Bush flies in SW Tas

[selarch]

Anybody know when the flies are around in the SW Tas area, I walked the South Coast track in late march, no flies! How much earlier can you go and still avoid them ?
Is it dependent on how warm it is or has been?

[tassiehiker]

iv never done the south west track but i know the flies are bigger nuff to put a saddle on and take for a ride haha

[tas-man]

I also walked the South Coast Track in late March 2008 and don't recall any problems with flies, however I have seen photos of January walks where the flies were thick and constant walking companions. Here's one from the last DYKT show section on a Southern Ranges circuit showing the hitchhiking flies at Surprise Bay.

[vagrom]

"50,000 flies can't be wrong." I had no idea they frequented the South Coast Track. Wonder if Chapman has anything to say? When they are about, they're rude. I thought the sea air might deter them. [If you're taking good boots, be sure to rinse them very well when you get back.]
Good point though; if it's been a wetter than normal lead in and there's lots of life coming back, then presumably the flies will be there too. You're mission, should you choose to accept it, will be to report back on the movement or otherwise, of these beasts.
Head net and spray aren't all that much use as they seem to prefer to hover and are a lot less inclined to bite than the mainland variety. I think a Parks person told me they vastly prefer Wallaby and spend a lot of their time trying to figure out why you don't fit the description on the menu. Waiter!

Last edited by vagrom on Sat 13 Aug, 2011 10:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[tas-man]

Found another photo from Cockle Creek campsite in January 2009 - wondered why I took this one

[vagrom]

Yes Tas-man. But they're the little, black b's, not Marchies. What ever, hot weather really brings them out in droves and possibly contributes to their state of frenzy. I'm told that if you're lucky enough to get an overnight frost, less likely on the South Coast (?), then there's much fewer, if any, next day.
Apologies; he was in fact talking about Bushflies, not Marchies...

[tasadam]

November '09 I don't recall anything out of the ordinary as far as flies went, that is, I can't remember any problem. Except for one section along the western (rocky) beach of Wilson Bight, where they were all over the seaweed. Didn't bother us though.

[ILUVSWTAS]

We spent an afternoon on the Frankland range killing as many march flies as we could. sometimes you would get 3 with one hit. We had a huge pile of dead flies on a rock in the middle of our kitchen by the time we had finished. It was great fun. Probably dented their numbers by a couple of hundred.

[Son of a Beach]

We spent an afternoon on the Frankland range killing as many march flies as we could. sometimes you would get 3 with one hit. We had a huge pile of dead flies on a rock in the middle of our kitchen by the time we had finished. It was great fun. Probably dented their numbers by a couple of hundred.

Middle of the kitchen - great place for storing dead flies.

[vagrom]

Often seen with the Marchies, quiet, unassuming, little fellers in Magpie guernseys called Sarcophagus Flies. (204 in Collins.)
That name could definitely do with a PR makeover. Sure,they bite with a name like that.
But in Tassie, even the mozzies don't have their heart in it. Must be enough wildlife about ?