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Every silver lining has a cloud eh? Summer has sort out decided to maybe arrive a bit here on the Amman Riviera. True to form just as I'm digging out shorts and tee shirts the midges turn up too.
I'm a tolerant sort of person but TBH given the power I'd happily eradicate the pesky varmits.
Wonder what the effects would be if they were all to be exterminated across the whole country. Probably a big effect on the food chain above etc.
Worth a try I reckon.
Pretty risky thing to try.
I'd be more comfortable with some effort to make them dislike the scent and taste of humans.
Bats and moths eat thousands of midges.
It's the horseflies that drive me mad, had 2 bites already, both went up the skirt I was wearing while gardening, not a pleasant experience sitting down for a few days.
Anybody know if Jura is ‘blessed’ with the midge issue? Just been playing up and down the west coast and it looks utterly stunning, wondering if it’s too windy to host the midge?
Jura - depends on weather, wind, season etc. No different to anywhere else west coast.
Re disliking humans - I use sprigs of crushed bog myrtle to help keep them away.
Re disliking humans – I use sprigs of crushed bog myrtle to help keep them away.
Does it also work on midges?
I'm wondering what you do with the bog myrtle.
I'm picturing you wearing a kilt dancing around waving it in the air doing something very Michael Flatleyish
I live in a hill in the borders in a town and for the first time in the decade I've been here the midges were out.
I'm thoroughly unamused.
Few weeks ago in loch Lomond area they were a mild irritation. In contin area yesterday the wind kept them down, later in the day the wind dropped and the little blighters came out, again just a mild irritation. I've had a lot worse up assynt way.
It looks like Glencoe has it pretty bad at the moment.
https://www.smidgeup.com/midge-forecast/
Come on bats, you need to up your game!
I forget every single year about the midges. I actually got bitten up pretty badly at the start of May, at the uplift carpark in Innerleithen of all places. Not ventured into the Highlands yet this summer...
I'm actually allergic as well which is annoying. I come out in big raised white welts and swell up a bit with every bite, so a proper midgie day is quite bad news for me. Clegs are even worse, I got bitten on the arm last year and my entire forearm and fingers were swollen for 3 days. It's getting worse every year to the point where I think I am going to need an epipen soon. Feel like I am a bit of a defective scotsman.
I was camping in Hamsterley this weekend and the midges were rampant in the evening. My poor lad's legs got savaged. He's not a complainer though which is good, he just looks like he has a bad rash.
It looks like Glencoe has it pretty bad at the moment.
We were nearby last weekend - and the clouds of midges outside the campervan mesh window was a sight to behold at breakfast time....
@elray89 I take a daily antihistamine at this time of year. It does seem to reduce my reaction to various bites.
@scotroutes - so do I - for hayfever mostly. It helps a lot with that and possibly with the bites too, but there is a creeping worsening every summer even with them. Luck is on my side in that I don't seem to get bitten by them too much though, compared to others.
I'm actually thinking about shifting my time off work habits due to insects and heat. Less time off in summer, more in spring, do some snow stuff in winter.
I wonder if this might become more of a thing as climate change continues.
Horrific in Coniston this last weekend. Got eaten alive. 18 bites on my legs alone.
Couldn't stand outside in Kingussie car park at the weekend because of midges. Newtonmore car park was fine!