Tsetse Flies: Why Blue and Black Clothing Is a Problem
GetTripGo Travel Desk · 4 min read
Tsetse flies are one of the few genuinely painful bites you can pick up on safari, and the color of your clothing has a measurable, well-documented effect on how many of them find you. It's a small packing detail that's easy to fix and genuinely worth knowing before you go.
Quick Facts
- Colors to avoid: Dark blue and black — both strongly attract tsetse flies.
- Where they're common: Wooded and bushy areas, especially around Tsavo, Samburu, and parts of the Mara.
- Bite risk: Painful bite, occasional disease transmission risk in some regions (rare in Kenya's main tourist parks).
- Best defense: Neutral or khaki-colored clothing, plus a light long-sleeve layer.
Why Blue and Black Specifically
Tsetse flies hunt visually, and research on their behavior has consistently found they're drawn most strongly to dark blue and black — colors that contrast against the bush and are easier for the fly to track in flight. This isn't folklore; it's the basis for real tsetse-control tools like blue-and-black cloth traps used in fly-control programs across East and Southern Africa, which exploit exactly this color preference to lure and capture them. If a fabric color is effective enough to build an actual trap around, it's effective enough to avoid wearing.
What a Tsetse Bite Actually Feels Like
Unlike a mosquito bite, a tsetse fly bite is immediately, sharply painful — often described as feeling like a hot needle prick — because the fly's mouthparts are built to cut through skin rather than pierce it gently. They also bite through fairly light fabric, and their bites are notoriously hard to swat away in time, since the fly senses movement and adjusts. The bite itself typically causes a raised, itchy welt that fades over a few days.
Where You're Most Likely to Encounter Them
Tsetse flies favor wooded, bushy terrain over open grassland, since they rest on vegetation and ambush passing animals or vehicles. Parts of Tsavo, Samburu, and the denser woodland areas bordering the Masai Mara see more tsetse activity than the wide open plains most safari photos come from. They're also drawn to moving vehicles, which means a closed-window drive through a known tsetse zone, rather than an open-sided vehicle, can sometimes reduce exposure.
What Actually Works Against Them
- Wear khaki, tan, olive, or white instead of blue or black
- Long sleeves and long trousers reduce exposed skin, even in heat
- Standard mosquito repellent has limited effect on tsetse flies — it's not a reliable substitute for color choice
- Ask your guide before driving through known tsetse-heavy stretches, especially in Tsavo or Samburu
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do tsetse flies prefer blue and black clothing?
Tsetse flies hunt visually and are measurably drawn to dark blue and black over lighter, neutral colors — the same principle used in blue-and-black cloth traps for fly-control programs.
Are tsetse fly bites dangerous in Kenya's main safari parks?
The bite itself is painful but the disease-transmission risk in Kenya's main tourist circuit is low; it's more of a comfort issue than a serious health concern for most travelers.
Does insect repellent work against tsetse flies?
Standard mosquito repellent has limited effectiveness against tsetse flies — clothing color and covering exposed skin matter more.