Are gnats worse right now around the Puget Sound? Here are tips to prevent them
A warmer climate has begun to take hold in the state of Washington, bringing in new hordes of gnats.
Black flies, also known as buffalo gnats, can cause irritated, itchy bites but do not typically spread diseases in North America, according to the Spokane Regional Health District's website. The bugs are especially active on cloudy, humid days with little wind, and like to swarm at dawn and dusk, the website says.
Weather in the Tacoma area is expected to continue to warm this week, according to the National Weather Service, reaching a high of about 73 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday before dropping off to the 60s and high 50s in the next few days. This will create a warm environment for gnats; they may remain active late in the day, given the longer stretches of spring sunlight.
Roberto Bonaccorso, a spokesperson for the state Department of Health, told The News Tribune in an email that populations of biting flies and midges can increase in the warmer months because the environment becomes more favorable for their larvae to develop. Some species may be thriving this spring while others have adapted better to summer weather, he wrote.
Tacoma's location along Puget Sound — a large estuarine system — also makes it an attractive place for gnats, who love streams, marshes and lakes, according to the Washington State Department of Health website.
If you are bit by a gnat, the insect's saliva is the usual irritant that causes swelling and redness at the bite site; the state Department of Health recommends washing the bite, watching for symptoms of infection — such as pain and further swelling or redness — and avoiding scratching to reduce chances of infection, which can be helped by topical creams.
The SRHD recommends wearing light-colored clothing and long pants and sleeves to help avoid gnat bites by covering skin and keeping cool, as the heat absorption of darker colors tends to attract more insects.
Last June, The News Tribune spoke with Scott Phillips, executive and medical director at the Washington Poison Center, who said N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, or DEET, as insect repellent and the insecticide permethrin are some of the best options to ward off insects as weather warms.
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USA Today
8 hours ago
- USA Today
I went to a social sauna for a party, and it was nothing like I expected
I went to a social sauna for a party, and it was nothing like I expected Show Caption Hide Caption Mobile Saunas on a roll at Rhode Island beaches Kayla Sibilia, the main steward of Altaer Sauna, brings her mobile saunas to Rhode Island LONDON — When I received an invitation to a birthday party at a social sauna, my first thought was: "Do I have to be naked?!" The answer (thankfully) was no, although some sauna traditionalists would prefer otherwise. All I needed was a swimsuit, sandals and two towels to attend a 90-minute session at Community Sauna Baths, a nonprofit communal bathing site in London's Hackney Wick neighborhood. The community is among a crop of social thermal experiences that have opened in recent years abroad and in the U.S. And, as people look for low-cost, high reward summer fun, these saunas are reporting a boom in popularity. Sauna as you've never steamed it before Following a hectic 6 p.m. commute on public transit, the tranquility of Community Sauna Baths was welcome. Approachable attendants had our group sign a waiver (saunas may not be safe for those who are pregnant, have low blood pressure or some heart conditions) while we sipped a rose-infused tea. We traded sneakers for flip-flops and professional clothes for swimsuits and dipped in a quick cold shower before entering one of the wood-fired saunas. Coming from 65-degree temperatures, the heat was stunning at first. The community keeps its chambers around 175 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (note to monitor your body for signs of heat exhaustion). While I had tried a sauna before, it was usually a smallish closet tacked on to a gym or hotel locker room. I'd never experienced this kind of setting — a place where sauna was distinctively the main event. Larger chamber design is key factor of the social sauna movement, widening the physical space to invite more individuals to collectively feel the heat. "It's the only place in London I can think of where I just strike up a conversation with a complete stranger," said Charlie Duckworth, one of the directors at Community Sauna Baths. It's "bizarre" for Duckworth to imagine this level of intimacy possible at a fitness class, where