# Midges



## Tigatigatiger (Jun 17, 2010)

Did anyone see the article about midges in lovely Scotland on the Beeb this morning?

You can now download a midge forcast app for your iphone-fingers crossed they do it for android phone before we go in early july. 

Basically the v cold winter hasn't changed a thing! millions of the little buggers!


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## Proff (Jun 17, 2010)

*Midges aka Scottish freedom fighters, keeping FEB's from the Highlands*

Only thing I've found to be effective against the little Buggers, is
Avon Skin So Soft   
Smells ok too...
We must be grateful for small mercies tho', how can anything so small have such a big bite ???
Just imagine if they were the size of houseflys, they'd have yer fecking arm off in one bite


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## hkp57 (Jun 17, 2010)

In Bad midge areas look to see how high up the hills the sheep are, they use the hills to avoid them.


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## Guernsey Donkey (Jun 17, 2010)

Proff said:


> Only thing I've found to be effective against the little Buggers, is
> Avon Skin So Soft
> Smells ok too...
> We must be grateful for small mercies tho', how can anything so small have such a big bite ???



Avon - skin so soft works well, I live in the Western Isles and the little nippers  stay away. Easy to apply to skin - just spray a little and rub in.


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## Mastodon (Jun 17, 2010)

Yep - SSS. Avon have an offer on at the moment


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## sagart (Jun 18, 2010)

Tigatigatiger said:


> Did anyone see the article about midges in lovely Scotland on the Beeb this morning?
> 
> You can now download a midge forcast app for your iphone-fingers crossed they do it for android phone before we go in early july.
> 
> Basically the v cold winter hasn't changed a thing! millions of the little buggers!



For those who believe the world IS greater than the iPhone, The Scottish Midge Forecast can be accessed by Pc. or any Internet enabled mobile


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## brittle1906 (Jun 18, 2010)

*Scotland blues!*

We have just had to retreat from Scotland due to the midges.  We were up there for 6 weeks in the camper and they were dreadful on the Isle of Skye, we have been there many times, but never been quite as badly bitten as we were this year.  

Avon Skin So Soft had little effect I'm afraid....but at least we both have nice soft skin!

A locally produced repellant made by 'totally herby' seemed to work ok, it has various essential oils including bog myrtle, which the dratted midgies are supposed to hate. 

Link to the manufacturer's website :- Scottish Manufacturer of natural midge repellent sprays, midge nets, midge candles and herbal skincare products, insect bite and wasp and bee sting sprays, own branded pure essential oils.

Cheers, brittle1906


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## magbrin (Jun 19, 2010)

Remember that midges like damp. still places - so you have more chance of avoiding them if you avoid areas with trees and bogs, lochs, rivers etc.  Head for exposed headlands, high hills and open moors and the risk is much reduced.  Watch the midge forecast (it is an as essential a part of the planning of an overnight trip as the weather forecast), and carry your favourite anti midge cream/lotion/potion.   Everone is different but I would go for SSS or a local brew.  If its made on Skye there is a reason, so it is bound to be good - they've spent years perfecting it


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## jennyp19 (Jun 20, 2010)

Proff said:


> Only thing I've found to be effective against the little Buggers, is
> Avon Skin So Soft
> Smells ok too...
> We must be grateful for small mercies tho', how can anything so small have such a big bite ???
> Just imagine if they were the size of houseflys, they'd have yer fecking arm off in one bite




Is this the stuff you mean.  I'd love to visit Scotland, but the thought of midges terrifies me as I get badly bitten

Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil Body Spray so soft&pagenum=1


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## degzie (Jun 20, 2010)

yes thats the one.


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## Proff (Jun 20, 2010)

jennyp19 said:


> Is this the stuff you mean.  I'd love to visit Scotland, but the thought of midges terrifies me as I get badly bitten
> 
> Skin So Soft Original Dry Oil Body Spray so soft&pagenum=1



Yup thats it,,,
New bottle, old one was blue/green..
I've been assured by AVON that only the packaging has changed, not the contents.


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## Randonneur (Jun 20, 2010)

Buy your SSS from ebay, they sell it on there about a quid cheaper than the avon reps sell it, you can also buy bulk packs of bottles which work out cheaper still.

 And buy it before you go, at the Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum in may they were selling it for almost £6 a bottle!!!


