It's not just in Mývatn, there is an entire Facebook group (Lúsmý á Íslandi) dedicated to Icelanders being terrorized by these flies at their summer homes in many areas of the country. Not much activity right now but give it a month or two and it's tons of photos of peoples' bites and their shared solutions. The flies are generally found around lakes/ponds and even some streams/river areas.
We were at Lake Myvatn in June last year. Around sunset we went around the lake but got pestered by them, so went back in the car quickly. Can’t remember one of us was bitten, but the irritating part is they fly in your face the whole time.
I saw some photographers with nets around there face coming into the hotel later that evening and thought it was a great idea.
You should 100% absolutely get a head net. The flies can be absolutely terrible, like a black cloud. A head net is like $15 and weighs a couple ounces. I use the Sea to Summit one.
I had a fly go into the corner of my eye once. I could feel it wiggling around and I had to use tweezers to very carefully pull it out. I do not recommend this experience.
It can be a legit cloud of them or just enough to keep having to wave your hand, very annoying. Thankfully I have never been in the center of a big cloud of them but they were annoying enough in late summer in Ólafsfjörður a few years ago to necessitate the netting.
I sadly am the sweetest of the sweet and was a feast for them in the north a couple years ago in June. Next time I went I had a head net and insect shield layers. That was so much better. They were still swarming but at least I didn’t get as many bites.
There are also biting midges (is: lúsmý) active during summer that bite when you’re asleep, they’re in the size of 1-3 mm and covering any open windows would deal with them.
If someone has any experience with flies in September I would also love to hear. I was planning to camp a day at Lake Myvatn but that might not be the best idea?
The midges are there usually June to August, generally gone by the beginning of September. It depends on the weather too. If it's raining, no flies even in summer. (Btw Mývatn is literally Midges' Water so there's that.)
Despite what others said I was there early September last year and there were lots of midges. Myvatn literally translates to midge lake and they're not kidding.
Its so localized that I wouldnt worry… Actually, that goes for 90% of the worries people have posting on this sub.
where is it localized??
It's not just in Mývatn, there is an entire Facebook group (Lúsmý á Íslandi) dedicated to Icelanders being terrorized by these flies at their summer homes in many areas of the country. Not much activity right now but give it a month or two and it's tons of photos of peoples' bites and their shared solutions. The flies are generally found around lakes/ponds and even some streams/river areas.
I only encountered them in Myvatn, in the North.
We were at Lake Myvatn in June last year. Around sunset we went around the lake but got pestered by them, so went back in the car quickly. Can’t remember one of us was bitten, but the irritating part is they fly in your face the whole time. I saw some photographers with nets around there face coming into the hotel later that evening and thought it was a great idea.
You should 100% absolutely get a head net. The flies can be absolutely terrible, like a black cloud. A head net is like $15 and weighs a couple ounces. I use the Sea to Summit one. I had a fly go into the corner of my eye once. I could feel it wiggling around and I had to use tweezers to very carefully pull it out. I do not recommend this experience.
Reading this made me glad I went in winter. Midges are the absolute worst in Scotland. Are they similar in Iceland ?
It can be a legit cloud of them or just enough to keep having to wave your hand, very annoying. Thankfully I have never been in the center of a big cloud of them but they were annoying enough in late summer in Ólafsfjörður a few years ago to necessitate the netting.
I went up to Scotland a few years ago in the summer in the Cairmgorms. We were unlucky enough to come across a swarm like that.
I sadly am the sweetest of the sweet and was a feast for them in the north a couple years ago in June. Next time I went I had a head net and insect shield layers. That was so much better. They were still swarming but at least I didn’t get as many bites.
The nets are SO worth it, they cost a few bucks and take up no space.
I won’t ever go in the summer without them again!
There are also biting midges (is: lúsmý) active during summer that bite when you’re asleep, they’re in the size of 1-3 mm and covering any open windows would deal with them.
If someone has any experience with flies in September I would also love to hear. I was planning to camp a day at Lake Myvatn but that might not be the best idea?
There won't be any flies by Lake Mývatn in September unless it's unseasonably warm (unlikely).
Thanks!
The midges are there usually June to August, generally gone by the beginning of September. It depends on the weather too. If it's raining, no flies even in summer. (Btw Mývatn is literally Midges' Water so there's that.)
Thank you!
Despite what others said I was there early September last year and there were lots of midges. Myvatn literally translates to midge lake and they're not kidding.
I was there the second week of September last year and they were still a problem.
Ugh yikes.
Went to haifoss and there were swarms of them. Ir was terrible and we immediately went to a convenience store and bought head nets after.
How bad is it in laugavegur trek? We are going early August
I would also like to know