Midgies - repellents that work

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the interceptor boy

Life Member
Mar 12, 2008
485
0
Angleterre.
cramp balls as smudge fires, also try burning dry onions and garlic leaves together, or if you know someone in australia, that can get you a bit of termite nest. for me its pine atr soap and i dont have a prolbem. mixed pine tar shampoo with pure white alcohol also works. dab on the wrist, ankle and behind the ears, works a treat. or you can have a wee container with smudge sea weed in the front of your canoe, tuna tin with dried sea weed with a lump of burning coal. or if it get worse, caked your face with sludge mud mixed with lemon scent leaves.
 

Grooveski

Native
Aug 9, 2005
1,707
10
53
Glasgow
I normaly dress for them in light trews, a baggy long sleeved top, socks. headnet and the lightest of gloves.:rolleyes:
Have just ordered some Nordic Summer, we'll see how that goes.

I've never really tried much. Someone gave me a horror story DEET lecture years ago that put me off and I don't much like smearing myself up in anything anyway.
Have seen enough shiny folk running for cover to know that skin-so-soft is hit-or-miss at best.


P.S. Getting above them or out over the water works.
 

Bongo Matt

Tenderfoot
Apr 18, 2009
70
0
Isle of Wight
"Off" Extra duration - didn´t even get bitten in the Amazon basin which was packed with flying biting creatures! (well except for an encounter with nasty ants stinging ants while carlessly holding a branch). The problem is its run out, now covered in bites again.....
 

Chinkapin

Settler
Jan 5, 2009
746
1
83
Kansas USA
midges, mosquitos, and God knows what else are known to be attracted to the CO2 given off in the breath. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about that. lol.

Deet seems to be recommended by many people. In my experience, don't get 100% deet, your sweat will carry it right off, it just doesn't last very long at all. You are better off getting something that has a lesser amount of Deet and also has some compound to hold it onto the skin.

I think many people have experienced the phenomena of midges and mosquitoes being drawn to one person in the party to the exclusion of others. Body odor must play some role in this.

I had the same results with skin so soft as some of you - - it worked great the first time and then didn't work at all.

The midge jacket or black fly jacket is probably the only sure protection.
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
.... and Scotland ?

Yep - I take no pleasure in being bitten to lumps - its a grim experience. I also hate slathering myself in chemicals.

In midge season there are (to me at least) much nicer places to be.

Scotland can be beautiful but not when the biters are out

Red
 

Gill

Full Member
Jun 29, 2004
3,464
6
56
SCOTLAND
has aybdy made and tried the Nessmuk concoction ,the recipe is in his book ,he refers to it as a varnish !
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Somebody was asking for the pennyroyal oil recently for that. I can get it but it's really, really not good stuff on your skin.

I did try the Mugwort, Sweet Gale and Melissa recipe and it does work but nothing is perfect.........no wonder so many Scottish bushcrafters are also SotP folks, off shore just a wee bit and the blighters leave you well alone. :approve:

cheers,
Toddy
 

Shewie

Mod
Mod
Dec 15, 2005
24,259
24
48
Yorkshire
I've gone for the Nordic Summer so we'll see how that goes.

Got it from the Woodlore site yesterday morning and it turned up in the post today.
 

Steve13

Native
May 24, 2008
1,413
0
Bolton
Another vote here for Nordic Summer got mine from Tamarack last week all natural and works well up to now
 

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