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## magbrin (Jun 20, 2010)

Randonneur said:


> Buy your SSS from ebay, they sell it on there about a quid cheaper than the avon reps sell it, you can also buy bulk packs of bottles which work out cheaper still.
> 
> And buy it before you go, at the Green Welly Stop in Tyndrum in may they were selling it for almost £6 a bottle!!!



Don't know how it compares but we sell it for £2.55


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## sagart (Jun 21, 2010)

magbrin said:


> Remember that midges like damp. still places - so you have more chance of avoiding them if you avoid areas with trees and bogs, lochs, rivers etc.  Head for exposed headlands, high hills and open moors and the risk is much reduced.  Watch the midge forecast (it is an as essential a part of the planning of an overnight trip as the weather forecast), and carry your favourite anti midge cream/lotion/potion.   Everone is different but I would go for SSS or a local brew.  If its made on Skye there is a reason, so it is bound to be good - they've spent years perfecting it



Wouldn't argue you with the advice, but to further quote " If its made on Skye there is a reason, so it is bound to be good - they've spent years perfecting it"
sadly, as a local this isn't true. Tourists may go for them, but the people to ask for serious advice are crofters, fishermen and forestry workers. If you do, you find they often have their pet advice, but there is no one "magic bullet".
I use a prescribed drug as I suffer severe allergic reactions to bites and stings, my crofter neighbour relies on a bog myrtle mixtue his mother swore by, my forester son swallows huge quantities of Marmite (must be the UK version, not the one made in Australia!)....just see what works for you.
Glen Brittle yesterday was fine on the beach, good on the Laggan path but hell on the Rubh path which routes between the two.


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## Tigatigatiger (Jun 21, 2010)

We are off too scotland in a few weeks-already bought....

skin so soft x2, the new anti midgy stuff off the webside with "smidgy forcast" (we'll let you know if it works), a 12 volt "zapper" incase the little buggers get into the van, a bottle of dyna-mite  (herbal) insect repellant which we use on the dogs (and ourselves in the past)-very good stuff, headnet x1 I used many years ago when doing the west highland way, vitamin b tablets, marmite and garlic -we'll may as well pack some silver bullets and a wooden stake to go with the garlic!


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## kylel300 (Jun 21, 2010)

Well as eeer" hardened forestry workers" we where beaten back when repairing a fence on friday night in the galloway hills.. it was hell..this year is murder....oooh and to the wild campers in a talbot motorhome...yer brave bathing in that river with all them wee blighters


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## Randonneur (Jun 21, 2010)

magbrin said:


> Don't know how it compares but we sell it for £2.55



Hi Magbrin,

Your price is about right, Welly Stop price is just a blatant rip off.


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## Alzi1967 (Jun 24, 2010)

Avon skin so soft original 2 for £4 offer on the avon website at the min.

http://avonshop.co.uk/product/skin-...-body-spray.html?src_page=promotions_list.asp


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## magbrin (Jun 24, 2010)

sagart said:


> Wouldn't argue you with the advice, but to further quote " If its made on Skye there is a reason, so it is bound to be good - they've spent years perfecting it"
> sadly, as a local this isn't true. Tourists may go for them, but the people to ask for serious advice are crofters, fishermen and forestry workers. If you do, you find they often have their pet advice, but there is no one "magic bullet".
> I use a prescribed drug as I suffer severe allergic reactions to bites and stings, my crofter neighbour relies on a bog myrtle mixtue his mother swore by, my forester son swallows huge quantities of Marmite (must be the UK version, not the one made in Australia!)....just see what works for you.
> Glen Brittle yesterday was fine on the beach, good on the Laggan path but hell on the Rubh path which routes between the two.



The best stuff I ever had was made on Skye - someone who had a small shop on the pier at Broadford, years ago.  It was called "Grannies insect repellent" and it reached the peak of its effectiveness after it had been left in the front of our van for at least 5 years, cooking in summer and freezing in winter - and would have repelled any flying insect.  This is why I think that someone on Skye, at least, had perfected the art of creating a midge deterrent


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## Tigatigatiger (Jun 25, 2010)

In this months MMM mag a letter about midges and how they can get though the insect nets on your windows? as the holes are about 2mm? If I hadn't had that extra glass of cool wine last night I may of gone and checked "Hymie's" nets.

This bloke has replaced his nets with I think a net curtain (voile?) material? has anyone else had to do this or has considered it? 

Also he reckons that citronella candles are effective in keeping them away for BBQs?


