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How to avoid deer fly bites, according to science

An experiment with a sticky fly trap in a Canadian forest suggests you will get more deer fly bites if you walk around than if you sit still

By Brian Owens

27 May 2023

Deer flies are commonly encountered in forests in the summer in the US and Canada

Paul Reeves Photography/Shutterstock​

If you are being pestered by deer flies in the woods of North America this summer, don’t run away – try sitting quietly instead. An experiment shows that people attract more of the biting insects while walking than while sitting still.

Deer flies (genus Chrysops) are a major pest for both wild and domestic animals, with the distress caused by their painful bites leading to weight loss and reduced milk production.

Woodland caribou spend more time …

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