Bottom line: Mosquitoes begin to bug thru hikers as the lake ice melts away, typically in June, and continue through August. They’re worst at lower elevations, such as Colchuck, Nada, and Snow Lakes.
If you’re day hiking through the Enchantments from the time the temperatures stay above freezing all night, thru August, you’ll want to be prepared for the bugs.
Bugs start as soon as there’s standing water available, sometime in May or June. By mid September the mosquitoes are gone for the winter. I assume they move to Florida, IDK.
For current reports of bugs in the Enchantments, follow an online group like Enchantments Hiking & Backpacking on Facebook.
Insect repellant is one of my essentials to pack on the thru hike. Some hikers completely avoid insect repellants and instead use mosquito net clothing items. Head nets are most popular.
A friend and I tried battery-powered repellants that emit a high-pitched ultrasonic sound — and she discovered that they attracted bees. That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t work for you.
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