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## magbrin (Jun 25, 2010)

Tigatigatiger said:


> In this months MMM mag a letter about midges and how they can get though the insect nets on your windows? as the holes are about 2mm? If I hadn't had that extra glass of cool wine last night I may of gone and checked "Hymie's" nets.
> 
> This bloke has replaced his nets with I think a net curtain (voile?) material? has anyone else had to do this or has considered it?
> 
> Also he reckons that citronella candles are effective in keeping them away for BBQs?



Voile is a very fine, usually cotton, material..... net curtains should do the trick, but would need to be fixed (velcro) all round.  We do get them inside but we have front windows (with no screens) open for dogs.  We do have a good curtain between cab and habitation and not too many actually reach us - we tend not to go to the most midgy areas when they are about (but we are fortunate to be able to choose).
Citronella candles quite good, particularly inside.
Cigarette smoke the best - but who smokes these days - it is the only positive thing I can think of about smoking.  Find a friend wh smokes for the holiday

BTW Paula are you still planning to call in on your trip?


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## Tigatigatiger (Jun 25, 2010)

I thought about making a few "nets" up for the roof lights as we do leave them open again for the dogs, plus I think I can make something up which will fit in the runners of the large roof light. Shouldn't take to long? Prefer to spend an hour making something up, which we may not use instead of having not having fresh air at night (I have the window in our bedroom open-always!)

I will pack some candles and maybe a few "herbal" ciggies as well!

We do hope to swing by around 20th/21st (heading south by then)but we'll ring first, we sort of planned our route-I'll be honest as the only driver I planned our route! I've gone along a lot of it on google earth, like some sad old caravaner making sure we knew where we were stop each night. But realized that with MH you can just go with the flow, we now have a "sort of route", we do want to visit Sandwood Bay, I want to go whale watching, John wants to cycle a few choice routes, there is few hills we'd like to climb, a few loch and rivers we'd like to kayak, some views we'd like to soak in, some fish to catch, birds we'd loved to see, Oh and a certain monster!


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## magbrin (Jun 25, 2010)

Tigatigatiger said:


> I will pack some candles and maybe a few "herbal" ciggies as well!



Depends on the herb (bog myrtle, perhaps)  -  not sure that they will do quite the same job - but maybe you won't notice them as much



Tigatigatiger said:


> We do hope to swing by around 20th/21st (heading south by then)but we'll ring first, we sort of planned our route-I'll be honest as the only driver I planned our route! I've gone along a lot of it on google earth, like some sad old caravaner making sure we knew where we were stop each night. But realized that with MH you can just go with the flow, we now have a "sort of route", we do want to visit Sandwood Bay, I want to go whale watching, John wants to cycle a few choice routes, there is few hills we'd like to climb, a few loch and rivers we'd like to kayak, some views we'd like to soak in, some fish to catch, birds we'd loved to see, Oh and a certain monster!



How long are you coming for - sounds as if you need the whole summer
Anyway look forward to meeting you, I'm assuming it's 20/21 August - let me know if I am wrong


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## Danthevan (Jul 3, 2010)

I bought a roll of netting from Ikea....many colours available and either stuck the material over the existing mesh or made a frame out of a cheap floortile from 99p shop and laid it on top of the existing mesh. Vents around roof vents were stuffed with bits of the Ikea mesh. It works until you open the van  door!!!
Oh yes, close the vehicle air blowers to recycle internal air and not to take in fresh air.


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## maingate (Jul 4, 2010)

If you want something fine enough to keep midges out then why not just buy a Mosquito net?

I used to buy them when I was going overseas to work. They are not expensive and you get an awful lot of material. This means you have plenty of spare material left over.


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## christine (Jul 4, 2010)

We bought midge netting (Scottish midge proof) from Point North in Wales. Also velcro which we sewed onto the netting  and stuck with araldite onto the window frames etc. Works well, we can have windows, door and vents open when needed.

pointnorth.co.uk – Outdoor fabrics, accessories and zips. Mail Order Specialist for waterproof breathable nylons, fleece, Cordura, acrylic canvas.


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## Deleted member 4850 (Jul 4, 2010)

Last weekend we had a barby in a very midgy spot on a still, warm night...there were loads of the little b.....s about  But as soon as we lit a ring of ordinary incense sticks (cheapos £1.69 for 100 from Supersave) all around us, they cleared off and we had several hours of midge-free carousing  You had to keep them burning though and just one or two weren't enough.


