That would be horse flies, deer flies, gad flies, and etc. With our pools we've created the perfect breeding habitat for them. At our place, we have a bog under the pool deck from all the water the dogs drag out and, because it's always shaded, it never dries. It's very hot and humid here in eastern Pennsylvania and the bugs thrive. There's a new horse farm on the other side of the hill, separated from us by a very large corn field. You'd think the flies would have plenty of blood to suck from the horses but nooooo . . . they come over here to pester us and the dogs, too.

They fly right during the hottest part of the day which is when we swim, of course. I do my house chores and the yard and garden chores and then take the old dogs in the pool for their daily exercise. Now we have these huge deer flies and their just slightly smaller cousins, the horse flies, and boy howdy! they can take a chunk out of you!

What do you folks to to either control them or protect yourselves?