Beat the bugs at cottage rental

Picture it: you're sitting on the deck, drink in hand. The sun is setting over the tree lined lake in front of you and you are feeling your shoulders come down from around your ears, the stress slowly leaving your body. Then you hear it. That ubiquitous whine that is tied to cottage living. No, I'm not talking about the kids wanting some more. I'm talking about bugs. In Ontario cottage country, the biggest impediment to a good time is bugs. They can drive you indoors faster than a leaking honey wagon driving down a bumpy road!

In my world, there are two types of bugs: Flighters and Biters. Flighters fly around and are pesky, but overall, they don't sting / bite. Biters are the nasty beasts that drive us crazy. So what biting / stinging bugs are endemic to cottage country in Ontario? Black flies, mosquitoes, deer flies, stable flies and horse flies are the most common. Of course, there are flies, bees and wasps but, frankly, they won't bug you much (yes, pun intended) if you don't bug them. When it comes to black flies and mosquitoes, however, you might think at times that they are hiding in the bushes, plotting for the arrival of exposed human skin! One thing to avoid is cedar trees - if you have some on the property, it isn't the place to set up the hammock! Flighters and biters of all types love the sweet scent of cedar.

The Weather Network (www.theweathernetwork.com) has a very useful feature: a bug report. Simply visit the site’s “Bug report: Ontario Cities Index”, from there, you simply pick the closest town / city to your cottage and ... voila... an update on whether certain biters are "in season" or even if they are native to the area selected. It doesn't give you a long term forecast, however, so if you are planning for the summer or fall, this will give you a quick guideline for most of Ontario cottage country:

Mid-May to end of June - Black flies are at their worst. They have a real partiality to head / ear flesh. One of the best tools we've found to cope with them are Fly Patches - you stick a sticky patch on the back of a baseball cap and the black flies get stuck on it. A little gross when you take off your hat and they're still flapping, but better than having a chunk of your scalp removed. They really don't like windy areas but they do like fast running rivers and shady spots so find one and avoid the other, during black fly season!
Mid-May to August – Mosquitoes. These are ever-present, particularly in the shade or after sunset. Many a summer wedding has been ruined as the guests flapped their arms around, avoiding the skeeters, sending wines glasses and cake plates flying! More importantly, as carriers of West Nile Virus, mosquitoes are more than just annoying. Keeping the bites to a minimum is important to your families' health.
Want to avoid them entirely and you don't have to worry about back to school? September is perfection! Want to brave them anyways? Be sure to be covered up: if you're going for a hike, wear light, long pants and tuck them into socks and a long sleeved shirt, all in light colors - they are more attracted to dark colors. You might want to consider a bug hat and shirt - not the height of fashion but better than being covered in red, itchy bites.
Bug spray containing DEET is the order of the day. I love the idea of citronella... it's safer, it smells nice... I loved it until I found myself running directly into the river near my home while wearing it because I found out that it didn't work! Remember that DEET products aren't recommended for small children (under 6 months) - their bodies simply shouldn't be exposed to DEET. If you can keep your wee one in a play pen, get a bug net so that they can still enjoy the great outdoors with you. According to Today's Parent magazine (Originally published in Today's Parent, July 2009) for older kids: Children aged six months to two years should use bug repellent with 10 percent DEET and only once a day. Those aged two to 12 should use the same concentration, with applications up to three times a day. Only children over age 12 should use 30 percent DEET and, even then, sparingly. Never apply it on the face and hands, regardless of age. It needs to be washed off with soap and water at the end of the day.

With a little planning and time management, bugs don't have to be the bane of your cottage existence. So get the bug spray out and enjoy your summer!

Article Tags: Black Flies

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