Attack of the Flies!

Sunday evening

We were warned, when we mentioned to our host that we planned to drive out to see the Great Salt Lake, that we should bring bug spray. And, in fact, after emerging from our cars on Antelope Island, we were immediately swarmed with brine flies. We applied bug spray right away, and that repelled them. We learned that brine flies (and also brine shrimp) feed on the algae that thrive in the salty water of the lake. Huge numbers of gulls and other water birds eat the brine flies and brine shrimp.


After our picnic, Jessica and Lance changed into their swimming suits. They wanted to swim in the Great Salt Lake. Scott and Jackie and I brought swimsuits, too, but decided not to swim. We all walked down to the lake, and the adults thought we might wade in the water. However, we were driven back by the huge swarms of brine flies. They rest on the water's surface and look from a distance like sandbars. When you walk into the water among them, they swarm up like a cloud. If you stand back, you can see them rise up around people's feet. Lance and I and Jackie retreated, but Jessica was determined to get in the water. She braved the flies and went out a short way into the water, but she soon gave up. To go further out, she would have to brave even more flies, and she didn't want to go alone. Scott and John took some pictures at the shore, and then we all went back up to the picnic area, where Jessica and Lance changed back into day clothes.

Then we drove further along to a trailhead, and we walked along the trail admiring the scenery and watching a pronghorn (the antelopes of Antelope Island) making his way through the scrub. He even crossed our path. When we returned to the car, we drove up to the snack stand for ice cream.


When we got back to the church, Jackie made Charlie Gibson's Tex-Mex casserole for dinner. Jessica made brownies--to be eaten warm with ice cream and hot fudge--for dessert. After dinner, while we waited for the brownies to cool, Scott led us in a group devotion. Tomorrow we will report to Crossroads Urban Center for our first day of work.

-- Rebecca