I'm seing a lot of discussion here about 'midges" ... at first, I thought these would be small annoyances ... but, with all of this discussion and concern, now I'm beginning to suspect they may be the size of a hawk or falcon. 

Lest anyone think we have paradise on earth here in the USA, these are the insect pests I encounter ...

noseums -- very small

small (1/8 of an inch), soft flying bugs ... don't know the name

deer flies -- very annoying, get into my hair and bite ... active in June

Blackfly -- a little larger than deer flies, these bite and draw blood ... active in June in hilly areas.  I see them both here and in the Adirondack Mountains. 

--
Martin