people typically rush in and out of the studio. Here, strangers sit on rows of wooden benches, no phones, sweating together. "It's the intersection of community and recovery," said Evan Galante, co-founder of LÖ-LU Nordic Sauna in Nashville, Tennessee. When he works the front desk, he says he has "no idea" what conversations are happening inside the chamber but loves to hear business partners, parents, neighbors and friends streaming out mid-conversation. And this formula is working: Community Sauna started in late 2021 and now sees about 400 visitors per day on a weekend, and 2,500 per week and has six locations with a seventh opening later this summer. Galante said LÖ-LU was born out of a "few friends" meeting in his backyard that is now a 40-person sauna, a 20-person cold tub, a relaxing lounge area, a coffee shop, an outdoor courtyard, and more. Importantly, sauna is nothing new, said Emma O'Kelly, author of "Sauna: The Power of Deep Heat." "It seems like it's everywhere now," said O'Kelly. These spaces replicate a Finnish sauna model, which dates back thousands of years, she said. Jumping between extremes I would describe myself as "not a heavy sweater," but the lemongrass-infused steam did me in. Dripping, I made my way back to the showers (this rinse keeps salty sweat out of the fresh baths) and then to an array of cold plunges, varying between 35 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. With as much gumption as I could muster, I stepped into the cold water. I felt my neck constrict and shoulders seize to my ears. The trick was to have a buddy. My friend, the birthday girl, and I counted "1,2,3" and submerged. I immediately proclaimed "Nope!" and jumped out, but contrasting hot with cold is an important tool for sauna practice, Galante later explained to me. In order to work our bodies out of "fight or flight," the cold aids regulation. Drawing deep belly inhales and exhales helps the parasympathetic nervous system tell our bodies not to panic, he said. "You have that initial shock, but long term, it's actually calming you down." "It almost forces you into a meditation," said Myles Farmer, co-founder of The Othership, "a new age bath house" with locations in Canada and the U.S. "Before this ... I couldn't meditate. It has changed my whole attitude and my happiness has gone up ... I can't see it being not part of my life at this point." This hot-to-cold routine has major benefits, Famer said, from reduced risk of dementia to increased brain efficiency. 'In the sauna, inhibitions are lowered' At the phone-free sauna, I thought about how many times I would have checked social media had the party been at a bar. Instead, my friends and I laughed and spoke candidly. Achieving satisfying levels of connection is a common reason people return to saunas, Farmer said. Duckworth recalled this "delirious" feeling of intoxicating bliss after an 8-hour day of sweating with strangers last month at The Saunaverse, the UK's first sauna festival, hosted by Community Sauna Baths. "In the sauna, inhibitions are lowered similarly to drinking," he said. These social saunas offer a gamut of sessions to find friends and fun, from sauna for diverse identities to DJ Fridays (LÖ-LU is even hosting a wedding party in coming weeks). "We've been in the [saunas] on a Friday or Saturday night and the energy is quite akin to a local dive bar," Galante said. "People are laughing, it's loud, music is playing." However, traditionalists might reject sauna going mainstream, said O'Kelly, including the requirement to wear swimwear instead of going nude (neoprene "mutes" the steam cleanse, she said). "If you mention this party stuff to Fins, they're horrified," said O'Kelly, adding it's important to take such events as an "entry point," but not to lose the "deep contemplative" elements the practice provides. Low spend, high personal reward This delirious-in-a-good-way-fun comes at a range of price points, too, attracting an array of customers at a time when many Americans want cost-effective recreation with high personal reward. For roughly $29.90 each, my group spent about half the money per person we would have at a typical restaurant birthday party. "It should be accessible to as many people as possible," said Duckworth. After dousing and dipping, it was time for one final rinse off. I left waving at the attendants who had aided us. I would definitely go back, maybe with more buffer time before to get my breath prepared. As I tucked into bed that night, I remembered something Duckworth told me: "You'll sleep like a baby after your first sauna." He was right. What health & wellness means for you: Sign up for USA TODAY's Keeping it Together newsletter.
