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Will travel to upper Michigan in early June be ruined by insects??


Pull Dog

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We want to visit Mackinac Island  in early June but someone has told us the insect hatch around Memorial Day will totally ruin the experience of camping.   We want to stay at Mackinaw City and catch the ferry out to the island.   Can anyone who lives near this area or has camped here tell us their experiences??   

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We've run into that problem in Michigan, Minnesota, and Maine.  Mayflies were awful.  On the occasions when we've gone back we made the trips in the Fall.  If you have to go then I'd suggest long pants, long sleeves and while we were there we had head nets to keep them from flying in your ears, nose and mouth.  There was no break from them during the peak summer times.  For subsequent trips we contacted the state directly and found when the best and worst times were and planned accordingly.

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We're from Michigan. You're talking of mosquitoes.   Mackinac Island shouldn't be a problem as it's wide open for breezes and no thick forests.

Camping - if you can stay out of forests you'll be just fine.  Try for an open spot to set up camp.  The UP seems to be worse than the Lower Peninsula.  Campgrounds in the UP are around lakes and in heavy forests.  

Beginning in August it's a good experience!

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

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I worked at backwoods hunting and fishing camps in Maine.  Black flies and mosquitoes were swarming in late May and June.  I suspect Upper Michigan is similar (be thankful if there are no black flies).  One of the most effective methods of dealing with them (as well as ticks) is Permethrin spray for you clothing and gear.  Treat a shirt, long pants, a hat, socks and gloves. You can also treat your tent and other gear. Then just use a  little repellent on exposed skin.

Amazon Permethrin

Wayne & Jinx
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2006 Carriage Carri-Lite 36KSQ

Jinx and Wayne

2006 Carriage Carri-Lite 36KSQ

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I don't ever recall Mackinaw Island have a bug issue any time of the year. Being a island quite a ways from the main land, it's just not very bug inhabitable. Besides, the island being a major tourist attraction like it is, if bugs were a major issue, they would be sprayed and kept under control. Just search for past reviews about the island and I doubt that bugs would be mentioned.

Now UP swamp land is a different story for bugs!

Edited by gjhunter01
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2 hours ago, gjhunter01 said:

I don't ever recall Mackinaw Island have a bug issue any time of the year. Being a island quite a ways from the main land, it's just not very bug inhabitable. Besides, the island being a major tourist attraction like it is, if bugs were a major issue, they would be sprayed and kept under control. Just search for past reviews about the island and I doubt that bugs would be mentioned.

Now UP swamp land is a different story for bugs!

Being an island doesn't mean it not bug inhabitable.  However, Mackinac has a lot of open terrain so it's not a problem.

We volunteered on South Manitou Island giving lighthouse tours.  One summer for about a week we had a mass of fierce biting flies come over from the mainland in big clouds. These were not the Upper Peninsula deer flies. They were like the typical house fly.  Basically, the island hunkered down and no one went outside.  I felt so sorry for the tent campers. They couldn't do anything. No one ever saw anything like it previously.

Full-timed for 16 Years
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Motorhome
and 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th Wheel

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