Herne Hill Black Flies

shit, these bites are really giving me trouble, been up most of the night with itching and an a surprising amount of real pain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blandford_Fly

bastards

I've got one on my leg from Brockwell Park this week. It's like having an egg under my skin, but a bit more itchy.

I've been bit by these when i worked next to the river avon in stratford. a right bastard, bit me in the ankle and i couldn't put my shoe back on.

shit, these bites are really giving me trouble, been up most of the night with itching and an a surprising amount of real pain.

Ditto, I got bitten just above the ankle up at Downham polo court on Sunday and could barely walk on Monday morning. Today the bites are bruised and the lower third of my leg is completely numb. The Hydrocortisone cream I have needs to kick the fuck in!

edit not sure if it was a black fly but, whatever it was, can fuck right off.

I got bitten twice in Hyde Park on Friday, the numbness in my left leg really feels like the numbness I get in the right from my sciatic nerve crap... Nasty little fuckers, swollen up like balloons my legs were... :S

Starting to go down now...

Ditto, I got bitten just above the ankle up at Downham polo court on Sunday and could barely walk on Monday morning. Today the bites are bruised and the lower third of my leg is completely numb. The Hydrocortisone cream I have needs to kick the fuck in!

edit not sure if it was a black fly but, whatever it was, can fuck right off.

sounds like it, the blandford fly targets the lower legs.

I found germolene to help as it's got a local anesthetic , then moved on to the H45 after that.

sounds like it, the blandford fly targets the lower legs.

I found germolene to help as it's got a local anesthetic , then moved on to the H45 after that.

I've found 'Not coming to the track during the hours of dusk' has helped massively.

But your's could work too.

Your method sounds like prevention whereas mine is simply part alleviation of symptoms

I got two bites last Saturday at I was not at the track though. seem to get bitten south of the river mostly, the bite is insane. swollen blister. who wants a pic?

shit, these bites are really giving me trouble, been up most of the night with itching and an a surprising amount of real pain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blandford_Fly

bastards

According to some sources, eating ginger puts them off:

After being eaten alive at race training on Monday two weeks ago, my legs are just starting to look normal again.
TEN bites. :(

Does anyone know if decent insect repellant works against these? It seems a pain to not to go to the evening sessions just because of some bloody flies.

It'd be ironic if they are actually Blandford flies. I grew up in Blandford and never had a problem.

Spray yourself with something containing high levels of Deet before you get there

Tropical formula with 50% deet.

Citrinella oil is a citrus based product that is very good. Chemist or maybe a fishing tackle shop

Just got referred to this thread, originally posted in the allotment thread - little bastards are still around...in w7 anyway

http://www.lfgss.com/post1647383-112.html

Oh God. Yes those are the little fuckers. If you start to feel feverish that is also part of the symptoms. Not sure there is much you can do except wait. Maybe try some creams to see if that helps. It is a very unpleasant experience

I've been bitten in West London, at Herne Hill, outside South Beers etc. It fucking hurts, although I have noticed the reaction gets better the more you are bitten, i.e. your body seems to get used to it [/science]

Do not scratch or burst the blisters as this will be prone to infection. Anti histamine pills usually help with the swelling.

My bites have always been knee/below knee height.

I've never had anything like this until summer of 2009. Now its a regular occurence unless I carry my jungle formula deet spray with me everywhere, which is impractical at best.

I got bitten a few times on Wednesday, one in my arm pit which is proving really annoying, god knows how it got there to bite me

Ouch.

is this still a problem? I may have to put repellant on my kid for the youth session... do they seem to be biting more in the evenings?

Put some stuff on him, Skulls... They'll turn into nasty, angry, pustulous sores if he's bitten...

is this still a problem? I may have to put repellant on my kid for the youth session... do they seem to be biting more in the evenings?

Deff more in the evenings

Good to see the flies are back out in force. One of them really fucked me up last year, fever, shivers the works. I think I preferred crashing

I have been ravaged at a friends bbq... struggling to walk in the mornings... i am an oozing mess...

restocked on deet and anti histamines...

i must fucking stink for these bastards to ravage me repeteadly... ffs

Wash your balls