Are There More Clegs This Year Than Normal?

[The Cumbrian]

Following on from Danny's great pics of Cleg's eyes, does anyone else think that there are far more this year than in the recent past? There's been far more loads up here in Cumbria for the last three or four weeks. I went fellwalking on Tuesday and was plagued by them for the full three hours of my walk, and this evening I was out again and only got free of them when I got on the tops where the wind was gusting quite strongly. I even carried the legs of my zip off trousers with me in case they were as bad as last time.

Cheers, Michael.

 

[tiger stacker]

There did seem to be a fair few aound on Sunday, hopefully they migrate south of the border, down Cumbria way. (Apologies to Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Carr).

 

[QDanT]

There certainly is, I'd have thought it would be the other way with the last two hard winters ? at Bleasdale Stone Circle yesterday
http://teddytourteas.blogspot.com/2011/07/brendas-butty-bar.html
They were just on the limit of spoiling the day I'm glad I wasn't bivvying !

but I did wonder if their eyes are like finger prints and all different ?
Bleasdale

Nussey Green http://teddytourteas.blogspot.com/2011/07/mike-knipe-look-away-now.html

The only good Cleg is a Belly up Cleg !

cheers Danny

 

[Lurch]

There certainly is, I'd have thought it would be the other way with the last two hard winters ?

I heard that more biting creatures survived the winter than normal due to the blanket of snow we had for most of the really cold periods.

 

[Teepee]

I've noticed lots of Clegs this year.

Loads of Thrips and Greenfly too, nearly as itchy as midges for me.

 

[Tony]

I've been nailed a few times this year already, one last year, one the year before that but I'm noticing them a lot and feeling them too much

 

[Chrisj]

Don't know about Clegs but the midges are worse round here than the last few years.

 

[mrcairney]

Never heard them called Clegs before. Horseflies, yes?

My missus says a cleg is a what some people may call a winnet. Or a bum nugget. *ahem*.

 

[Lurch]

My missus says a cleg is a what some people may call a winnet. Or a bum nugget. *ahem*.

Nay lad, that's a clag.

 

[mrcairney]

She's from Nottingham, so who knows. I just wipe my bum correctly thus avoiding the whole issue.

 

[Toddy]

I've been bitten twice by clegs in the last fortnight
Forearm and now my ankle.
In a normal Summer I might be bitten perhaps two or three times in total....so we'll see, but so far, yeah, there's a lot of them about.

The berrybugs are out too, they're little snouted weevil things that bite a neat wee round hole out of your skin that flares up into an appalling itchy mess. Another flatten on sight buggit.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[shogun]

i was swimming in the lower falls at fort william yesterday and my sister suffered a few bites from clegs...theres plenty about there

 

[The Cumbrian]

Never heard them called Clegs before. Horseflies, yes?

My missus says a cleg is a what some people may call a winnet. Or a bum nugget. *ahem*.

Tagnuts can also affect those who wear lots of loosely knitted wool undergarments.

 

[marcusleftthesite]

I've noticed more this year than ever before.I have'nt been bitten yet but I've had a few on me that I've swatted off before they had the chance.What is the bite like ? I had a hell of a time on Bala Lake wit a triangular shaped fly a couple of years back,same colour as a Cleg but maybe half the size and triangular in shape.

 

[21st century pict]

this year! there's more clegs this week than last week, that’s for sure. its hell round the marsh the now, I just got bit on the lip, I look like John Merrick.....if i had a 410 I would have shot myself in the Face.
your's truly, covered in scabs.

 

[Teepee]

I just got bit on the lip, I look like John Merrick.....if i had a 410 I would have shot myself in the Face.
your's truly, covered in scabs.

Ouch. A lip bite sounds nasty.

One of my neighbours got bit last week on his shin, his whole leg has swelled up and gone a red/purple/yellow colour

 

[Toddy]

If you know you have a bad reaction, and if you do it quickly enough, as soon as you know you've been bitten, anti histamines and ibuprofen anti inflammatory will keep the inflammation and swelling to a minimum.

I've an epi pen now for the bites from these horrors, so far, touch wood, the anti histamine and the anti inflammatories have kept on top of things.
You want the four hourly anti histamine and then the one a day for a couple of days afterwards.

Out and about any of the usual plants for skin stuff will help; comfrey root, plantain, chickweed, etc.,

cheers,
Toddy

 

[maddave]

Never heard them called Clegs before. Horseflies, yes?

My missus says a cleg is a what some people may call a winnet. Or a bum nugget. *ahem*.

Here ya go I found a little info on horse-flies. 1) The true cleg fly is haematopota pluvialis - the common horse-fly. 2) Another horse-fly sometimes called a cleg is h. crassicornis. 3) Tabanus bromius is another one known as the robust horse-fly. 4) Last but not least (and the brightest) is chrysops relictus, another horse-fly...

I just call them little *@#*#!s

 

[gsfgaz]

When we were away up the north west coast last week , i was bitten 8 times with clegs , plus i got bit with 2 tick,s on my legs ...

 

[LadyLucifer]

ive walked up sheriffmuir in stirling for years, but this year there is definately more clegs than usual, I was out in sheriffmuir all day yesterday and came home with at least 15 bites ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!