The Misery of the Midges

[Toddy]

I don't think I can hold my breath long enough to stay down to 30'

I reckon it's why there are so many crannog sites. Those houses sit just offshore enough not to be bothered by midgies, clegs, or other flies. They're cleaner too, and since most seem to have been roundhouses, the conical roof fills with smoke and that kills both insects and any vermin.

Quite fancy living in a crannog at times

 

[Tengu]

Dont look at me; Crannogs way out of my price range.

Im going to have a wee housie...on the land. Ill post a pic as soon as its built.

 

[Crac]

Soap can make humans more attractive to mosquitoes, study finds

Researchers say mosquitoes may be attracted to soap because when not feeding on blood they supplement sugar intake with nectar

www.theguardian.com

TLDR: "Washing with Dove, Dial and Simple Truth increased the attractiveness of some, but not all, volunteers, while washing with Native soap tended to repel mosquitoes. The relatively repellent effect of Native could be linked to its coconut scent, the scientists said, as there is some evidence that coconut oils are a natural deterrent for mosquitoes."

 

[Paul_B]

Have you tried Smidge? I find it very effective. I used to use the the natural myrtle based one made by Lifesystems but they don't make that exact one now and that worked fine too. I not only attract them but come out in very itchy large welts.

Smidge - The UK’s No.1 Midge Repellent

Developed in Scotland, Smidge is scientifically proven to provide instant, sweat-proof protection from all biting insects for up to 8 hours.

www.smidgeup.com

All repellents work to unsettle midges in that after application they back off.. for a short while then hey over it. When you can write your name with solid stick repellent on the outside of the midge netting of your tent from the safe inside and your mates are sitting the other side without any midges bothering you then you start to get paranoid. Why are they out to get just me?

Then you plaster on so much midge repellent that you used to write your name on the midge netting minutes before and venture out to get absolutely bitten all over in minutes. It's like they pretend to be repulsed by the repellent when in inside the tent only bit be bothered one bit by it when I'm among them.

Smidge works for everyone I know who've used it. Even with me present drawing the cloud in
For me it simply doesn't work.

Once dosed up with plenty of repellent I walked from great languages campsite to the pub. My mate didn't seem to be bothered by the midges. I was very bothered! I ran forward, leaving midges behind then looked back. Where I had been was a 5m high column of midges. Over my mate there were 4 or 5 midges circling around like they're lost!

 

[Broch]

I feel for you!

 

[Broch]

@Paul_B

Just for you

Would you volunteer for eight hours of midge bites?

A firm that makes insect repellent is seeking candidates to find out how effective their product is.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Paul_B]

@Paul_B

Just for you

Would you volunteer for eight hours of midge bites?

A firm that makes insect repellent is seeking candidates to find out how effective their product is.

www.bbc.co.uk

NO! I WON'T VOLUNTEER.​

I'm sorry but I'm sick of midge bites. We're by the coast in southern Cumbria and even here they've found me. Stuck in the house with suspected covid, feeling rough and the midges have found me! Scratching midge bites is tiring me out!

Add to that I get get urticaria / hives from some insect repellent too. I'm at the point of trying the marmite option! Marmite is the devil's vomit to me but I read that the high vitamin B or something gets in your system and can reduce your attractiveness to midges after a few weeks.

 

[Toddy]

NO! I WON'T VOLUNTEER.​

I'm sorry but I'm sick of midge bites. We're by the coast in southern Cumbria and even here they've found me. Stuck in the house with suspected covid, feeling rough and the midges have found me! Scratching midge bites is tiring me out!

Add to that I get get urticaria / hives from some insect repellent too. I'm at the point of trying the marmite option! Marmite is the devil's vomit to me but I read that the high vitamin B or something gets in your system and can reduce your attractiveness to midges after a few weeks.

I don't blame you, I won't volunteer for the misery either.

You can buy VitB tablets that will do as much good as the marmite.
Just watch the B3.....I am susceptible to the Niacin flush and it is most uncomfortable. My skin actually hurts with it.

