If I had a pound for every repellent that has been recommended to me and didn't work i'd be rich by now. I'f I could find one that actually did work I'd be even richer. The fact is that none of these chemicals were ever developed specifically to deal with the midge,they are usually made to repel mosquito bites and to a greater or lesser degree work against midges too. eg: I've used paint stripping, eye burning 90% deet only to watch the midges land on the freshly applied solution like it was some kind of garnish. I feel I must give special mention to the Avon product that is lauded by some, in my experience it is completely useless and the latest in a long line of snake oil remedies. Some swear by it though and good luck to them. Bug jackets like the one Toddy mentioned are good and worth their weight in gold, even a head net is great . Setting up camp in a breezy area is best ,it's surprising just how little air movement is required to keep them off you. In a canoe or boat 30 feet from shore they seem to leave you alone. The deer take to the hill tops in summer to get relief from them and I have done this too,altitude is no friend of the midge. The best advice I can give is to remember THE WIND IS YOUR FRIEND.
Midges and mozzies in Scotland - crikey
- Thread starter yomperalex
- Start date
Tip I got from a West Coast dude, If you don't want to sleep with them all night ether set up your tent early before they come out or after dark when it's cooled off and they have gone to ground .
I use a tarp and have always managed to get by with a good midge head net and a long sleeves t shirt.
A bottle o Avon SSS is always handy but I've heard smidge is good.
PS if thay get really bad just jump in a loch;-).
PPS Clegs are fun to OUCH.
Survivor --- just....
I use a tarp and have always managed to get by with a good midge head net and a long sleeves t shirt.
A bottle o Avon SSS is always handy but I've heard smidge is good.
PS if thay get really bad just jump in a loch;-).
PPS Clegs are fun to OUCH.
Survivor --- just....
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Eating marmite helps but only works on 50% of them 
)
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It really all depends where you go in Scotland. There are over 30 species of midge in Scotland and it is the Highland midge which is the ferocious one, particularly in the west and north west highlands, Over on the eastern coast etc they are not too vicious or in the south. Of course, wearing a midge head net tucked into a long sleeved shirt and trousers tucked into your socks will defeat the most determined of them.
A: Wee invite Southern folk up to feed them so they leave us alone!
Seriously though I use a combination of things. I have a midge suit so that I can breathe when wandering about, but stay away from the fire in it. Also use Xylairia's Stupidly Simple stuff which works a treat and in combination if doing something that means getting wet then I also use the Don't Bite Me patches, they get vitamins that bity things don't like the smell of into your system so sweating/swimming isn't a problem.
Also watch where and when you are, they prefer dawn and dusk, also overcast still days as they can only fly when wind and sunlight are below certain levels. You can also try to stay up high where they don't go or on the sea edge where they don't like it either. Or stick to the East coast where the insects are a little more civilised.
We had some guys down from Sutherland last year and they said our midges in NW Lancs were awful!
Got my bee smoker out last night which was quite useful in keeping them off!
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Got my bee smoker out last night which was quite useful in keeping them off!
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