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  Destinations: Ahhh, !@#%*! Bugs
One of the best ways to not have a good time at Isle Royal NP is to forget the bug spray. A simple outing can turn into an insect tornado which will seriously hamper your enjoyment of all the sights at Isle Royale. Bugs are a reality at the park - remember, you are going into their territory - but read the following and you can prepare for their assault on you.
Insects are part of the natural scene at Isle Royale and they can be annoying. The number of bugs and when they arrive varies considerably from year to year. Insect numbers also vary from one location to another on the Island due to micro-climate effects and from day to day due to weather changes. For example, the cooler Lake Superior shores tend to have fewer mosquitoes, but wind direction and other factors can override that tendency. Hot, humid weather brings out every available mosquito and black fly. Cool, dry, breezy days slows them down. The mosquito and black fly hatch generally start at the end of May or the beginning of June. When the mosquito and black fly are really out, they can be so thick as to drive campers to desperate measures such as spending lots of time in tents, using head nets and breathing through their teeth. At times, the conversation turns to modes of protection. Discussions of the merits of DEET repellents versus citronella repellents entertain some folks, while others securely cover all exposed skin on their bodies with bite-proof material and receive the benefits of both insect protection and a walking sauna simultaneously. Do come prepared to protect yourself.Black flies hatch in cold running water. They can be especially numerous if Isle Royale has unusually warm weather during spring runoff, or when heavy rains keep streams high into summer. Large numbers of black flies are usually gone by July. Some years, the island has relatively few. In a heavy year, a few may linger until frost. The first frost may come as early as the end of August or as late as the end of September. Mosquitoes usually get off to a quick start and then slowly taper down as the summer dries out. In a rainy summer, they will stay at high numbers. At least some mosquitoes will hang on until a heavy frost finally ends their season. Deer flies and horse flies are most prevalent during the warmer months. Stable flies can be quite numerous during periodic hatches, mostly along shorelines. Long pants and thick socks are the best defense. No-See-Ums come around from time to time during the warm part of the season. We haven''t figured out any pattern to them yet. Make sure the zippers on your tent are closed really tight when they are around. Glossary:
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