Story thread · 5 reports / 4 sources

Have you been swarmed by biting flies? Why they're 'no joke'

wbez.org · 10dShare

From Rogers Park to Calumet, many people in the Chicago area are reporting a surge in flies. Are there more flies, especially ones that bite? The public health departments of Chicago and Illinois don’t track biting flies. But anecdotally, they seem ubiquitous. Social media is buzzing with people lamenting getting attacked by flies everywhere from Belmont Harbor to Logan Square. “Today at a park in West Town I got swarmed by like seven flies after sitting on the ground for less than five minutes with my dog. Those bites are no joke,” wrote one Reddit user this week. Another Reddit user had to leave Oak Street Beach, “because there were hundreds of flies that kept landing on me and staying on my skin. Felt like tiny needles. I’ve never experienced this at the beach.” Lifeguards at lakefront beaches have been spotted wielding flyswatters and flies are swarming dogs on walks. Why are there more flies? Very wet and hot weather in recent months could be a factor. This summer, the Chicago are

First report: Are you noticing more biting flies this season? You're not alone — nbcchicago.com, 12d