We were at the outback slabs today, and saw that the rock was covered in little black bugs. Bazillions of them, everywhere you looked. In cracks, they were clustered so thick it was disturbing. We ended up hiking back out without climbing because you couldn't touch the rock without getting your hands filthy. I'm not squeamish, but it was just too disgusting to climb like that.

Any ideas what they were? Some fly larvae? I've never seen them before, but I haven't been out to the OS this early before, or maybe it's just the wet spring?

Not sure since I didn't see them, but it is probably the end of the big snow flea clusters. They are easy to spot all over the snow near the end of winter every year and like to get down into any depressions like boot prints.

Thanks, that looks like them. There were so many, I really didn't want to get it on all the hands, arms, shoes, rope...
Ugh.

They were all over outback slabs Friday, but didn't see any Saturday at giants workshop or the LLR rocks.

They were apparently also on P3 of Shockley's Without. I lead it, but must have been too focused on climbing to see them. I did notice little black spots all over my hands when I got to the top and wondered what that was all about. When my second joined me at the top, he asked if I had seen the tiny black bugs everywhere. Um, no. Ewwwwwww......

Kathy

Chip wins the Spring Entymology award!

Read all about them.

Imagine that the whole ridge gets covered in these things and everywhere there is still fresh or corn snow in the spring you can see them. I have seen them in the Cats but always missed seeing them elsewhere at that time of year. Pretty impressive niche. Glad they don't bite us!

"Glad they don't bite us!"

You and me both.

They're still in the Trapps where it's damp and cool. I guess I just never noticed them before, and thought the black smudges on my hands and clothes were from dirt.

Oh well, yeah, glad they don't bite or even swarm onto you as you climb by.