 

[Broch]

BUT, if you are relatively unique, your participation may lead to a solution that will work for you

(I am joking, I wouldn't volunteer either)

 

[Paul_B]

Some midge bites become inch plus diameter lumps of itchiness for me. Not only attract them but react worse when bitten. Just back from 2 weeks in Scotland. One bite on my head skipped the red, itchy swelling stage and became a bleeding hole instead. It dried to a scab but was sore for awhile. They're vicious for their size are some midges.

 

[Toddy]

I over react to insect bites. I have an epi-pen because of cleg bites.
I find that if bitten, by any insect, from cleg to midge or berry bug, that taking both an anti-histamine (hit it with the 4 hour one, then after that do the one a day) and an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen, really does help keep the swelling and itch to a minimum. But, it needs both.
Also, Antisan or Eurax cream to stop the hellish itching.

All this for one wee insect bite

 

[Paul_B]

I like the anaesthetic effect of germolene myself after antihisan has had time to be absorbed. Antihisan doesn't stop the itch for me at all. Germolene does. I go through so many tubes I think I should get shares in the company.

 

[Toddy]

Have you tried meadowsweet ?
Seriously, meadowsweet is everywhere that's damp here. The roots are unmistakeable. They are red and they smell of germolene.
It's a natural aspirin and anti-inflammatory.

When I haven't had eurax or anthistan to hand, the meadowsweet works

 

[mrmike]

Have you tried meadowsweet ?
Seriously, meadowsweet is everywhere that's damp here. The roots are unmistakeable. They are red and they smell of germolene.
It's a natural aspirin and anti-inflammatory.

When I haven't had eurax or anthistan to hand, the meadowsweet works

Is that just rubbing mushed leaves on the bite or a concoction of the roots or something else?

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Toddy]

If I have to use the meadowsweet I use mushed up roots. They're shallow enough to be easy to find, they are very, very recognisable. They are red, they smell of germolene.

I use the flourish as my anti ache tea (I have RA) but that's slow, it's not something that takes away the hellish itch quickly enough.

On that note though; I'm not a qualified herbalist, I'm not supposed to recommend stuff like this to anyone.
So, we'll just say that this works for me

 

[Mistwalker]

I'm going to bed early so that I'm up early and enjoying being able to get stuff done in the cool before the Sun blazes through.
So, out in the garden by five, and it's lovely It's cool, it's light, it's calm, the birds are chirping, the garden is full of wildlife, and then the midges descend.
Not a happy egg, most definitely not comfortable, peaceful morning totally de-railed.

I don't hate many things, but clegs and midges come close

I can't read a post about midges without hearing Sam Gamgee in my head asking "what do they live on when they can't get Hobbit?"
We have some here, but I can wear enough clothing tho keep them mostly at bay since they bite, but the mosquitoes here in our wetlands can be maddening as they can pierce all but leather or several layers of clothing and on hot summer nights that's too much to wear.

 

[mrmike]

If I have to use the meadowsweet I use mushed up roots. They're shallow enough to be easy to find, they are very, very recognisable. They are red, they smell of germolene.

I use the flourish as my anti ache tea (I have RA) but that's slow, it's not something that takes away the hellish itch quickly enough.

On that note though; I'm not a qualified herbalist, I'm not supposed to recommend stuff like this to anyone.
So, we'll just say that this works for me

Thanks Toddy - I will look into it further!

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

 

[Toddy]

I can't read a post about midges without hearing Sam Gamgee in my head asking "what do they live on when they can't get Hobbit?"
We have some here, but I can wear enough clothing tho keep them mostly at bay since they bite, but the mosquitoes here in our wetlands can be maddening as they can pierce all but leather or several layers of clothing and on hot summer nights that's too much to wear.

There's a wee burn runs alongside the nature walk path that runs alongside my garden. It really only fills up with heavy rain, but it rises as a natural spring about quarter of a mile away.
What I'm getting at is that we always have water around us. If mosquitos become endemic, I'd need to move Midgies and the occasional cleg are bad enough. Mozzies are a whole other level of miserableness.