BUGS!!!

I'm been doing a lot of canyons the past month and one thing they all have in common is LOTS of bugs!

Cedar Mesa - Bugs!
Robbers Roost - Bugs!
San Rafael Swell - Bugs
Moab - Bugs!
Escalante - Bugs!

The weather this year has really screwed up the bug population. Bugs are really bad where I've never had problems before. Bugs are bad at times of the year I've never had problems before.

So far this year I feel like a giant bug sandwich! As I'm sitting here typing this I'm trying not to scratch at least a dozen bug bites from canyons on Friday and Saturday.

YMMV

I didn't have any issues with bugs last weekend in the Swell or Moab.....this weekend up near Rangely was another story! They were out in full force!

Subway last week was great except for the Left Fork Trailhead. Same with Pinecreek. No annoyances there!

Spent a night (June 22-23), sans tent, next to the East Fork of the Virgin, just east of Misery and had no problems with bugs. Some biting flies around the next day but the evening and night were great.

Yankee Doodle was brutal yesterday with those Cedar Gnats. Never seen anything like it.

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Originally Posted by Deathcricket

Yankee Doodle was brutal yesterday with those Cedar Gnats. Never seen anything like it.

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Amen, We are done guiding Yankee Doodle for a while. Its like once they find you, they tell their friends. And they have an immunity to bug spray! Birch has some biting flies, but not too bad.

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Originally Posted by tylerhirshfeld

Amen, We are done guiding Yankee Doodle for a while. Its like once they find you, they tell their friends. And they have an immunity to bug spray! Birch has some biting flies, but not too bad.

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ya their immunity was strong yesterday, the bug spray didn't do anything and I knew it wouldn't. I sprayed some on just to be cool I guess. :lol8:

Just be glad you don't have these :lol8: They make a ride to the store a big PIA :roflol: I'm glad they're into making love instead of biting :mrgreen:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...g/bff6652e.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...g/b5148a7e.jpg

I think it was Rock Gremlin who found a solution to the bug problem.

step 1: Buy cheap bug deterring lotion
step 2: Goop in on very thickly and the bugs get stuck in it and die
Step 3:
step 4: Profit?

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Originally Posted by Jaxx

I think it was Rock Gremlin who found a solution to the bug problem.

step 1: Buy cheap bug deterring lotion
step 2: Goop in on very thickly and the bugs get stuck in it and die
Step 3:
step 4: Profit?

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Step 3 would be: scrape it off when you get back to the car and use it as a spread on your sandwich.

Yum :mrgreen:

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Originally Posted by wasatchghost

Step 3 would be: scrape it off when you get back to the car and use it as a spread on your sandwich.

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:lol8::lol8:

That's awesome.

MMM...Scrumptious. My experience with the gnats this past week though... you dont need a sandwich when you get back to the truck. Save food, eat gnats!:haha:

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Originally Posted by wasatchghost

Step 3 would be: scrape it off when you get back to the car and use it as a spread on your sandwich.

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I am sure it is high in protein and all that but suddenly I realize I am still full from that packet of oatmeal I had for breakfast yesterday morning, so I think I'll pass. Thanks for the offer.:crazycobasa:

Maybe mayonnaise would work? :lol8:

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Originally Posted by accadacca

Maybe mayonnaise would work? :lol8:

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Where's the adventure in that? :cool2:

Was just in Death Hollow, June 23-27. No bugs at all. :ne_nau: Not even when we got to the Escalante.

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Originally Posted by nat

Was just in Death Hollow, June 23-27. No bugs at all. :ne_nau: Not even when we got to the Escalante.

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Did the boulder mail trail, death hollow and escalante river and upper calf creek falls last week. There were some flies at the first campsite when you drop down into death hollow from the bmt, but nothing to worry about Just saw bugs is one patch of escalante where there was a lot of tall grass.


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We just ran the Black Hole today and there were hardly any bugs at all. Granted, it was pretty windy. Green River yesterday, though? Holy crap were there tons and tons and tons of bugs there.

Since there seems to be an abundance of bugs in most places, what's everyone doing to help ward them off? Any tricks? Definitely investing in a mosquito head net for my trip to the swell this weekend, and will be packing lots of DEET and well covering clothes with gloves.

I've heard some incense (nag champa) help, can anyone c/d? Hoping to find a decent solution for the mornings at camp while making breakfast...

Anyone been down to C. Mesa, Needles, and Lake Powell recently? How are the bugs? Thanks

Here in TN we have swarms of cicadas and huge healthy june bugs. Gnarly little boogers with strong, grippy legs that like to fly in your hair!

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Originally Posted by MPH

Anyone been down to C. Mesa, Needles, and Lake Powell recently? How are the bugs? Thanks

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I'm at Powell 2-3 times a month. Lots of bugs but none that bother humans. They will cling to the lee side of a boat,tent, anything, but they do not bother folks.

My comments would be valid for Escalante South to Wahweap, I haven't been further North.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jaxx

I think it was Rock Gremlin who found a solution to the bug problem.

step 1: Buy cheap bug deterring lotion
step 2: Goop in on very thickly and the bugs get stuck in it and die

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Yes that was my patented solution to the bug problem. It works like a charm - every time. Nothing I've found even comes close to being as effective. It may be a little awkward to have that much bug lotion on exposed skin, but the satisfaction of killing all those little buggers instead of them biting you is definitely worth it.