alaskan black flies are in the Simulid family. They are also called buffalo gnats or white sox, after the white stripes on their legs. These insects crawl under clothing or near the hairline to bite the skin with blade-like mouthparts.
What do Alaskans use for mosquito repellent?
DEET
The Best Mosquito Repellant To Use in Alaska
DEET is by far the best (and most effective) mosquito repellant. Alaska Trekker recommends applying DEET directly to difficult-to-cover areas, like your face, hair, neck, and hands.
How do you treat White Sox bites?
Itching and pain from bites and stings can be treated with topical analgesics, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen.
Where do blackflies hatch?
Most species lay their eggs in or on flowing water, but some attach them to wet surfaces such as blades of aquatic grasses.
What eats mosquitoes in Alaska?
The four common ones are tree swallows, violet-green swallows, cliff swallows and bank swallows. Bank swallows require specialized nesting areas. Most of us can rule that species out for mosquito-control purposes. Cliff swallows can be attracted in good numbers.
Are there house flies in Alaska?
They may not start out as a native species, but could certainly be introduced through transporting garbage or other things. I am pretty sure of this, though they may not survive winters, as long as there are human beings living in Alaska, there are probably House Flies!
Are there roaches in Alaska?
Roaches are so hardy they can survive in even the harshest conditions. In short, even in the state of Alaska, roaches can invade your home. They come in all shapes and sizes in our lovely state, but few species of roach are as nasty as German cockroaches in Alaska.
Does Alaska have snakes?
There are no lizards, freshwater turtles, or snakes in Alaska. The only reptiles in Alaska are rare sightings of sea turtles. Texas is home to 76 species of snakes, more than any other state. As you head north, snakes and reptiles are less abundant.
Are there stink bugs in Alaska?
The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is mostly a pest to fruit plants and trees so you don’t need to worry about it crawling in bed with you. The funny thing about this bug is it was accidentally imported from Asia and now it can be found all over North America, even Alaska!
Does Vicks help bee stings?
Rub Vicks on a bee sting
Soothe the pain with Vicks VapoRub. It contains menthol, which will provide a natural, cooling anesthetic effect.
Does bleach stop mosquito bites from itching?
Remedy No.
Just add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup bleach to a full bathtub (with water enough to cover your body where the chiggers have bitten) and soak. From what I understand about this remedy, the bleach dries out the bite, kills any leftover critters, and tames the itch.
Does mustard help bug bites?
Ketchup, mustard, cocktail sauce, hot pepper sauce, and assorted other condiments may provide temporary relief from the discomfort of mosquito bites because they are either acidic and change the pH of the skin or they are salty and dry out the bite, reducing inflammation.
What happens when a black fly bites you?
Black flies typically bite near the head or face. Their bites leave a small puncture wound, and can result in anything from slight swelling to a swollen bump the size of a golf ball. Other symptoms can include headache, nausea, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.
Do blackflies bite?
They tend to swarm around the head and skin before biting, and will bite any exposed skin, especially on the wrists, ankles, waistline, neck and hairline. Their bites normally leave a small welt and a droplet of blood, and may itch for several days. In North America, black flies are not known to transmit any diseases.
Can black flies bite through jeans?
Don’t camp near these. Black flies prefer confined areas around wrists, ankles, and ears. They can’t fly in wind (any wind) or bite through thin clothing or long underwear.
Are there spiders in Alaska?
Harmless, Burgess says, just like the rest of more than 600 species of spiders that live in Alaska. Burgess says many common spiders found in Alaska range from the tiny Steatoda Borealis, which is your common cobweb spider, to large orb-weavers like Nordmann’s orb-weaver or the Fierce orb-weaver.
What is the warmest area of Alaska?
Although Sitka is the warmest place in the state, this city still receives snow during the winter season.
Are there alot of bugs in Alaska?
Despite the fact that Alaska is home to nearly forty species of the insect, there just don’t seem to be as many around as in some years. Derek Sikes is an Associate Professor of Entomology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Insect Curator at the Museum of the North.
What state does not have flies?
Yes, Alaska. Not many of you who are reading this post were expecting this answer. But that’s what it is. In Alaska, you don’t have any problem with roaches, termites, bed bugs, and even mosquitoes.
Does Alaska have a lot of flies?
Gazillions of black flies and mosquitoes keep parts of Alaska unpopulated. Mosquitoes and black flies, now stirring after a long winter, have probably helped assure that most of Alaska remains unpopulated, says an expert on those creatures.
