Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-03-02
SOME FLIES THAT BITE.
THE WINGED PESTS OF AMERICAN
WOODS AND FARMS.

Their Haunts and Seasons Of Perniciosss
Activity-The Black Fly and the ..No
See 'Ems"-Forest Fly. Mesquite and
Stable Fly.
Every season has its peculiar winged pests.
the victims Of which are ready to declare it
more uncomfortable, il possible, than that
which preceded it. From early June till late
September there Is no month without its
blood sucking insect While it will prove
small comfort to the fly bitten victim Of the
forest to know the name and habits Of each
little torment that did its best to make his
cuticule resemble the lid OF a pepper box,
perhaps description Of the most annoying
Of these pests may enable some health or
pleasure seeker to adopt means that viii in
part protect him from their exasperating at
tentions.
THE VICIOUS BLACK FLY.
The earliest OF these winged torments to
appear on the scene Is the black fly or nudge
OF the woods OF Canada, New England, New
York and northern Pennsylvania 1t appears
in great clouds about the first OF June. lust
when the ascending sap has leosened the bark
Of the hemlock and oak and invited the bark
peelers to their work. In appearance it is
black, with transparent wings, and about
one-tenth Of an inch in length II one is
caught before it II gorged and rolled between
the fingers Its body, wings, head, proboscis,
legs and all will make . little ball no larger
than the head Of a pin. Unlike the musquito
It does not make much noise. Lighting
gently upon the cheek, forehead, or prefer
ably upon the back of the neck OF it's victim,
It dexterousiy inserts its sucking proboscis,
causing no Inconvenience until It has 9orped
itself, and its wicked work Is done Then
the poisonous saliva which has entered the
wound produces sharp itching or singing
sensation, causing the victim involuntarily
to slap at the bitten place. II the Fly hasn't
gone 1t will be crushed in dot of its victims
gore, as large as a five cent piece.
AND MOSQUITOES ALSO.
They think they have mosquitoes along the
Jersey coast, and most sojourners by the sea,
from Cape May to Long Branch, can testify
both to the numbers and biting capacity Of
the Jersey galliniper. But Michigan Is the
favor1ts haunt OF the mosquito. Its multi
tudinous small lakes and cat tail marshes
breed them in clouds, and the winds distrib-
| ute them over tho gently rolling country a.
impartially a the Michigan farmer used to
broadcast his wheat before the days Of grain
irills No hill is too high to be free from
their presence, and no valley 80 low that
they won't find IL 1t was in Michigan where
| the luckless traveller is said to have had his
neck girdled by the mosquitoes while deep
ing, waking up to find his hair turned white
in the morning.
THE LAST OF THE FLIEs
| The last to appear and most widely diffused
| Of the biting flies Is the ordinary stable fly.
1t Is about the size OF and very nearly resem-
bles the house fly. It is most abundant in
August and September, and most annoying
and pertinacious after the nights begin to get
cool On bright day, after cool night, IL
attacks horses and cattle in great numbers
and seems to acquire at that time q sticking
propensity never manifested by any other fly.
It can scarcely be brushed off Its bite Is 50
savage as to render sensitive. highbred horses
nearly frantic. 1t does not hesitate to fasteu
or the hand or neck Of the luckless man OF
woman that comes in its way, and its bite is
forceful and emphatic enough to be remem.
bered. The bite Of the stable fly, like that OF
the forest fly, is apt to cause the blood to fol
low. This ay is generally distributed through
out the cattle rearing portions of the older
settled states, and unlike the forest fly does
not care anything for the neighborhood OF
forests or wooded lands.-Philade!phia Times.