Black Flies
What You Need to Know About Black Flies 🔊
The are naturally occurring in flowing water 💦 THINK: fountains, rivers, ponds, streams, cascades, & irrigation ditches
They fly in great numbers 😲
They bite around the eyes 👀 & neckline of humans & domestic animals 🐕🐈
Their bites are painful😖, but they do NOT transmit diseases in LA County
What You Can Do 🙌🏽
Wear repellent on exposed skin to stop the bites (best is a repellent containing DEET) 👍🏾
Turn OFF personal water features for 24 hours once a week 🚫💦
** Don't forget to turn water back on to prevent mosquitoes 🦟using the stagnant water .
What We Do 🦸♀️🦸♂️
Our agency monitors and controls known sources of black flies in rivers, streams, and any other areas that's accessible to our staff. New breeding sites can develop when a new source of running water is introduced. This can occur if there's new water releases from the local dam or there's an unmaintained fountain or man-made waterfall in a yard.
What Does a Black Fly Look Like? 🤔💭
- EGGS - The female deposits 200-500 fertilized eggs in or on flowing water.
- LARVAE - Larvae emerge and attach themselves to rocks or foliage under the water and feed on organic debris that flow by.
- PUPAE - In 7-10 days the larvae will pupate under water.
- ADULT - Adults will emerge from the pupal case and float to the surface inside a bubble of air.
