Mosquitoes vs Green head flies

We are all familiar with mosquitoes. They are everywhere and are known for the disease they pass on to mankind. The Green head is not as well known because it's habitat is in marsh areas near the sea shore. They also carry the tag of marsh flies.

There is another category I put these pest in and this category allows them to work together to make your shore visits as uncomfortable as possible. The mosquitoes are stealth. You don't always hear them as they seek your pipeline of blood. sometimes you don't even feel them. But the green head is another monster. They don't care if you see or hear them and they don't just insert a needle like proboscis into your epidermis, They come with eating utensils and take chunks out of you. And they invite their friends to the feast.

We took a trip to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge for the purpose of capturing nature through the lens of our camera. It was a clear day and as we drove around the area I could hear the sound of rain smacking against the passenger window. Remember I said it was a clear day. Realizing it couldn't be rain as the intensity of the the pelting noise increased I wondered what it was.

Not realizing that there was a window between them and me they came for a meal and pounded their bodies against the window as they tried to get to the supper table. The noise became intense and I was amazed at the ferocity of their attack. These things looked to be as much as an inch long and there were so many at times you could hardly see out the windows.


The trip around the preserve is eight miles. Most of that distance you stayed in the car. Now I say most because sometimes you need to get out to capture the picture you want. Open the car door and some of them get in and when they do they look for a way to get out. So I thought.


Actually those that get in are a diversion. They attack you from inside your vehicle and in order to rid yourself of them you must open the door and try to chase them out. Well more come in. Now you have to get out of the vehicle. Bad move. But at least it give you more room to go on your own killing spree.

There have been a few times that in my zeal to reap retribution and revenge I've punched at the flies but forgot to slacken my blow before I hit myself. This is another ploy of the flies. They know that you can knock yourself into another stage of consciousness that, for awhile, slows your functions. The bloody feast is on again.

My observation of these crittes showed me that they work together. The green flies rule the daytime hours. The mosquitoes, even though they are out at any time, rule the night. When in the motorhome at night you know that if you open the door the mosquitoes will be in before you can close it. They dare you to come out into their territory, The opposite of that is you dare them to come in to yours. It is a battle of the blood suckers vs the fly swatters.