The state of Maine has some amazing wildlife. And it, whatever it is, is biting me.
This week I’m in midcoast Maine to film a DVD on building a Dutch Tool Chest and attend the Lie-Nielsen Toolworks Open House on Friday and Saturday. Details here. If you live within driving distance, I highly recommend the experience. John Hoffman and I will be there with T-shirts and our full line of books. And we’ll be making Wierix squares.
Anyway, back to the biters. Something is feasting on my ankles. And while that’s inconvenient, my ankles will not be shown in the DVD (sorry, ladies). So really, my itchy ankles are of no consequence to you.
However, have you ever seen my “Sawing Fundamentals” DVD? If you watch it on a big screen, you can make a drinking game out of counting the flies shown in the DVD (the last guy to guess correctly the number of flies is now on a waiting list for a liver transplant).
We shot that DVD during the cold months, but something about the lights used during the shoot woke them up from their slumber. After every hour or so, we had to sweep up hundreds of the suckers.
We tried to scare the flies off by putting a few of their heads on tiny spikes (OK, the “spikes” were toothpicks), but the flies kept coming. Waves and waves of them.
Best thing I can say about them: They didn’t bite my ankles.
— Christopher Schwarz
As a Us/Canadian citizen welcome to black flies (they haul chunks of flesh away) and jiggers. Wear soaks and long pants.
I can relate I have something living in the Harbor Freight 2X2 rubber floor squares covering my shop floor, I can’t see them but just eating my legs from the knees down. I have to work dripping in “Off” but still getting blood drawing flesh wounds. I’m trying to fight them off by spraying the floor with carburetor spray cleaner but it does not faze thematic all? I’ll be out of the shop Thursday and am setting of flea bombs, any better any other thoughts or ideas? There are enough bugs in central Florida without without them in my shop, could it be something in the mats themselves? Thanks, Mick
Note to self: pack DEET.
This great song speaks to your situation:
Seems a little late for black fly season, no? I have vivid childhood memories of being swarmed while backpacking in the Adirondacks.
Ahh Maine…
Where you need to tie down your children or the mosquitoes will carry them away.
Sounds like chiggers- tiny mites that burrow into your flesh. The traditional treatment here in Texas is to cover each one with clear nail polish- it cuts off their oxygen and they die fairly quickly.
Thanks, Tico.
Just seeing Kate and Anna’s names in the credits has sent me off to spend the rest of the day in the shop listening to their music.
Yes, wonderful singers. I got to hear them live at the Cafe Lena in Saratoga Springs: a very small and intimate setting where they were so relaxed and enjoying their music. It was right at the time of their first record and they were really something!
Having lived in New Hampshire for 17 years this brings back the memory of Black Fly season.