CASA YBEL OWNER'S FORUM

Use this message board to communicate with fellow Casa Ybel owners!
Please do not list weeks for sale or rent on this board.
Use the website database for listing purposes.

CASA YBEL OWNER'S FORUM
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
View Entire Thread
Re: No-seeums & other biting insects

Paul, I think you should be prepared. They can be a problem in December/January. We have good weeks if, by chance, our arrival closely follows a cold snap, which staggers the flies for a while. If not, the times +/- a couple hours from sunrise and sunset can be challenging; and that's in December.

Re: No-seeums & other biting insects

Thanks, George. Do you think that is specific to Sanibel, or is it the same at Fort Myers Beach?

Re: No-seeums & other biting insects

Paul,
Just stay away from shady areas and foliage at dusk.
As long as you are in sunshine/sunny areas you will be fine.
Watch around the pool area close to bushes and also even on the screened in porches ...some of them always manage to get in and are ready for that nice white English flesh [which has no resistance to their attacks]!
Also you have to be carefull about eating outside on restaurant Patios...the little buggers will eat you alive....and you will not know it until the next day until you see your ankles looking like they ran into a man-o-war jelly fish...red and oh so itchy!
Hey but a bad day with noseeums on Sanibel in March has to beat a good day in March in England!
Enjoy....but March is busy...school breaks and so forth and maybe iffy weather.

Re: No-seeums & other biting insects

But remember, the other name for no-seeums is sand flies. They can be out with a vengence on the beach, well away from foliage, early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

Sunny days in the middle of the day are usually safe, but not always. Windy days are good. Deet is usually fairly effective.

The problem is variable, but never bad enough to avoid Sanibel. The bugs are not Sanibel specific.

Re: No-seeums & other biting insects

Thank you for all that info. My wife is just a bit wary, because last time we were at Casa, she got chewed up the moment she arrived at the pool, mid morning - even though she had put some bug protection on.

Re: No-seeums & other biting insects

Hugh, you mentioned that March is school break time, but I thought that would not be until the following month when the Easter break occurs.

I was wondering why it was so busy at that time in early March, and difficult to get exchanges.

Re: No-seeums & other biting insects

Not sure of all the school breaks,they vary from State to State and Province to Province.
We live in Ontario Canada and March school break[always around mid March] is always an exodus to Florida in the thousands.
Also many school systems in The North East U.S have breaks plus maybe college breaks too.
March is the peak of the high season in Florida and pricing is high and availability low.
If you can make an alternative arrangements later is probably better.
High season ends around April 20th- 25th and prices drop and places are less busy,easier to get good accomodations,and restaurants are less busy.
Then in mid to late April there is another surge of end of college year bumps up the traffic at Disney and other fun type places although I don't think that period affects Sanibel too much..the college kids are looking for "action"
For what it is worth we have been going to Florida/ Sanibel late April until end of May for over 30 years and the weather has always been outstanding/warm and sunny and not so crowded with northeners seeking respite from the cold and snow.
Sanibel is off season at this time.... but oh so nice and Casa Ybel is not too busy and the beach pretty much deserted.Perfect.
We avoid March in Florida like the plague....just too busy!

Re: No-seeums & other biting insects

Paul,
One other thing.
If you Google "Spring Breaks 2012 USA "you will see the top 150 U.S schools and dates of their March breaks.
If you want to be on vacation with a lot of beer guzzling crazy kids...this would be the time for you to hit Florida!
Noseeums would be the least of your problems!
Hope this info helps.

Hugh