MARCH FLIES

Hi all,

I haven't been out lately coz its been too hot for me, but now cooler weather is in sight. Was wondering whether there are many march flies around still in the Vic Golden Triangle? I just hate those bl**dy things.

TED

Hi and yep,
Brad & I have just returned home from Vic Goldfields and the Marchies are swarming over there. They didn't seem overly aggressive though. They didn't worry me at all, & I think Brad only was bitten once or twice.
So if your heading out pack the aeroguard!!!! and good luck!
Shell

Hi Ted,

Lets hope they a getting fewer as there were heaps around Castlemaine around 2 weeks ago.

Going out tomorrow DEET in pack

Regard
Paul

They just started over here in SA , went out for a detect yesterday at
MT Crawford and there were heaps , was suprised that they wern't biting
though.
Mark

yup they are flat out, but remember its april soon so they will stop just down the track. then look out for the april fools ...apparently they bite ..

..are the marchies out...u bet they are.. well in Dunolly they are all round.. u park the truck nothing to have 10 - 20 round u... and big....saw one filling up at the shell at maryborough yesterday. Dont use aeroguard, I'm convinced that attracts them..they love it.....I find the strongest bushman to b the best but it only last for a while...

raymondj wrote:..are the marchies out...u bet they are.. well in Dunolly they are all round.. u park the truck nothing to have 10 - 20 round u... and big....saw one filling up at the shell at maryborough yesterday. Dont use aeroguard, I'm convinced that attracts them..they love it.....I find the strongest bushman to b the best but it only last for a while...

what was it driving?

Lots of Marchies out my way in the Bush around Maldon at the minute. Its been a toss up between the Marchies, Bull Ants or head butting large orb web spiders. I get out in the bush most days of the week for a sniff around and my biggest worry are bullies because of a reaction I have to their bites and yesty was too close to call when I had some of them buggars runnin up the outside of me yakkas. It seems I must have upset a few by digging up their home. Silly me.

I went detecting last weekend, first time in 3 months, wish i hadnt, the March flies were everywhere, AND biting, worst ive seen them.

Was at the Whipstick, but my mate reckons there all over the Golden triangle.

The bees are more of a worry, those orb spiders do they start off small and look kinda blue or somthing have seen a few of the big ones as well, nasty looking but harmless i think, and the bull ants really come out and have a go it doesnt take much for them to get upset and they will attack unlike almost everything else which will go the other way if it sees you.

At least March flies are slow and easy to swat once they land.

Bull Ants and Jack Jumpers......hate them........I always take a can of Baygon and spray a line around the tent and the guy ropes. Stops the little blighters from coming in.

Were out in the bush a couple of months a go at Beaufort with a detector club and we could not get over the number of European Wasps they were every where. They were looking for water, and would come into your caravan and go straight for the sink and taps. You had to cover up your open drink cans otherwise they get and that would spells trouble if you took a swig .

Hope they dont hang around too long, ive known bad years, just like this, when there still biting and in big numbers in May!!!

Hope they dont hang around too long, ive known bad years, just like this, when there still biting and in big numbers in May!!!

I think I might wait a while before I go out again!! I'm not keen on bullants either!!

TED

Hi all, It might be an old wife's tale, but a bushy told me that wearing blue can attract the march flies , that's why they were hanging around my New Blue HiLux the other day Raymond. Regards Johnny

Here,s a link on March flies.http://medent.usyd.edu.au/fact/biting%20flies.htm Regards Johnny

The trick with marchies is not to slap and kill them,all that happens then is 20 of his mates turn up for the funeral!

Johnny
Perhaps they were going to take your blue hilux and fill it up at the Shell.What do you think Ray?
Cheers Dig

u know Dig ... just as well Johnny's new Hilux hasnt got black sides...they b mistaken for wings and with his cool sunglases...b about the size of these marchies I reckon...

try not to squash them on you as the smell they omit attracts more of the buggers
cheers badger

Well I managed to get out yesterday. Got to Talbot around 7.00 am - absolutely beautiful morning. No Marchies probably all a sleep.

Left there at 11.00 for Castlemaine. A few Marchies but not as bad as 2 weeks ago.

Someone had raked a small area but left this sweet flat 0.28 grammer behind.

Dog loves eating march flies, crunches them up.....Very satisfying sound.
Oh... yeah.. BTW congrats Ararat on the buet little gugge !

Its no old wives tale Hobo, wear anything but blue,while not being a perfect solution you will be surprised.

Morning TED.

About a month ago,all over the triangle,the marchies were on the warpath.Something about rawhide leather boots,that attracts drilling operations.Just when they started to back off the bite recently,Squadron leader mosquito,came in for the kill.


Cheers kon61.

The slatey grey march flies that can fly in without making a buzzing noise definetly go for dark blue in a big way and also if you are wet they will hone in. When canyoning we turn the lilos red side up. If you put the blue side up they will land all over them and the big orange ones can drill holes through them.

Wear green clothing, use aerogard on the back of your shoulders, either side of your backpack and back of hands & elbows.

Sorry to upset some members but when they are really bad we catch them when they bite you and thread heaps of them on a long thin grass stems. On release they launch like the shuttle and will carry the grass 1/2 a km straight up.
Tributer

..they seem to have settled down now... not many marchies about ... noticed the skeeters have taken over... soon as it gets dusk out they are....