International Header

Yahoo News: Fort Worth Star-Telegram: This Texas fly can bite, leaving irritated skin. It loves the heat and moving water

Ways to protect yourself form irritating insects.

Yahoo News: Fort Worth Star-Telegram: This Texas fly can bite, leaving irritated skin. It loves the heat and moving water

Last updated:
April 24, 2024
|  5 min read

Yahoo News: Fort Worth Star-Telegram: This Texas fly can bite, leaving irritated skin. It loves the heat and moving water

Yahoo News: Fort Worth Star-Telegram: This Texas fly can bite, leaving irritated skin. It loves the heat and moving water

YouTube video highlight

Ways to protect yourself form irritating insects.

Read more about the project

Yahoo News: Fort Worth Star-Telegram: This Texas fly can bite, leaving irritated skin. It loves the heat and moving water

Thumbnail Slider Image
No items found.

This Texas fly can bite, leaving irritated skin. It loves the heat and moving water

Black flies, also called buffalo gnats or turkey gnats, are known to bite people during the day — particularly around the neck and head, leaving skin itchy and swollen. Black fly season lasts from April to July.

Black flies are small flies up to 5 mm that are active during the day, fast and strong fliers. They have a characteristic “hump-back” and can be black, gray, light tan or yellow in color. Black fly species can commonly be found along fast-moving rivers, particularly in northeast Texas.

Female black flies have mouth parts to bite and feed on blood of people, domestic animals, poultry and wildlife. The painful bite can cause localized swelling, and in extreme cases anaphylactic shock.

The larvae can be found just beneath the surface of rapidly flowing fresh water, according to Texas A&M. Most species develop while attached to submerged rocks or logs in shallow moving waters of streams and rivers, while some do well in sandy-bottomed streams and slow, muddy water. Development can take anywhere from two weeks to more than two months.

Adult black flies spread a long ways from their breeding habitats to feed, having been found far from streams and rivers in urbanized areas of Texas. Outbreaks are likely to occur whenever conditions for them to successfully breed in high numbers are present, most notably warmer temperatures and high amounts of rainfall that contribute to aquatic habitats needed for their development.

During periods of adult activity, the biting flies can become a nuisance. If not staying indoors, experts at Texas A&M say those working outdoors should dress in long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, wearing a cap and a mesh veil to protect themselves. While insect repellents can be used, particularly to the neck and head, they may not be very effective against the strong, fast flies.

Read Dalia Faheid's short list of best repellents here.

Yahoo News: Fort Worth Star-Telegram: This Texas fly can bite, leaving irritated skin. It loves the heat and moving water

This Texas fly can bite, leaving irritated skin. It loves the heat and moving water

Black flies, also called buffalo gnats or turkey gnats, are known to bite people during the day — particularly around the neck and head, leaving skin itchy and swollen. Black fly season lasts from April to July.

Black flies are small flies up to 5 mm that are active during the day, fast and strong fliers. They have a characteristic “hump-back” and can be black, gray, light tan or yellow in color. Black fly species can commonly be found along fast-moving rivers, particularly in northeast Texas.

Female black flies have mouth parts to bite and feed on blood of people, domestic animals, poultry and wildlife. The painful bite can cause localized swelling, and in extreme cases anaphylactic shock.

The larvae can be found just beneath the surface of rapidly flowing fresh water, according to Texas A&M. Most species develop while attached to submerged rocks or logs in shallow moving waters of streams and rivers, while some do well in sandy-bottomed streams and slow, muddy water. Development can take anywhere from two weeks to more than two months.

Adult black flies spread a long ways from their breeding habitats to feed, having been found far from streams and rivers in urbanized areas of Texas. Outbreaks are likely to occur whenever conditions for them to successfully breed in high numbers are present, most notably warmer temperatures and high amounts of rainfall that contribute to aquatic habitats needed for their development.

During periods of adult activity, the biting flies can become a nuisance. If not staying indoors, experts at Texas A&M say those working outdoors should dress in long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, wearing a cap and a mesh veil to protect themselves. While insect repellents can be used, particularly to the neck and head, they may not be very effective against the strong, fast flies.

Read Dalia Faheid's short list of best repellents here.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Media Mentions from Yahoo News
Yahoo News
Your window to the news that matters most to you.
Media Mentions

Yahoo News: Fort Worth Star-Telegram: This Texas fly can bite, leaving irritated skin. It loves the heat and moving water

This Texas fly can bite, leaving irritated skin. It loves the heat and moving water

Black flies, also called buffalo gnats or turkey gnats, are known to bite people during the day — particularly around the neck and head, leaving skin itchy and swollen. Black fly season lasts from April to July.

Black flies are small flies up to 5 mm that are active during the day, fast and strong fliers. They have a characteristic “hump-back” and can be black, gray, light tan or yellow in color. Black fly species can commonly be found along fast-moving rivers, particularly in northeast Texas.

Female black flies have mouth parts to bite and feed on blood of people, domestic animals, poultry and wildlife. The painful bite can cause localized swelling, and in extreme cases anaphylactic shock.

The larvae can be found just beneath the surface of rapidly flowing fresh water, according to Texas A&M. Most species develop while attached to submerged rocks or logs in shallow moving waters of streams and rivers, while some do well in sandy-bottomed streams and slow, muddy water. Development can take anywhere from two weeks to more than two months.

Adult black flies spread a long ways from their breeding habitats to feed, having been found far from streams and rivers in urbanized areas of Texas. Outbreaks are likely to occur whenever conditions for them to successfully breed in high numbers are present, most notably warmer temperatures and high amounts of rainfall that contribute to aquatic habitats needed for their development.

During periods of adult activity, the biting flies can become a nuisance. If not staying indoors, experts at Texas A&M say those working outdoors should dress in long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, wearing a cap and a mesh veil to protect themselves. While insect repellents can be used, particularly to the neck and head, they may not be very effective against the strong, fast flies.

Read Dalia Faheid's short list of best repellents here.

Photo thumbnail Blog Author
Media Mentions from Yahoo News
Yahoo News
Your window to the news that matters most to you.
Media Mentions
browse all articles
Here at Sawyer
January 22, 2026
6 Min
Backpacker: The Complete Peakbagging Packing List
Read More

Media Mentions

Sawyer Squeeze + Cnoc VectoX 2L is responsible for all water filtration while packs are off, and the large reservoir enables cameling up.

Jaeger Shaw
Owner & Managing Editor

Media Mentions

The Sawyer Mini is the cheapest and one of the most lightweight water purifiers on this list.

Steph Dyson
Freelance Travel Writer

Media Mentions

Sawyer Squeeze Water Filter – Ultralight, lifetime-warranty filter that removes bacteria and parasites.

Himiway Bike
Website
<<  Previous Post
No previous post!
Check out our Directory
Next Post  >>
No next post!
Check out our Directory