Real Talk!

Some people will tell you that there are two seasons in cottage country, winter and bugs. Other people don’t notice the bugs, at all. There are some common bugs that are seen at most cottages from time to time and once you understand their habits, they’re easier to deal with.

Black flies are attracted to perfume, cologne, aftershave and the residue of scented shampoo in your hair. Black flies will try to get under your clothes, so try tucking your pants into your socks and putting elastic bands around your wrists. Black flies can’t bite you through your clothes. Black flies are particularly fierce at sunset and they seem to love perspiration. When the black flies legs start turning white, the season is almost at an end.

Blue Damselfly

Damselflies shouldn’t be confused with Dragonflies, they are very similar. Damselflies are smaller, weaker and their eyes are separated (a dragonfly has large multi-faceted eyes). Damselflies eat midges and mosquitoes and other annoying bugs. Dragonfly nymphs live in the water. As a dragonfly grows, it sheds its skin. You often see the shed shape of dragonflies on the tips of weeds or reeds because the dragonfly larva climbs them, at night and once the sun rises they are ready to fly. An adult dragonfly lives about 2 weeks. When a damselfly is at rest, their wings are held away from them. Damselflies hold their wings at rest together above the torso or held slightly open above.
Butterflies and moths do not bite.

A Shad Fly

Shad Flies (also known as Mayflies) live for a couple of weeks. They emerge from fresh water lakes when the summer heats up. A car, splattered with dead shad flies smells something like dead fish.
Wasps (also known as yellow jackets) are famous for getting into soft drink cans, undetected. It’s best to keep them covered. Bees and wasps are attracted to sweet scents.

Mosquitoes are drawn to dark colours. They are out, full force, at sunrise and sunset.
Biting midges are active at dusk and dawn. The female requires a blood meal, after mating, in order to obtain the protein required for her eggs. Some folks refer to these as no seeums, sand fleas or sand flies. They are very tiny but their bites can cause a severe rash and are much itchier than mosquito bites.

Deer flies and horse flies prefer animals to humans. They are prolific on hot, sunny days. When they bite, they take large chunks. They seem to be drawn to wet bodies, so they may attack your head while you are swimming or getting out of the lake. Deer flies are yellow and black; horse flies are bigger and all black.

Stable flies look like house flies. Both genders bite. They develop in piles of decaying straw, manure, grass clippings or other piles of rotting vegetation.

Cluster flies come in a variety of sizes. Most are a little bigger than houseflies and a dark grey colour. Cluster flies hang around in the fall and spring, mostly. They often buzz up and down at windows and often fall on their backs and spin around, dying. This fly develops as a parasite of a species of earthworms. They do not pose any health threat and more of annoyance than anything, because they manifest in the hundreds and thousands.

Lady bugs or Lady Beetles are generally a friendly little creature. They feed insects such as aphids which may be harmful to vegetation. The standard lady bug does not bite, however, the Asian lady bug (also known as the Japanese lady bug or beetle) are known to “pinch”. Asian lady bugs travel in massive groups and congregate on walls or other surfaces. They can be differentiated from the everyday lady bug by way of size- the Asian variety being larger, about 1/3-inch long, whereas general lady bugs are only ¼ of an inch. The Asian lady bugs may have more than one colour and they usually have 19 spots- common lady bugs have far fewer. A lady bug’s spots fade as they age and a lady bug may play dead, if threatened.

Pine Bugs or Beetles are also known as Pine Seed Beetles. About an inch in length, with even longer antennae, these reddish-brown bugs spend the summer in the pine trees but prefer to come inside for the other seasons. They like to hang out in piled wood or lumber. Pine Seed Bugs do not bite or sting; however, they can leave behind an unpleasant odour and sometimes stain furniture or draperies.
White garden slugs are the larvae of June Bugs. Adult June Bugs are less than an inch in length, shiny, brown and have long slender legs. Geraniums have been known to repel the larvae and prevent them from being destructive to lawns and gardens. June Bugs don’t bite but they do have spurs on their legs that may prickle a little.

A Firefly

Fireflies (also known as lightening bugs or glow worms) produce a form of light that has no ultraviolet or infrared frequencies. The light emanates from their abdomens and may appear to be pale-red, yellow or green.

A Cicada

The Cicada is more often heard than seen. They are known for that droning or buzzing, high-pitched sound that is made by the males, especially late in the summer, on hot humid days. There are nine or ten species of cicada in Ontario and they are not prevalent enough to create any damage to our forests.

There are any species of ants in Ontario. The most destructive variety of ant is the carpenter ant. The carpenter ant is the largest species in the area. They live in wood and have a preference for wet, fungus damaged wood. They are a wonderful part of the forest ecosystem, chewing up fallen trees and creating compost that assists in new forest growth. They commonly nest in standing trees or stumps but as the colony grows, they may enter cottages and homes and do considerable damage to the structure. Often, the damage done by carpenter ants is not visible without opening walls and ceilings. The carpenter ant should not be confused with the smaller black ant that tends to make extensive tunnels and chambers in the ground.

Fire Ants

Fire ants are red. They live in mounds, often in moist areas. Their nests are not usually visible; they may be hidden around cottage piers, under logs or rocks. Fire ants may attack small animals. Extremely territorial, their sting well up into a blister sometimes a day or two after contact. The bite causes a burning pain and some individuals may severely react and will require medical attention.

Deer Tick

Deer ticks are actually arachnids or arthropods, like spiders, and if you happen to have contact with one, they’re nasty. They hide out in low bush and once they attack, they burrow into the skin. They can carry Lyme disease and other diseases. Ticks are sneaky; they release a nerve numbing substance, preventing their host from sensing their presence.

Box Elder Bug

Box elder Bugs are about one half inch long. They are dark brown or black and have red markings on their wings and abdomens. They love to munch on ash and maple trees. They are not harmful, although they are usually numerous and their droppings can be quite substantial.

Bugs are the reason that screened tents and porches are popular in cottage country. Another coping strategy is to place a fan near where you are sitting. Most insects cannot fly in the wind. Bugs are an important part of the ecosystem. You can make a natural insect repellent by mixing a carrier oil (sunflower oil, almond oil, olive oil, witch hazel) with cinnamon oil, castor oil or citronella oil (for mosquitoes and biting flies). Use eucalyptus or rose geranium oil for mosquitoes, ticks and lice. Orange oil repels fleas. You can mix this with a little aloe vera gel, for consistency. Store your homemade insect repellent in a brown bottle.