I didn't need to read that.

They are a vector for river blindness, which is a disease that you can transmit, but that's not something that we see here.

Very reassuring

Apparently they're Simulium vittatum.

https://www.msn.com/en-ae/news/other/huge-surge-in-tiny-eye-biting-flies-plagues-california-they-re-like-little-demons/ar-AA1ZyMaR

Residents in the San Gabriel Valley (SGV), to the east of Los Angeles, are battling unusually high numbers of black flies, also known as Simulium vittatum.

https://www.glamosquito.org/black-flies

Control Agents Used to Combat Black Flies

Black fly management is accomplished by applying a natural soil bacteria called Bti to water sources where black flies breed. Bti stands for Bacillus thuringiensis israeliensis. Bti is a special formulation of common soil bacteria that is highly effective in controlling black flies and mosquitoes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_thuringiensis_israelensis

Bacillus thuringiensis serotype israelensis (Bti) is a group of bacteria used as biological control agents for larvae stages of certain dipterans. Bti, along with other B. thuringiensis products, produces toxins lethal to various species of mosquitoes, fungus gnats, and blackflies but which have negligible effects on other organisms.

What a terrible day to have eyes and be able to read

Never heard of them. But all parasitic insects are drawn to my eyes. They all seem to try to fly inside them. Black flies, normal ones, are the worst obviously, and if one wants in your eye, it will keep at it again and again for minutes until it makes it.

Some go for the lungs obviously, as far as "deet" suggestions go, peppermint oil is better, mix with water in a spray bottle, spray yourself. Catnip oil works better than deet like peppermint does, which is all fine and well until you run into a mountain lion.

Reading this headline legitimately made my eyes widen - which is of course how they get ya

Weird that it rhymes. I hope there aren’t any tiny black flenises too

Eyes have had an interesting time in the headlines. Pig jizz in mice eyes can cure cancer. Piefed gives me more fun news than local stations.

African American flies you say?