Sure sound like deer flies. Just be glad they're only bumping you in the head. Carpenter bees will do the same thing. Even my very docile honey bees will do that if I get too close to their colony. They don't want to rip off their guts and die if they don't have to.

That's not enough information if you are serious about getting an identification.

LOL rhizo.......you gotta think Ken knows that. I think he's bored and wanting to start a conversation. It reminded me of an article I read on keeping deerflies from biting. They are attracted to moving humans, especially folks riding tractors or mowers. The article said to fit a beanie hat with a little propellor and the movement of the blades caused by the breeze as you roll along will attract them to the hat instead of your head. I couldn't get that word picture out of my mind and pictured ken in his beanie mowing. LOL.

i will try to kill one..

i THINK they are deer fly ...

it will not make it any easier now.. knowing what they are ...lol

ken

Here is a link that might be useful:

ROFL...........

Hey, put your thinking hat on, Beanie boy and use the handyman's secret weapon...duct tape. Make a tube out of it, sticky side out, put it on top of your hat. You'll catch one...or more.

tj

and then do what with them??? .. lol ...

i am pretty sure.. on the one i ground into the soil.. before focusing on it.. it had the striped wing of the deer fly ...

they arent bothering me now.. but i do need to replace some irrigation tape.. one of these days.. so i might have to try the tape trick ... or are you just messin with me.. i will look a bit sillier than usual with duct tape on my hat ...

ken

Deer fly trap hats are the real McCoy, Ken. People have even made businesses out of them! I think you could make your own, though and NOT have passersby stop and take pictures of you!

So! Do you have a creek or a small pond nearby? A farm?

Here is a link that might be useful: Check this out

Nope, not messin' with ya. The stuff rhizo linked is more effective than duct tape but the tape will work well enough to get an ID. Some folks will even put tanglefoot on a swath of tape but that's a little messy for my liking. The other trick when hiking is to hike with someone taller than you. The deerflies seem to target the tallest hiker.

tj

Ken, so how hard have they been bamming you? Concussion? Don't open your mouth!
Water nearby?
As per tsugajunkie's comment, I'm 6'-2" so I won't be trapsing on your property! ;)
hortster
PS By the way "Gorilla Tape" is the stickiest duct tape I have found...try it!

Actually, I wasn't kidding with the propeller beanie, either. I did read an article on making them to ward off deer flies. They are my husband's bane........He comes in daily with large welts oozing blood. If you look at the sabre they impale you with, you'd understand why. Not the shiny tube like proboscis of a mosquito, but a sword like apendage with backward facing spikes, designed to open a wound from which to lick blood. Disgusting. I seldom get attacked, they must find me distasteful.

Put one of these on the back of your hat. They work great.

Here is a link that might be useful: yellow sticky card

let me be clear.. i have only had 3 attacks of single flies.. and for all i know.. it is one.. stalking me all around the yard ...

so thought i relish all the suggestions.. i am not.. AT THIS TIME ... spending money for a 'cure' .. i just wanted to know.. in case i had to put them on the 'hate list' .. lol .. [even if i have always wanted an excuse to buy a propeller beenie.. lol]

then i could wear it to the middle school.. to impress the kids friends .. rotflmbo ....

ken

You aren't ANY fun! I was looking forward to pictures.

If you are able to catch one of them flies that are stalking you. It would be nice to see it. Using double sided tape on something you wear could possibly catch one and then you could identify it and use the right pesticide for it.

thanks jean..

at this time.. its a curiosity... i just wanted to know what they were ....

it is not something i plan on acting on.. other than to wear bug spray.. if i need to ..

ken

I've trapped over 11,000 deer flies in the first 5 weeks of the 2012 deer fly season in Michigan using my version of the trolling deer fly trap developed by Dr. Mizell. My trap uses an umbrella, blue cups, and Tangle-Trap (purchased through Amazon). Check out my blog for how to make and use this easy effective trap. I've also posted my trapping data there. Happy trapping!

http://deerflytrapumbrella.blogspot.com/

Here is a link that might be useful: deer fly trap umbrella

i guess everyone has a hobby.. and she has an umbrella..

truly inspired.. i love it ...

my guy disappeared during the week of temps over 100 ... hopefully he didnt find a girlfriend.. lol .. and had a heart attack and died in the heat ...

ken

OMG!

I don't think that is a hobby. Thankfully the "Collector" is just after insects! (I hope!)

Ken, have you figured out what kind of fly has been bombing you? Have you looked up any to see, maybe a blue fly, house fly, black soldier fly?

hi jean.. it was a deer fly ... ken