"Los Tabanos !!!" Top 5 Page for this destination Chile Warnings Or Dangers Tip by elsadran

I decided to make the one hour walk to the cascades on foot ..It was a perfect morning. The journey was in a forested area along a small river.. Everything seemed right!! I started in a great mood humming a favorite tune...Bzzzzzzzzz ! the first enemy attacked and missed passing angrily almost through my hair... I ignored it and went on.. Another attack came from both sides this time. I was alarmed by the size and the ugly heavy buzzing. In no time the whole swarm had been called for help. I was worried this time but kept calm. I thought that time I was the prey. They wanted ..to suck MY BLOOD!! I hid behind some bushes although I thought it was a silly idea since insects can smell you... But it worked !!! They went away! Not for long though, for as soon as I started walking again a bigger and angrier swarm attacked. The brave ones took some bites wherever they could..The rest were buzzing in a frightening angry circle around me. I started waving a small branch around, looking like a performing clown from afar..But the flying cloud was so persistent that I had to give up after a brave battle..! I hid behind the bushes again looking desperately for a passing car.
Well, the people in the car were great and I arrived safely but their marks were left on my poor legs for 3-4 days...
Tabanos are big flies like horseflies. They like humid places and their bites are painful and live a red itching spot for a few days. In rare cases it can cause an infection. As I learned later it is the females that are fed with blood! The poor males are harmless vegetarians who spend their short life -until they mate- grazing peacefully and happily !!!
It is said that tabanos stay away from moving objects and that they are attracted by dark clothes. Both wrong!! They don't make any discriminations of this kind. They attack anything they can eat and they are furious!!!
It was the end of February in Lake district. Beware !!