As the weather turns nice, clouds of midges and gnats are starting to
form. Larger and less clean biological specimens are also air-borne and
thickening.

Remembering - how could I forget - the day on my kick-scooter when I
swallowed a large bluebottle (ah, that savour of rotting melon lingering
at the back of my throat for the rest of the week ...), and being
conscious that on a cycle, one

sooner or later ends up opening one's
mouth to breathe, I want to ask you people if there are any standard
solutions.

Well insect encounters on a bike.

I recall doing a ride with a couple of friends. It was fully loaded touring in
Michigan. The pesky deer flies would come out of the woods after us and you
could watch them fly after your buddies. It was hilarious seeing them go for
all they were worth a few feet behind the other person's head. We varied our
speeds and discovered their max was about 12 mph.

On another ride, a friend of mine and I were riding in Michigan and it was a
Sunday morning. There was some mist and light rain early on. From time to
time, we would go through a cloud of gnats. Gnats like hanging out near tall
objects like mailboxes ("tall" is relative). Anyrate, we got pretty hungry
after awhile but we kept going and going and there was nothing open. Finally
we came on a small diner that had trucks parked in front of it and even a few
Semis. So we stopped there. The place was pretty well packed but we got a
spot at the counter. The truckers saw the gnats plastered on our still wet
faces and they really got a laugh out of that one!

I now live in central Florida. I rode around Lake Monroe Sunday. On the way
back there was a slight downhill with a tail wind and for some reason you can
really go on the section of road with those conditions. I was cruising at 25
mph. I had to keep my mouth closed though because the love bugs were out in
force and they were bouncing off of me like hail. Love bugs probably haven't
been anywhere bad but I wouldn't want one down the wind pipe. Love bugs
really are not "bugs" at all (bugs are hemiptera). Love bugs are actually a
kind of fly that got imported from Argentina and now seems to reside here in FL
with the sole purpose of getting splattered on people's cars.

I also get stung about once or twice per year. I think the stings are from
wasps and probably Polistes but I am not sure because usually by the time I
feel the sting, the insect is long gone.