Devil in Disguise!

  I promise!  If there is such a thing in nature, I do believe I have found the devil in disguise.  The Bayou and surrounding area (for miles!) has been under siege by the foulest of critters! Deer Flies!  These critters bite with a vengeance almost immediately after making contact and the welt left behind can be as large as a goose egg.  That  bite can itch for hours and then, depending upon the person, hurt for days.  Darling Daughter is evidently one of those poor people who are allergic to the bites as she suffers for days with them.  

  The deer fly is lumped in the category with other biting flies such as horseflies and yellow flies with a lot of folks confusing the deer fly and yellow fly.  The two are similar in size and coloring but the yellow fly lacks the striping of the deer fly.  All bite, all hurt.  Animals and humans alike are nothing but meals to these guys!  Even wearing long sleeves (not good during this heat!) does not help as the deer flies have no problem biting through the clothes!

  There is no biological control of the deer flies.  Birds, such as swallows, martins, killdeer and cattle egrets, do catch a good number but cannot keep the flies under control.  There are a few wasps that use the adults as hosts for their larvae but, then again, these are far and few between.  As for chemical management (for those who do not mind using such), none have proven adequate as of yet.  Traps seem to be the only method and they only eliminate a few of the myriads!  

  So, what is the answer to this predicament?  Mine?  Stay indoors as much as possible during early mornings and late afternoons as this seems to be their peek times.  This is hard for me to do but sometimes it is the only answer.  Oh, and dream of cooler weather when these guys will disappear!