BOONE, Iowa—Many people have been complaining about the bothersome flying pests that make being outside a real challenge.  Boone County Extension Program Coordinator Alex Merk provided this information:

If you’re like us, you’ve been annoyed at the sudden influx of pesty gnats in our area. These are actually most likely black flies. According to our Extension entomologist, there is little hope for control. We will likely need to just wait it out. Unlike mosquitoes, black flies will not be easily controlled with municipal fogging methods. The good news is that their life span is short and they only reproduce once per season, meaning that we should only be seeing them for the next 2-3 weeks.

Individuals are limited to the use of household sprays, backyard fogs and personal repellents in order to cope with this pest. Fogging yards and parks should be attempted only for special occasions and situations. Mosquito repellents are only moderately effective against black flies, but they are the best option commonly available. Some ‘home remedies’ such as bath oils and body lotions and consumption of heavy doses of disagreeable foods appear to work for some people but not others. Some experimentation may lead you to the product that works best for you.

More information is here: https://hortnews.extension.iastate.edu/1993/5-26-1993/ouch.html

(contributed article, Boone County Extension)