(PHOTO AND STORY: KHQ.COM)
Nothing beats being outside in this great weather right now, but this wet spring has brought a lot of pests.
We’ve been talking about wasps and ticks, but black flies are coming out in force too.
Jenny Zhang says she’s noticed black flies a lot more in her neighborhood. Her 2-year-old son Liam was bitten.
“Actually, when he got bit he thought it was a bumblebee and then he was afraid of them,” she says.
The bites thankfully didn't get too bad for him. She says they got red and swollen, but for others, they can be worse.
“We’ve had a lot of kids in our neighborhood that have had these yucky bites that get bloody on their neck. It's a nuisance. It's pretty annoying,” Zhang says.
Pointe Pest Control says the reason why we’re seeing so many more black flies this year is because of the snowmelt and the wet spring we’ve had. They says these flies breed in rapid moving water.
As for how to get rid of them all, it’s tough. So what can you do to prevent bites? The Spokane Regional Health District says:
- Use bug repellant.
- Avoid areas where they are active at dawn and dusk. They like to hang out in shadier areas near moisture.
- Wear light-colored clothing
If you do get bit, wash the area first before applying anti-itch creams.
SRHD also says that black flies are not known to carry diseases in Washington state.