Southern thing.

[Magicman]

There is a story about that sawyer grub and a few young girl spectators.  One saw and the others did not.  When that one ran away screaming about dat white man eating worms, the fun began.  

[beenthere]

Not authentic unless the innards of the worm are running down the chin.  Take a new pic MM.  

[Jeff]

[GAB]

I am no expert but I have traveled North America quite extensively having visited every State and every Province.  It seems that the further North I am the more I am bothered with mosquitos and black flies.  The most mosquitos that I have ever seen was in Alaska.

I don't think that the Alaskans have cornered the market on skeeters, as I have seen many in other places.  However the largest and the smallest I have seen were both in Alaska.  The largest number of skeeters per cubic yard of space that I have encountered was at the plaques at the Artic circle.  The fact that it was raining that day may have had something to do with the high number per volume.
GAB

[barbender]

I remember hiking out of the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming one time, all the people that I ran into that were on their way in wanted to know, "how were the mosquitos?". Well, there were only 2 or 3 mosquitos so we could've got to know each other pretty well I guess. I hear people talk about how bad the mosquitos can get in the high country, but I've sure never seen it. Maybe when you get higher into the alpine tundra areas they are bad or something.

But, sometimes I wonder if the locals have just never seen for real, northern MN style mosquitos. I've trained my wife and kids to just ignore them as well as they can when doing outdoor activities. We all love to camp, fish, and berry pick in the summer and if you let the mosquitos get to you, you might as well stay home. It's just part of life here.

Like someone else mentioned, cold winter temps have no affect on mosquito populations. I don't think it really affects tick populations, either. Drought definitely knocks the mosquitos back, but I think they just lie dormant and when you do get rain they come out triple strength.

There are some forest pests that are affected by cold temps. I've read that invasive Emerald Ash Borer experiences 95% mortality at -40°F. One silver lining to those frigid temps🥶

Insects like pine beetles, larch sawfly and others are also killed back by extreme cold, so those frigid temps are crucial to the health of our northern forests. It is said that the scope of Eastern Larch (Tamarack) that has died off from Larch Sawfly and Larch Beetle infestation
in our extensive swamps rivals that of the worst beetle kill out in the mountains out west. You just cant see all of it until you get up in a plane.

[Magicman]

and the smallest I have seen were both in Alaska. 

We watched mosquitos crawl through the window screens on our Alaskan trip.  We were wondering where they were coming from and then noticed them sticking their heads through, squirm a bit and poof, they were on our side. 

[Sixacresand]

Off is my friend several months a year

[Jeff]

I remember hiking out of the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming one time, all the people that I ran into that were on their way in wanted to know, "how were the mosquitos?". Well, there were only 2 or 3 mosquitos so we could've got to know each other pretty well I guess. I hear people talk about how bad the mosquitos can get in the high country, but I've sure never seen it. Maybe when you get higher into the alpine tundra areas they are bad or something.

But, sometimes I wonder if the locals have just never seen for real, northern MN style mosquitos. I've trained my wife and kids to just ignore them as well as they can when doing outdoor activities. We all love to camp, fish, and berry pick in the summer and if you let the mosquitos get to you, you might as well stay home. It's just part of life here.

Like someone else mentioned, cold winter temps have no affect on mosquito populations. I don't think it really affects tick populations, either. Drought definitely knocks the mosquitos back, but I think they just lie dormant and when you do get rain they come out triple strength.

There are some forest pests that are affected by cold temps. I've read that invasive Emerald Ash Borer experiences 95% mortality at -40°F. One silver lining to those frigid temps🥶

Insects like pine beetles, larch sawfly and others are also killed back by extreme cold, so those frigid temps are crucial to the health of our northern forests. It is said that the scope of Eastern Larch (Tamarack) that has died off from Larch Sawfly and Larch Beetle infestationl 

We have had both. The larch are starting to come back, I'm glad. I did name the place Tamarack Ridge.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=45897.0

[Old Greenhorn]

... squirm a bit and poof, they were on our side. 

Lyn, they may have been INSIDE, but they were never on YOUR side.

[TroyC]

When I went to Alaska the skeeters were too big to come thru the screens. Had to pry them out of the grill in front of the radiator!

[Jeff]

Oh! Dats cute! A U.P. Skeeter baby picture!

[customsawyer]

The highest numbers of skeeters I ever encountered was Bear tooth pass on the northern edge of Yellowstone NP. I was on the Harley and stopped to take a picture. The moment I stopped both arms turned black from the rascals. All I could do was let the clutch back out and take off again. Then start wiping them off as I got up to speed. I learned quick to look for water before I stopped in that area. If it had any kind of puddle then the skeeters were going to be bad.

[Machinebuilder]

This was taken at Galbraith Lake



This is in Delta Junction, AK

As bad as the skeeters were the black flies in the Northwest Territories were worse.

When I got to Fort Nelson I got a can of Kombat insect repellent, it is the best stuff I used, but it is not available in the US

[barbender]

Kombat, that sounds like good stuff!

[SawyerTed]

One version, the best, of Kombat is 30% DEET.  

