A tip for Midges

[maingate]

My lad gave me a tip that he got off the tinterweb, or Facebook or summat.

Get a 2 litre plastic pop bottle and cut it in half, well, above halfway if you know what I mean.
Put some water in the bottom and then a half cup of brown sugar.
Add one gram of yeast to the sugar BUT DO NOT STIR. Let the yeast start to work slowly.
Turn the top half of the plastic bottle upside down and insert into the bottom half (minus the cap of course).

The theory behind it is that there will be Carbon Dioxide given off by the sugar/yeast reaction. The midges go down the funnel shaped bottle into the bottom and get stuck.

BTW, if it does not work, don't shoot the messenger. :sad:

 

[Robmac]

Sounds feasible Jim, as it's the CO2 which we breathe out that attracts them to us apparently.

 

[carol]

I've used this for wasps when camping. They are attracted to the sweet liquid. can fly down but can't get out. It looks awful but they are wasps!

 

[Deleted member 13859]

this thread came from fb and was from what i read for use indoors, dont no if it will work outside!! as the mixture will be dispersed , just a thought but im no expert:idea:

tranivanman

p.s. how do you post photo's on here????

 

[Sky]

I've used this for wasps when camping. They are attracted to the sweet liquid. can fly down but can't get out. It looks awful but they are wasps!

I do the same - don't bother with yeast though; I use sugar water or any other sweet liquid (fruit juice, coke etc.) that happens to be to hand.

I've not tried it for midges, I shall give it a go - thanks.

 

[jakekelly]

midges

you are going to look a right plonker walking around with lot strapped to you ,the first one i see with this on will be photographed and sent to harry hill !£250 easy money, roll on the tourists, the japs will have a field when they see this.:lol-053::lol-053::scared::lol-053:

 

[Sky]

Walking with one would be kind of interesting I suppose.

Personally, I just leave it about ten feet from where I'm sitting so they're attracted to it and not me.

I used to use something similar in Africa to keep the flies away too.

 

[maingate]

Walking with one would be kind of interesting I suppose.

Personally, I just leave it about ten feet from where I'm sitting so they're attracted to it and not me.

I used to use something similar in Africa to keep the flies away too.

I found killing them with a strong rubber band was much more entertaining. Hours of entertainment.

If they got on my nerves I used a lighter and a can of WD40 as a flamethrower. It doesn't work since they changed the formula. :sad:

 

[Sky]

I agree, that's great fun in the office or if there's only a few around. At times in Africa, there were so many we would just sit inside mosquito nets. :hammer:

 

[maingate]

I agree, that's great fun in the office or if there's only a few around. At times in Africa, there were so many we would just sit inside mosquito nets. :hammer:

It could not have been worse than Angola. The area I was in was in the Guinness Book of Records for Mosquitos. Got Malaria a couple of times there.

 

[Sky]

Never been there - I hate mozzies, so I sympathise. Worst I've known them was in Nairobi (and one summer in Turkey).

Now I just try and avoid places that have them.

Have you seen the footage of the 'clouds' of them over Lake Malawi? I think it was an Attenborough documentary.

 

[sukie]

Sounds great! Anything is worth a try! It has to be better than smothering yourself in skin so soft which is what we had been told to use by locals when touring!

 

[maingate]

Never been there - I hate mozzies, so I sympathise. Worst I've known them was in Nairobi (and one summer in Turkey).

Now I just try and avoid places that have them.

Have you seen the footage of the 'clouds' of them over Lake Malawi? I think it was an Attenborough documentary.

No, I have never seen clouds of them. The only ones you normally see are the heavy laden ones (full of your blood) trying to gain height. It's a wonderful feeling when the rubber band leaves a big red stain on the wall. :lol-049:


I put together a primary diamond treatment plant and warned the manager that they would need to bulldoze the swamp next to it. They never bothered and after a few weeks of production, there was not enough staff to work the night shift, they were dropping like flies with Malaria. The management did not care about the workers health until it affected production.So they sent the machinery in.

 

[gaz2676]

Sounds great! Anything is worth a try! It has to be better than smothering yourself in skin so soft which is what we had been told to use by locals when touring!

a mate from scotland very keen golfer told me rumours are round they have a diff formula for skin so soft and it does nt work anymore..... might be wrong but if you buy a new tub this yr an get bit.... dont say i did nt warn ya pmsl

 

[Sky]

We were warned not to go into Mombasa for just that reason. I took the advice given and stayed away. :scooter:

 

[maingate]

We had a holiday in Mombasa but were not bothered as we were close to the beach.

It was a different story in the Town though and just inland.

 

[zipnolan]

a bit like Scotland in summer then eh ?:wacko:

 

[Deleted member 4850]

No, I have never seen clouds of them. The only ones you normally see are the heavy laden ones (full of your blood) trying to gain height. It's a wonderful feeling when the rubber band leaves a big red stain on the wall. :lol-049:

The mozzies in Russia were sneaky like that - and we had a big dark ring on the ceiling of our cabin, where we'd shot the black flies off the light bulb.

The news from the hills confirms that the latest Skin So Soft forumula doesn't work any more . We've got a bottle or two of the old Woodland formula but when that's used up it'll be a new arsenal of Smidge, incense sticks and a pop bottle of yeast...

how long will that fox the little ******s for I wonder?

 

[scampa]

I too have used this "bottle-trap" method (but without the yeast) very successfully for many years to deal with wasps and other flying insects around my fruit trees. I get equally good results (for wasps) by using old jam or coffee jars with small holes in the lid, one-third full of sugary water. I haven't tried it whilst touring, as I'm not usually parked in one place for long enough to make it worthwhile, but I'm sure it would work well enough if needed.

If you do try it, remember to dismantle and remove the trap when you move on or when it's served its' purpose, as otherwise it may continue to trap more endangered species such as honey bees etc. (I once left mine in place for a few weeks without checking, and found a fully grown live newt inside one of the jars! It must have squeezed in when it was tiny (I won't say my-newt) and survived on the regular supply of insects).

I have heard of a slightly larger version that uses beer instead of sugared water. Apparently it will attract wildcampers from miles around!

 

[regent]

Avon 'Skin so Soft' works a treat.