When/where will my thru-hike get buggy?

[jneedler]

Hey, I'm hiking NOBO this year with a start date of April 6. I'm expecting it to take me about 4 months. I'm trying to plan/prepare for the bugs, but when and or where will they become a realistic threat? Am I starting late enough that I could encounter them pretty much from the begining?

Thanks!

[shelb]

I have no clue, but I have found that the 100% deet works for the mosquitoes and Skin-so-soft is the best for flies.

[Turtle-2013]

It depends a lot on your tolerance and "attractiveness" to bugs. I haven't used repellent since I moved to the mountains of Virginia from the bogs and prairies of the mid-west. I do use a netting when I sleep in the summer in shelter or under tarp. One factor is where you camp, because bugs will be more significant at night in bogs and low-lands, and if you are in the higher country with a little wind they won't be around so much. Even so, I hiked Maryland several years ago in June and didn't have any problems. At any rate, I've been section hiking the southern AT in April for several years and never used my bug netting. I suspect once you get to PA, and full summer you will have some issues and if bugs "like" you, then you will need protection. Also, the black flies in New England can be a real irritant. Happy Trails (I'm doing the GA section starting one day later on April 7th)

[daddytwosticks]

On warm sunny windless days at the beginning, you'll experience the dreaded gnats that dive bomb into your eyes, ears and around your face. I've always carried a lightweight WalMart headnet this time of year. I don't hike in it, but keep it handy when I take breaks and set up camp. The gnats will disappear when it gets cool at the end of the day. DEET didn't seem to help much with these bugs. Never had that much of a problem with skeeters.

[Cookerhiker]

It depends on the year, but for mosquitoes, I think of New Jersey as the start. You come to your first pond (Sunfish Pond) and a few days later, the trail goes through a swampy National Wildlife Refuge. There's a lot of watery areas as you head north. At that point, I'd tent every night because the mosquitoes find their way into the shelters.

[garlic08]

I started about the same time and had a 3.5 month hike. I first hit noticeable mosquitoes in NJ, exactly like Cookerhiker says, then just hit the end of the black fly season in NH and ME. I can't remember any bugs at all until NJ--it was pretty nice. Long sleeves and trousers treated with permethrin and a head net was all I needed--no DEET at all for me. Never got a single tick with that system, either.

I ended up with one or two black fly bites on my face and didn't react very much to them, just a week or so of mild itching, quite a bit worse then a mosquito bite but not horrible. Some got it really bad, for weeks.

[tiptoe]

Not sure when you'll first encounter mosquitoes, but Connecticut and Massachusetts have swarms during the summer, especially during a wet summer.

[RED-DOG]

the bugs will start in May so you'll have little less than a month before Mosquitoes and No-see-ums, the wetter the spring the worse they gonna be, 100 % deet works well with a bugnet, then once you make it to ME you'll experience black flies nothing helps against black flies.

this is what i experienced on all three of my thru's

[Walkintom]

Bugs hit us worst in northern PA and NJ. Got better in NY.

[Spirit Walker]

Mosquitoes weren't an issue until NJ, then they were a bother until Massachusetts. Ticks OTOH, will be a problem from May onward. SNP was awful last year.

[Jeff]

Not sure when you'll first encounter mosquitoes, but Connecticut and Massachusetts have swarms during the summer, especially during a wet summer.

Lots of hikers comment that when hiking northbound, leaving Mass and entering Vermont, the mosquitos lessen considerably.

[fredmugs]

I always bring light weight headphones so even when I'm not listening to music they work great to keep the bugs off my ears.

[jneedler]

Soooo.......

Ticks from May onward (all the way to Katahdin?)
Mosquitos as early as PA or May (is it more contingent on location or date?)
Black flies in NH and ME in June and July.

I'm assuming a headnet is mandatory, and other defense options include:
1) Long sleeves and pants coated in permethrin
2) Skin-so-soft (I'm assuming worn on the skin like insect repellent?)
3) Deet bug spray
Were gloves ever necessary?

Thanks for all the help!

[Boo8meR]

We've had bugs over the last week and I'm only 30 miles into NC. Considerable amounts of black flys, very few mosquitoes. Hopefully this cold weather coming through will do a number on them. But, we've commented several times how useful a headnet would be right now.

[Starchild]

+1 on what is your attractiveness to bugs?

I knew this female thru hiker (females seem to me to be more bug attractive for some reason) who as I approached was carrying her own swarm, and she was wearing a headnet. She asked me how I could stand to hike without one. I told her I have not had any till then bugs, she replied that she has been dealing with them for weeks. As I walked further away, I walked out of her swarm. It was on the way to Ottie's memorial which I believe is in VA. I got away pretty much bug free till CT, which was the worst and I had no bug dope, but fell off in early MA and was pretty much bug free all the rest of the way. I also went through the 17 yr cicada bloom zone but they really didn't bug me, more interesting then annoying.

I would say you don't need to carry much, but something just in case can make life easier till you get to town and can get a better supply.

Additionally there are a few plants that grow along the AT that can help a little, might be good to be able to ID them.