Which has fewer bugs in the warmer months – Maine or western Virginia (mountains)? I really don’t want to have to move out west, but, the bugs are winning, here on the east coast. 
Western Virginia, no question about it
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As someone who grew up in Maine…the blackflies and mosquitos are awful and numerous.
I moved to central NC about 10 years ago. While it ISN’T western Virginia, I have noticed fewer mosquitos, but more singular biting insects (like big dive bomber horse flies). NC also has fire ants, I’m not sure if that is a western VA thing or not.
I prefer fending off one BIG biting fly over a cloud of blackflies.
But also Maine has fewer warm months!
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In warmer climates, the bugs seem lazy. I’ll get you tomorrow attitude. In colder climates, it’s a frenzy. Gotta get you now before we freeze to death!
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I’m with @Displaced_Yankee. I grew up in Maine, and we always joked that the mosquito is Maine’s state bird. Black flies, deer flies, and ticks are prevalent. True, winters are longer so you have more consecutive months of no-bugs than VA. But the winters are longer. Maine winters are HORRID for horse-keeping. Everything is frozen, turnout is dicey, need an indoor to do anything more than walk, the list goes on. I will never have horses at home in ME. And even boarding is a miserable experience Dec-Feb.
I call central NC my forever home now, but I’ve also lived in MD/VA/DC for many years. VA will have bugs, but they weren’t nearly as annoying they were as in Maine. There are a lot of natural and chemical options for dealing with bugs. I use most of them, and have very few flies at my farm, no mosquitoes, and while deer flies are in the woods, none around the barns or pastures. You have more months/year with bugs, but that also means you can ride most of the winter.
Insects aside, VA is a VERY horse-friendly state. Lots of good vets/farriers/trainers/shows/riding/facilities available. Maine is the opposite. The show season is short and for rated venues, be ready to trailer several hours down to MA or CT. Trails in Maine are more rocky and steep, whereas hunt country in VA is gorgeous for hacking out. I love Maine. My family is still there and I love to visit–but only Jun-Sept. The rest of the year it’s a terrible place to be a horse person.
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And I am coming back to concur with @ElementFarm
The OP didn’t specifically ask about the weather, but the door has been opened.
Winter is miserable. It is a downright nightmare with horses. Never again. I often joke that there are 3 good things about Maine: June, July and August. 
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I think we are all figuring out that we will have to be nomads… Autumn in New England, winter in Aiken, Spring and summer in the mountains in Virginia or North Carolina…: and a few trips out west for when we just need big skies and wide open vistas and fewer bugs.
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I’ll agree with you, in general, but the gnats in northern Virginia…oh my! I would put an extra fly mask over my own head when cleaning stalls.
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My first spring on a northern state and I was introduced to these little monsters…black flies. Oh yeah, whatever, you southeastern folks are saying while rolling your eyes. No, seriously, it’s a whole new level. Think shark feeding frenzy in a vicious little package times 100.
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My horses have been in the Blacksburg VA area since March, and I’ve been amazed at practically no flies. They’ve been at 2 farms; the second one had a lot of horseflies (killed at least 10 personally in 2 months.) No gnats in their ears like IL had; haven’t been bitten by mosquitoes at all. Whereas I returned to IL and promptly received 100+ bites in a few days.
If considering the Roanoke area: as far as I’ve found there is no close boarding, everything I’d consider was 30+ minutes. It seems like you need to pick a direction: Blacksburg, west by Bedford/Moneta, or north by Troutville/Fincastle. Probably because Roanoke county zoning dictates 2 fenced acres per horse.
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Is it dry? Our flies have been easier here in the Midwest this year, (according to neighbors), but it’s also too dry.
This is exactly the type of discussion I used to have with the farrier. I wanted to ask her if there weren’t as many flies this year because it was warm but dry. She retired however. She has a Ph.D. in entymology which she didn’t use much. She probably retired that also. She has 4 labrador retrievers only one of which is trained to grab a beer out of the refrigerator and bring it to her.
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I think the answer is dry. We have had an unusually dry summer, even for this area. After the first month this Spring the flies, gnats, etc. are in short supply. So fewer flies but I am spending a LOT of time watering everything trying to keep it alive until it rains again. Horses are enjoying the outdoors a lot more with fewer bugs. So go some place dry if you want fewer bugs.
