Okay, you're sitting on that expansive porch along the Florida coast, enjoying a rum cocktail in your Panama hat. Your lovely companion has heard the beckoning call of the afternoon sun and joins you with an appetizer she has thoughtfully prepared for you. You look forward to that quiet week away as you have carefully arranged your getaway to avoid the spring breakers and the summer crowds. But did you give any thought to those nasty, bloodsucking, fanny chasing, flesh gnawing yellow flies that are thickening in a conspiring cloud overhead?

In Florida, the name yellow fly is commonly used to describe a group of about a dozen different biting flies in the family known as Tabanidae. Generally, they possess a black-striped, yellow-colored abdomen with wings having a tan-colored patch along the front to the tip.

Yellow flies readily attack and are usually present in Florida from March through November with peak numbers from May through June. Adult females are ready to seek a blood meal within hours after emergence. Males do not feed on blood and are thought to be nectar feeders.

Yellow flies tend to congregate where it is shaded and fairly humid especially around the edges of forests, along rivers and creeks. They tend to avoid large open sunny areas. They can be most bothersome when they are at peak numbers during May through June.

The yellow fly will readily enter buildings and bite man. Some yellow fly species prefer to attack man about the head, neck and shoulder regions, while other species prefer the arms, legs and lower trunk of the body. They can be persistent in obtaining a blood meal once they have found a host.

Floridians often resign themselves to simply endure the fly season as many along the coast are reluctant to screen a beautiful porch. Mosquito Curtains, however, are an excellent solution for homeowners who want only seasonal relief from yellow flies. www.mosquitocurtains.com

The mosquito curtain is available in a lovely bright white or ivory and hangs in minutes. Best of all, when the yellow fly season is over, the curtain is easily removable and washable so that homeowners can enjoy a beautiful open porch during the off season.