Blackflies aren't all bad. Really!

Spring in Muskoka sometimes requires a sense of humor. Like when winter hasn’t quite loosened its grip and we swing wildly from summer to winter and (hopefully soon) back again. Or when the sun is shining but the lake is still ice cold. Or when spring has finally sprung and everyone wants to be outside but Mother Nature decides that this would be the perfect time to unleash the blackflies. 

Blackfly season is, fortunately, short lived. For the uninitiated, blackflies emerge late in the spring usually from about mid-May to late June. (Our initial blast of warm weather this year has brought the first wave out earlier than usual but our recent snowfall will take care of those.) They look like miniature, hump-backed house flies. And the females bite, often working their way under waistbands, socks and hairlines where they can get their fill of blood unnoticed.

You’ll find plenty of unfavorable opinions about blackflies without searching too hard. To say they’re a nuisance is putting it mildly. But rather than repeat all the bad things about blackflies, we thought we’d share some of the good.

You didn’t know there were any good things about blackflies, did you? Well here they are along with a few other interesting facts:

• They are tasty snacks for trout when the adult flies emerge in the spring. A healthy black fly population can mean a healthy trout population.
• They are one of the biggest pollinators of blueberries. No blackflies, fewer tasty snacks for us.
• They can’t handle polluted water, so a thriving blackfly population is an indication that our streams and rivers are in decent shape.
• Only the females bite and they use blood meals only for egg production. Both males and females feed on nectar to get energy for flight (which is why they are such good pollinators).
• The average adult lifespan is just 3 weeks.
• Unlike mosquitoes, which thrive in pools of standing water, blackflies need running water to breed.

For more about both blackflies and mosquitos, check out this video from Science North:

While we don’t expect anyone to jump for joy the next time a blackfly bites, we can at least recognize them as part of a healthy ecosystem. And that’s what everyone comes to Muskoka to see.

When will we see you next? The May long weekend (the unofficial start of the summer season, even if it's not quite summer yet) is fast approaching. You can see our availability for May and beyond here. We hope to see you soon!

The Howell Family

Wildlife Babies in Muskoka

Wildlife viewing is a highlight for most visitors to Muskoka and when baby animals are spotted, the thrill factor increases significantly. Who doesn’t like to see an adorable bundle of fur hanging out next to its mama? But you may not know much about these cute little creatures so we thought we’d give you some fun facts about the young of some of Muskoka’s most popular animals.

Black Bears - Newborn bear cubs aren’t much bigger than a chipmunk (1/2-1 pound). A litter of 2-3 cubs is born in the mother’s winter den in January or February. They start to get active within a few months and by the time they leave the den are capable of climbing a tree. Bear cubs grow rapidly – their mother’s milk is high in fat and protein – and weigh up to 9 pounds by the time they leave the den and up to 65 pounds by the time they are 9 months old. Cubs stay with their mom until they are about 1.5 years old when she is ready to mate again.

Beavers – A litter of 3-5 baby beavers, called kits, are born in late April to late June. At birth, their eyes are open, they are covered with soft fur and they weigh about 1 pound (.45 kg). They begin to swim not long after birth (the same day!) and within a month they will be able to hold their breath and swim underwater. When the kits get tired, mom will carry them on her back. Kits are weaned at about two weeks and don’t reach adulthood in their second winter.

Loons – The loons return to our lakes in April or May. They begin mating and nesting almost immediately, laying 2-3 eggs per year. The eggs hatch in June and chicks can swim and dive within hours of hatching. When they are tired or cold, they will sometimes ride on a parents’ back. Chicks are fed by their parents until they can dive and catch their own food at about 8 weeks. They learn to fly by about 11 weeks but don’t fly south until late fall, usually long after adult loons have left. The young loons stay in their southern habitats and don’t return to the nesting area where they were born until they are three years old.

Moose – Moose calves are born in mid-to-late-May, weighing 25-35 pounds at birth (less if there are twins). They are very vulnerable at first and the Cow (mom) will keep her calf hidden for a few days after birth. The calves can stand within a day, are capable of outrunning a human within a few days, and learn to swim within a few weeks. Calves grow at an incredible rate in their first summer, gaining more than 1 pound a day in the spring and later more than 4 pounds a day. By fall, the calf will weigh 300-400 pounds. In Ontario, the natural mortality of calves can be high due to extreme spring weather and predators. Up to 75% of calves may die in their first six months of life.

Wolves - A litter of 3-8 pups is born in mid to late April in a den site, usually a hole in the ground. The pups are nursed by their mom for their first 6-8 weeks. After weaning, they rely on other pack members to feed them. By July, the pups are big enough to be left in a sheltered area while the adults go hunting. Adult pack members carry food in their stomachs and regurgitate it for the pups. By late summer and early fall, the pups are able to eat solid food brought back by the adults.

Nearby Algonquin Park is an ideal place to watch wildlife. We hope that the next time you visit Colonial Bay, you’ll be lucky enough to see one of these adorable babies. You can view the availability of our waterfront cottages here. (And don’t forget – the May long weekend isn’t far away. It’s the ‘official’ start of the summer season in Muskoka.)

See you soon!

The Howell Family

Image via Flickr user MaugiArt