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## hobbit (Jul 4, 2010)

*Skin So Soft*

As a flyfisher who has fished all over Scotland may I add something re. the 
midge.When you buy Skin so Soft get a bottle of Tea Tree Oil from the chemist  or health food store.Add twenty or so drops into the SSS bottle 
and you'll be surprised at the results.Hope this helps with those little beggars.


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## Devonlad (Jul 4, 2010)

As said by others Avon Skin so soft is the best there is, all the top models from around the world use it when in exotic places.
We tend to put it in a spray bottle have a shower, then a few sprays as it
goes a long way, rub it all over (nicer if someone else does it) then just rinse again.  
Brilliant stuff


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## Deleted member 8567 (Jul 4, 2010)

Just spent last week replacing all the fly screens with midge proof material.. took time but for me was worth it..they find me whatever I'm wearing.  Just need to test it out now.  But looks good to me.  Nae wee holes for the b**t**ds to get thru...

Doris Sid n Clover


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## DPH (Jul 4, 2010)

Anyone tried Tiger Balm?

Maria


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## Randonneur (Jul 5, 2010)

Try spraying your Skin So Soft on your flyscreens when you want ventilation at night, not much, just a couple of short squirts. 

 We found it worked for us and kept the little b******s at bay while we were sleeping.


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## pip (Jul 6, 2010)

My fella and his brother swear by Avons "skin so soft" body lotion to combat the pesky things, they eat him alive without it!!  I, on the other hand, am one of the lucky few that they find un-flavoursome!


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## dolmen (Aug 12, 2010)

DoriM said:


> Just spent last week replacing all the fly screens with midge proof material.. took time but for me was worth it..they find me whatever I'm wearing.  Just need to test it out now.  But looks good to me.  Nae wee holes for the b**t**ds to get thru...
> 
> Doris Sid n Clover



Any pics or other tips

tia


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## Guernsey Donkey (Aug 12, 2010)

pip said:


> My fella and his brother swear by Avons "skin so soft" body lotion to combat the pesky things, they eat him alive without it!!  I, on the other hand, am one of the lucky few that they find un-flavoursome!



Hi Pip so sorry that the midges find you so un-flavoursome, but what does your fella think !!!!!!! are you really that un-flavoursome, I think not.


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## Kate (Apr 1, 2011)

*How did you replace screens?*



DoriM said:


> Just spent last week replacing all the fly screens with midge proof material.. took time but for me was worth it..they find me whatever I'm wearing.  Just need to test it out now.  But looks good to me.  Nae wee holes for the b**t**ds to get thru...
> 
> Doris Sid n Clover


 
Hi guys. Thinking of doing the same thing but trying to figure the best way to put midge netting on. How did you do yours?


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## bevdrew (Apr 1, 2011)

These people do lots of anti-midge things including the fine net required to keep out the nasty wee Scots midge.

Scottish Manufacturer, natural midge repellent, nets, candles, oils.


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## Tbear (Apr 2, 2011)

A word of warning about nets. They are as good at keeping midges IN as they are out so once you are sealed up for the the night behind your nets make sure you kill any of the little blighter's before you go to sleep or they will spend the whole night feasting on you. 
I know this is stating the obvious but after a few glasses of wine it is so easy to forget and once badly bitten it can ruin your hols


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## Tbear (Apr 2, 2011)

Dont know if you can get this in this country DEET insect repellent spray for long lasting outdoor protection by OFF!® Insect Repellents but it worked very well in the jungle


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## John H (Apr 2, 2011)

Tbear said:


> Dont know if you can get this in this country DEET insect repellent spray for long lasting outdoor protection by OFF!® Insect Repellents but it worked very well in the jungle


 
I agree with that, but a word of warning - it melted the plastic watch strap I was wearing at the time!


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## Tbear (Apr 2, 2011)

I am not that surprised John as to work that well it must have some industrial strength chemicals in it. Perhaps not the best thing for delicate skins and children

Richard


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## Danthevan (Apr 2, 2011)

I midgeproofed both small roof vents with a fine weave cheap netting from Ikea. It comes in black, white plus many other colours.
Just overlay the existing netting and run some glue around the edge to secure.
I also stuffed the edge vents around the Heki to deter them.
Don't forget to leave the cab ventilation on closed (recirculate) as determined ones could get through that way!
For those who have not experienced the attack of the midges, they are not gnats but are really really tiny, so only the finest weave netting will prevent them.


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