We don't have too many deer flies this year but plenty of the other warm weather pests. I go thru a can of Repel Sportsman 40% DEET about every week as I spend a lot of time outside. Got woods right up to the small back yard behind the house where my sheds are and I feed the birds, turkeys & deer year 'round so no lack of critters. About twice a year I was spreading Sevin granules to help a little with ticks & chiggers but they changed the formulation and it's no longer carbaryl and is deadly to cats, which we have. Don't know what I'll do when these last 2 bags are gone.
I can deal with a tick or two because I can find them & remove them pretty soon. Chiggers, forget it. When it starts to itch it's too late. And it usually takes weeks to totally get rid of the itchy spot. They love me, they don't touch my wife. I use the Benadryl gel to help ease the itch on any bites.
Back in the mid-80's we lived in Chesapeake, Va right next to the Great Dismal Swamp and talk about deer flies !!! OMG, trying to work in the garden was murder for us and the kids. Some of those flies were huge too, never seen them that big before or since.