USA Today
10 hours ago
- USA Today
I went to a social sauna for a party and it was nothing like I expected
I went to a social sauna for a party and it was nothing like I expected Show Caption Hide Caption Mobile Saunas on a roll at Rhode Island beaches Kayla Sibilia, the main steward of Altaer Sauna, brings her mobile saunas to Rhode Island LONDON — When I received an invitation to a birthday party at a social sauna, my first thought was: "Do I have to be naked?!" The answer (thankfully) was no, although some sauna traditionalists would prefer otherwise. All I needed was a swimsuit, sandals and two towels to attend a 90-minute session at Community Sauna Baths, a nonprofit communal bathing site in London's Hackney Wick neighborhood. The community is among a crop of social thermal experiences that have opened in recent years abroad and in the U.S. And, as people look for low-cost, high reward summer fun, these saunas are reporting a boom in popularity. Sauna as you've never steamed it before Following a hectic 6 p.m. commute on public transit, the tranquility of Community Sauna Baths was welcome. Approachable attendants had our group sign a waiver (saunas may not be safe for those who are pregnant, have low blood pressure or some heart conditions) while we sipped a rose-infused tea. We traded sneakers for flip-flops and professional clothes for swimsuits and dipped in a quick cold shower before entering one of the wood-fired saunas. Coming from 65-degree temperatures, the heat was stunning at first. The community keeps its chambers around 175 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit (note to monitor your body for signs of heat exhaustion). While I had tried a sauna before, it was usually a smallish closet tacked on to a gym or hotel locker room. I'd never experienced this kind of setting — a place where sauna was distinctively the main event. Larger chamber design is key factor of the social sauna movement, widening the physical space to invite more individuals to collectively feel the heat. "It's the only place in London I can think of where I just strike up a conversation with a complete stranger," said Charlie Duckworth, one of the directors at Community Sauna Baths. It's "bizarre" for Duckworth to imagine this level of intimacy possible at a fitness class, where people typically rush in and out of the studio. Here, strangers sit on rows of wooden benches, no phones, sweating together. "It's the intersection of community and recovery," said Evan Galante, co-founder of LÖ-LU Nordic Sauna in Nashville, Tennessee. When he works the front desk, he says he has "no idea" what conversations are happening inside the chamber but loves to hear business partners, parents, neighbors and friends streaming out mid-conversation. And this formula is working: Community Sauna started in late 2021 and now sees about 400 visitors per day on a weekend, and 2,500 per week and has six locations with a seventh opening later this summer. Galante said LÖ-LU was born out of a "few friends" meeting in his backyard that is now a 40-person sauna, a 20-person cold tub, a relaxing lounge area, a coffee shop, an outdoor courtyard, and more. Importantly, sauna is nothing new, said Emma O'Kelly, author of "Sauna: The Power of Deep Heat." "It seems like it's everywhere now," said O'Kelly. These spaces replicate a Finnish sauna model, which dates back thousands of years, she said. Jumping between extremes I would describe myself as "not a heavy sweater," but the lemongrass-infused steam did me in. Dripping, I made my way back to the showers (this rinse keeps salty sweat out of the fresh baths) and then to an array of cold plunges, varying between 35 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. With as much gumption as I could muster, I stepped into the cold water. I felt my neck constrict and shoulders seize to my ears. The trick was to have a buddy. My friend, the birthday girl, and I counted "1,2,3" and submerged. I immediately proclaimed "Nope!" and jumped out, but contrasting hot with cold is an important tool for sauna practice, Galante later explained to me. In order to work our bodies out of "fight or flight," the cold aids regulation. Drawing deep belly inhales and exhales helps the parasympathetic nervous system tell our bodies not to panic, he said. "You have that initial shock, but long term, it's actually calming you down." "It almost forces you into a meditation," said Myles Farmer, co-founder of The Othership, "a new age bath house" with locations in Canada and the U.S. "Before this ... I couldn't meditate. It has changed my whole attitude and my happiness has gone up ... I can't see it being not part of my life at this point." This hot-to-cold routine has major benefits, Famer said, from reduced risk of dementia to increased brain efficiency. 'In the sauna, inhibitions are lowered' At the phone-free sauna, I thought about how many times I would have checked social media had the party been at a bar. Instead, my friends and I laughed and spoke candidly. Achieving satisfying levels of connection is a common reason people return to saunas, Farmer said. Duckworth recalled this "delirious" feeling of intoxicating bliss after an 8-hour day of sweating with strangers last month at The Saunaverse, the UK's first sauna festival, hosted by Community Sauna Baths. "In the sauna, inhibitions are lowered similarly to drinking," he said. These social saunas offer a gamut of sessions to find friends and fun, from sauna for diverse identities to DJ Fridays (LÖ-LU is even hosting a wedding party in coming weeks). "We've been in the [saunas] on a Friday or Saturday night and the energy is quite akin to a local dive bar," Galante said. "People are laughing, it's