Visitors reminded about biting flies at national lakeshores in Michigan
(CBS DETROIT) - The summer season is upon us, which means several people are probably heading up north to do some camping and take in all that northern Michigan has to offer.
As guests plan their trips, officials at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore are reminding visitors about the biting flies that call the national lakeshore home during the summer.
Stable flies, which inflict painful bites, are common at Pictured Rocks in the summer. Officials say they are abundant on warmer days, and winds from the south push them from the forests to the lakeshore.
In response to Pictured Rocks' post about the stable flies, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore posted a photo of a park ranger's pants covered with stable flies, saying, "Our fly-covered park ranger pants are way more stylish than yours! (Not that it's a competition or anything)."
Officials at Pictured Rocks reposted the photo and said, "You feel our pain, maybe even worse!"
Regardless of which park has got it worse with the stable flies, people are advised to wear long pants when visiting the lakeshores because they tend to bite people below their knees.
They also recommend bug nets that go over the head when hiking and say not to depend on bug spray. Stable flies are not deterred by bug spray in the same way that mosquitoes are.