Simulium jenningsi 8/8/21

I should have anticipated what was going to happen when I pulled into the parking lot and our Rav4 suddently was covered with little black triangles.

Additionally, I should not have gotten out of the vehicle. When I did I was swarmed by the little black triangles (I estimate at least one per square inch), and they were biting me.

I am talking about Simulium jenningsi, commonly known as the Black Fly. But it was early August, and though they breed multiple times throughout the summer, May and June is supposed be the high point of activity for Black Flies in Pennsylvania. Insect repellent with a high percentage of Deet seemed only to attract more flies.

I was at the Ross Run Access (mile 39.9) on Pine Creek Rail-Trail, about 2/3s of the way up its 62 mile south-to-north length, to meet Chuck and Carl for a 20-25 mile ride followed by lunch. When they arrived, they were similarly swarmed. Maybe the swarm was local or the flies will dissipate as we biked – WRONG! We drove further north to the Slate Run Access (mile 35.2), but the Black Flies were just as bad there. There seemed to be no getting away from them, so we "Bugged Out".

Chuck and Carl called it a day and drove back to State College. I stopped at the White Trail Access (mile 59), two miles from the southern end of the trail. No black flies. It was a 90º sunny day with a slight breeze, so I hit the trail for 16 mile before driving home. The following are a few photos from that ride.

This photo is of the Bonnell Flats (mile 55) where the trail cuts across farm land as it moves across the widest point (about one half mile) in Pine Creek Valley. From this point north, the trail is in mainly wooded areas as the valley continues to narrow until north of Blackwell (mile 24.5 ) at which only Pine Creek and the trail-trail fit in the canyon.

The Tobert Trust Bridge is a triple span bridge over Pine Creek at mile 57.6.

A view of Pine Creek from Tobert Bridge:

The Jersey Shore Access (parking lot and comfort station) is the southern terminus of Pine Creek Rail-Trail, marked as mile 62. A local bike path continues for another mile through parts of Jersey Shore.

I wasn’t fast enough with my camera to get photos of two beautiful does on the trail just south of White Tail Access (the apparent origin of the name White Tail) and a day later there still were a few flies in the Rav4!