SCOTTISH MIDGES: what's all the fuss about?
“Will the midges be bad?”
“Will the midges be bad in Scotland?” – the question we get asked so many times, we thought we’d write a blog on it. The simple answer: No, not if you’re wise! But if you don’t learn the tricks of the trade and out-smart these little beasts, they could leave you remembering the Highlands for all the wrong reasons! So let’s spend less time worrying about any horror stories you may have heard and more time reading up on our very easy steps on how to escape them… and with that in mind, let the planning of your dream vacation to the Highlands commence.
What are midges?
In simple, a midge is a tiny fly, with a wingspan of no more than a couple of millimeters. On their own, they are no drama. However, they tend to come in their thousands (yes, THOUSANDS). And the downside of the Scottish Highlands, we host the nippiest of them all, the Culicoides Impunctatus species.
When are midges around in Scotland?
During the winter, midges live underground in the soil, keeping our outdoor enthusiasts happy and free of ambush. However, come late April / early May, the wee beasts start to appear. Depending on the weather that year, midges will go through around 3 life cycles in a season, finishing late September / early October. The worst months tend to be mid summer.
Are they dangerous?
Everyone reacts differently to insect bites, but for most, they just leave a small red dot on your skin which can be itchy.
Why do some midges bite and others not?
When it comes to midges, the boys have your back! The males get all their nutrients from plant nectar and tend to not be so much of an issue for us humans. However, the females need a stomach full of blood to lay their eggs and that’s where you come in handy to them! Once landed on your skin, they get right to work their microscopic razor teeth, breaking your skin surface allowing access to your blood. And to make things worse, they like to share their meal, letting off pheromones to attract their pals. A 3-4 minute feed on your blood is all it takes to fill them up.
Sounds horrendous ey! Well to be honest, the bite itself doesn’t tend to hurt or even be felt most of the time. It’s the itching afterwards that is the frustrating part!
TELL ME, TELL ME… What are the tools to outsmart these beasts?
They are coming, but first we need to understand these wee insects.
Where do these creatures hang out?
Midges love damp, acidic habitats, as they use these environments to plant their eggs. Find yourself amongst this and you certainly aren’t in for a treat. Unfortunately, much of Scotland’s beauty is in these environments, so keep reading on if you are leaving the safety of the city…
How do midges find you?
Midges are attracted to the CO2 we breath out. So you could either spend your holiday holding your breath, or get wise with our tips that are coming.
What are a midges nemesis?
Two things, wind & sun.
The bit you have all been waiting for: How to avoid midges in Scotland!
Sun: If you want to escape the Scottish midges on your trip to the highlands, it’s not too hard to do so, you just need to chase the weather. Midges hate the sun. So if you are here in the Highlands during a gorgeous summers day, don’t take your lunch stop in the shelter of the trees where the midges are ready to ambush you, instead get out into the sun and find small patch of shelter out in the open. If shade is needed, resort to sun hats and long sleeves instead, or find small areas of shade, not big forests!
Wind: As campers we are taught to look for calm sheltered spots to pitch your tent. Whilst in holidaying in Scotland, throw that rule out of the window (within reason, obviously safety first and we aren’t proposing you go and find a storm to camp in!!). All you need is a gentle breeze, over 5mph, and they can’t fly in it.
Smoke: Things like camp fires when outside in the evening and mosquito coils in the porch of your tents work wonders when the day turns to night and the breeze calms down. However please stick to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code if making fires as much of Scotland beautiful landscape is being scarred by firepits being built and wooded areas stripped back from inappropriate collection of fire wood. Off the ground fire pits like the one pitched below are cheap to buy and fold up very small, making the perfect camping accessory.
If you are planning to use mosquito coils in you tent, strict tent discipline will be required to avoid a fire. Never leave the coil unattended when lit, as this could be very dangerous. If in doubt, don’t do it! A safer method is once you are inside your tent, shine a light onto one section of the tent wall which will attract any trapped in side. You can then squash them with your thumb.
With these simple rules alone, route planning will keep you out of bother from the worst of these creatures. As a general rule during the midge season, I try to avoid time spent in shaded, protected woods and maximise the time out in the open (as long as safe do to so) where the sun and wind can keep me midge free.
Always carry protection!
Although the Scottish Highlands has lots of gorgeous summer days, we do get our fair share of damp weather too, a midges paradise! When the sun disappears and the wind drops, we need a back up. That’s where long sleeves, and a head net come in handy. If covered up, they can’t get to your skin and you remain protected.
Alternatively, there are a couple of different products you can rub into your skin to keep them off:
- Avon Skin So Soft: This isn’t actually designed for midges, but works as a really good formula to stop them biting. When they land on your skin, the formula tends to kill them off
- Smidge: Smidge is scientifically produced to throw off your scent to make you taste disgusting, preventing a bite. As well as an insect spray, Smidge sells head nets which will keep you covered. And those that are really geeky, you can check their Midge forecast here.
So there you have it, a few simple ways to have a midge free experience in the Scottish Highlands, with that back up protection if it doesn’t quite go to plan!
