blood-suckers from hell

No, I am not going to discuss mosquitos or leeches. There were no giant spiders. There were no bats. I did not encounter a pack of Finnish vampires on vacation in the U.P.
I am referring to a creature that is unknown to many lucky, happy people. If you have never come upon a BLACK FLY, be thankful and pray that you never do. These tiny little creatures look perfectly harmless. Not much bigger than a gnat, you actually don't notice them at all... even while they're biting you. The realization that you have been ferociously attacked comes some minutes later, when you're suddenly covered in blood from the pin-sized holes that have miraculously appeared on your arms, neck and head. Gross, right? But no big deal, I suppose.
Until later, that is, when the bites turn red and start itching like crazy. Oh, well. That's the country for ya, better get some cortizone cream.
Except cortizone cream won't really do much for the small, tumor-like structures that seem to be rising under your skin around your jawline. You see, it turns out that the substance the little shits inject into your skin tends to have an unfortunate effect on lymph nodes, which swell as they battle the extra-special new toxins in your system.
Do you need a doctor? No, not really. Are you uncomfortable, itchy and annoyed for several days? Oh hell yes.
So boys and girls, the moral of the story is that it is better to stand in a southern swamp in the middle of the night, naked and covered in sugar-water, than to be normally clothed in a nice, clean room with even one little black fly. Rotten bastards.