loud, music is playing." However, traditionalists might reject sauna going mainstream, said O'Kelly, including the requirement to wear swimwear instead of going nude (neoprene "mutes" the steam cleanse, she said). "If you mention this party stuff to Fins, they're horrified," said O'Kelly, adding it's important to take such events as an "entry point," but not to lose the "deep contemplative" elements the practice provides. Low spend, high personal reward This delirious-in-a-good-way-fun comes at a range of price points, too, attracting an array of customers at a time when many Americans want cost-effective recreation with high personal reward. For roughly $29.90 each, my group spent about half the money per person we would have at a typical restaurant birthday party. "It should be accessible to as many people as possible," said Duckworth. After dousing and dipping, it was time for one final rinse off. I left waving at the attendants who had aided us. I would definitely go back, maybe with more buffer time before to get my breath prepared. As I tucked into bed that night, I remembered something Duckworth told me: "You'll sleep like a baby after your first sauna." He was right. What health & wellness means for you: Sign up for USA TODAY's Keeping it Together newsletter.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nassau County Exec Bruce Blakeman's shocking move throws wrench in Hochul's hospital ‘takeover'
Nassau County executive Bruce Blakeman refused to nominate anyone to Nassau University Medical Center's board — saying in a surprise announcement Tuesday he was protesting Gov. Kathy Hochul's 'illegal' takeover of the hospital. Blakeman, a Republican, was set to announce his picks for the NUMC board of directors after at least 10 executives resigned in protest to New York state's takeover of the facility — but instead said he will not be naming anybody to the Democratic governor's 'puppet board.' 'The state blatantly passed a law, which is illegal, to take over Nassau University Medical Center with the sole interest in closing the hospital as we know it,' Blakeman told reporters at a press conference outside the hospital. He called NUMC 'one of the finest medical facilities in the United States' and said he won't stand for state officials shutting it down. The state has denied allegations that it plans to shut down the hospital or convert it into a mental or behavioral health facility. But a 2024 letter from the state Department of Health, which was obtained by The Post, said the agency determined that the only way for the hospital to be fiscally sustainable is to cut staff and multiple departments and convert to a behavioral health facility. The letter was signed by Hochul. Blakeman blasted Hochul and state officials, accusing them of bringing on a financial crisis. 'The state has defunded this hospital with the intent to take it over and make this bogus claim that there is a financial crisis,' Blakeman said. Former NUMC chairman Matthew Bruderman has filed a lawsuit accusing the state of systematically defunding the hospital in a convoluted scheme. The allegations sparked a federal investigation. 'Now the state, without any transition plan, without any coordination whatsoever, has taken this power grab, and let's be clear, this is nothing more than a cover-up,' Blakeman said, citing the allegations. NUMC said they've turned around the fiscal disaster since new leadership under Blakeman took the reins and is now on track to profit $11 million this year without cutting any jobs or departments — despite being in the hole hundreds of millions of dollars just a few years ago. Blakeman and hospital staff said the state provided $180 million in subsidies to the hospital in 2021 but has provided no aid in 2024 and 2025 — claims Hochul's office denied. 'We want the state to fund this hospital as they've done before, and this hospital has done a great job, the turnaround of this hospital the last four years has been remarkable because of the people standing behind me,' he said of the medical staff surrounding him. 'Instead of being partners, they want us to be puppets. That ain't happening.' Gordon Tepper, the governor's Long Island spokesperson, called Blakeman's remarks 'ridiculous.' 'The board's restructuring is the best possible news for anyone who relies on NUMC,' he told The Post. 'There's been gross mismanagement at the hospital for years under the County's watch which has forced this desperately needed intervention.' A day after the 10 executives announced their resignation from the board last week, Hochul named former head of Hofstra University Stuart Rabinowitz to helm NUMC's board, along with three other new appointees, the governor's office announced. Hochul chooses the chair and gets six picks in total on the hospital's new board, including one recommended by the Assembly speaker and another recommended by the head of the state Senate. Two were to be appointed by Blakeman while the Nassau County Board of Legislators gets three picks for the board: two from the GOP majority and one from the dem minority. A legislature source told The Post that the GOP majority plans on following Blakeman's decision and not appointing anybody to the board. The Democrats meanwhile, slammed Blakeman's decision as a ''blatant refusal to do his job' and said they plan to move forward with their nomination. 'We intend to make our appointment to the NUMC board because we follow the law and put patients before politics,' Democratic Nassau County Legislator Seth Koslow said. 'His administration drove NUMC into financial and operational chaos. Now the state is stepping in to stop the bleeding, and instead of helping, he's walking off the field,' he added.
