merkin4 from St. Peters MO on 8/29/2012 3:26:35 PM:
With the dry summer, bugs weren't that big of a problem. Mosquitos aren't too bad as long as you keep moving. After dusk, if you are standing still you'll swear the things are trying to carry you back to the nest. As it cools and Hurricane Issac brings some rain to the area later this week, I'd expect the flying critters to multiply. I keep a small bottle of the 100% DEET stuff in my pack.
Ticks haven't been much of a problem for me, but I rarely leave the gravel or cement areas of the trail. If you'll be doing side excursions into the grass, count on ticks. A friend of mine doing geocaching claims that it's the worst year for deer ticks she's ever seen.
My primary ride area is Defiance to the east. You have have a different experience farther west, but for that area, daylight hours have been rather bite-free for me.