Picaridin 20% by Sawyer is as effective without the side effects of DEET - nausea and headaches.



We spend 6 weeks on Portsmouth Island each summer.  The biting insects can be biblical.  Picaridin on our skin and Permethrin on our clothes keeps us bite free 10-12 hours a day. 

[fluidpowerpro]

I remember hiking out of the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming one time, all the people that I ran into that were on their way in wanted to know, "how were the mosquitos?". Well, there were only 2 or 3 mosquitos so we could've got to know each other pretty well I guess. I hear people talk about how bad the mosquitos can get in the high country, but I've sure never seen it. Maybe when you get higher into the alpine tundra areas they are bad or something.

But, sometimes I wonder if the locals have just never seen for real, northern MN style mosquitos. I've trained my wife and kids to just ignore them as well as they can when doing outdoor activities. We all love to camp, fish, and berry pick in the summer and if you let the mosquitos get to you, you might as well stay home. It's just part of life here.

Like someone else mentioned, cold winter temps have no affect on mosquito populations. I don't think it really affects tick populations, either. Drought definitely knocks the mosquitos back, but I think they just lie dormant and when you do get rain they come out triple strength.

There are some forest pests that are affected by cold temps. I've read that invasive Emerald Ash Borer experiences 95% mortality at -40°F. One silver lining to those frigid temps🥶

Insects like pine beetles, larch sawfly and others are also killed back by extreme cold, so those frigid temps are crucial to the health of our northern forests. It is said that the scope of Eastern Larch (Tamarack) that has died off from Larch Sawfly and Larch Beetle infestation
in our extensive swamps rivals that of the worst beetle kill out in the mountains out west. You just cant see all of it until you get up in a plane.

The ice on a local lake is now 16" thick so I pulled my fish house out yesterday. We've had quite a few -teens temps so far this winter so the house has been cold. 
Got the house set up, started the heater and it wasnt long I had a mosquito bothering me inside the house. They bother me plenty fishing in the summer so I guess why should it be any different in the winter....

[YellowHammer]

Them ain't mosskitoes!  I used to fish at Mosquito Lagoon, in Florida, and if you looked out across the water, it appeared as though the surface of the 30 mile long brackish bay is covered with a brown moss, however, this moss is a pure blanket of mosskitoes. 

They were so bad, we had to use 100% Deet as windshield washer fluid, with the wipers on high, as we drove in so they wouldn't suck the gas right out of the fuel tank and leave us stranded!  I once caught a giant snook that would have been a world record, but it jumped about 3 feet high out of the water, and by the time it came back down to the surface, it was as hollow as a wind sock!  Them mosskitos has sucked it flat in half a second.

[Resonator]

Years ago driving truck I talked to a couple drivers from Alabama and Mississippi. They'd never been up north, and said while driving in winter they thought they saw what looked like little buildings on a lake. When I explained that those were ice fishing shanties, and people actually drove out on the ice and drilled holes to catch fish... oh the look on their faces. 

[barbender]

 You should've told them there was a tribe of little people that lived in them, and they come into nearby truckstops at night to Rob sleeping truckers or something😊

[YellowHammer]

I would be one of those Southerners who would also ask "Why??" and even "How??"  

I mean how in the world can you launch your bass boat on a lake covered in ice, and how do you fish a topwater lure or even a plastic worm on top of the ice?  I mean the hole is only a foot across, I guess you have to make real short casts?  

[GAB]

I mean how in the world can you launch your bass boat on a lake covered in ice, and how do you fish a topwater lure or even a plastic worm on top of the ice?  I mean the hole is only a foot across, I guess you have to make real short casts? 

Mr. Miltonski:
With talk like that, it would make me think you were a resident of an eastern Europeon country.
GAB

[Old Greenhorn]

Well Robert the hard truth is ice fishing isn't for everyone and just a hardy few partake. Truth be told, a lot of first timers give up before they even finish chopping a hole for the boat.

[Jeff]

I would be one of those Southerners who would also ask "Why??" and even "How??" 

I mean how in the world can you launch your bass boat on a lake covered in ice, and how do you fish a topwater lure or even a plastic worm on top of the ice?  I mean the hole is only a foot across, I guess you have to make real short casts? 

Easy. You train the Mink. 

[barbender]

That's why ice fisherman use those short fishing rods. Short, precision casts are the name of the game.

I'm thinking of taking the sport to the next level with ice fly fishing.

[YellowHammer]

I like the mink idea, but I'm not sure how to put a hook in one to use as bait without getting killed.  I hear they are pretty mean. One the way to the lake, he could ride up front in the truck with me and Chip.

I think I would stop chopping a hole in the ice for the boat pretty quick, maybe about half way.

Those Europeans consider the Carp a gamefish and call them "Kings." I don't like fishing for anything that prefers corn over a lure, even trout.  Do you know the difference between a trout and carp? Nothing.    

Ice fly fishing?  I saw those photos of Ice Mosskitos, I sure don't want any Ice Flies.

I always figured those guys in their little outhouses out in the middle of the lake were just hungover, or went to the outhouse in the middle of the night, and their wife cranked up the "home on wheels", and drove off.