Midges

[Angus]

angus

Hi Everyone

We are going for a 7/8 day tour round Scotland the 1st week in August.

So far I have got

Mosquito coils
Avon Skin so soft
Insect repellent spray
Insect repellent gel
Midge repellent spray (made in Scotland!)
Vitamin B1 tablets (to start taking 1 week before)
Citronella candles

Anything else worth trying??

We do not have any living space as we are not a MH or CV - we are just a van!!!
I have been looking at getting a small pop up gazebo with sides so we can sit out and also cook in it?

And also some midge netting for the van doorways.

Any tips/help/advice much appreciated

We are going to try and have a night (maybe two depending on £!) at an inn to break the trip up - a week is a long time without the luxurys of a MH/CV

Buy a hat up there with a midge net attached look quite frightening in the dusk but keep the miges at bay also.

 

[nowhereman]

Attractant not repellant

Just a point of interest regarding midges.
For the last two weeks I have been working with amber, this includes drilling, shaping and polishing.
Each stage of working produces lots of powdered amber resin, this resin is mostly built up on my fingers whilst holding the amber to the polishing machine etc.
The amount of midges that have landed directly on my fingers whilst I was polishing and drilling was unbelievable, and very consistant every day that I worked.
Because sometimes my fingers were literally 2 - 3mm away from the spinning wheel of the polisher, many of the midges obliterated themselves.
Still dont know the best reppellant, but have certainly stumbled on a powerfull midge attractant

 

[jennyp19]

I'd love to make a trip up to Scotland, but the thought of midges absolutely petrifies me. I had a mosi bite about three weeks ago, and its still visible. I really don't react at all well to bites. Bites don't affect me immediately, but the next day, and they swell up to a couple of inches all round. I found that tiger balm works a bit, and tee tree oil is also a good antiseptic to stop infections getting in.
Is there any time when the little monsters are not about?

 

[lenny]

Just a point of interest regarding midges.
For the last two weeks I have been working with amber, this includes drilling, shaping and polishing.
Each stage of working produces lots of powdered amber resin, this resin is mostly built up on my fingers whilst holding the amber to the polishing machine etc.
The amount of midges that have landed directly on my fingers whilst I was polishing and drilling was unbelievable, and very consistant every day that I worked.
Because sometimes my fingers were literally 2 - 3mm away from the spinning wheel of the polisher, many of the midges obliterated themselves.
Still dont know the best reppellant, but have certainly stumbled on a powerfull midge attractant

Eureka, how about we produce an Amber Flavoured Sticky Flypaper and patent it

 

[Deleted member 7500]

I'd love to make a trip up to Scotland, but the thought of midges absolutely petrifies me. I had a mosi bite about three weeks ago, and its still visible. I really don't react at all well to bites. Bites don't affect me immediately, but the next day, and they swell up to a couple of inches all round. I found that tiger balm works a bit, and tee tree oil is also a good antiseptic to stop infections getting in.
Is there any time when the little monsters are not about?

They usually appear about the middle of May and disappear again about the middle of October. I only go to the Highlands in the winter, so they don't bother me.

 

[jennyp19]

Oh well that's me out then. My parents used to travel round Scotland in an old Commer Cob van 50 years ago, and I still have vague memories of the beautiful countryside.

 

[nowhereman]

Eureka, how about we produce an Amber Flavoured Sticky Flypaper and patent it

Ha, wondered why the number of the patent office was engaged over the last hour, youv'e beat me to it

 

[BedfordMJ]

Oh well that's me out then. My parents used to travel round Scotland in an old Commer Cob van 50 years ago, and I still have vague memories of the beautiful countryside.

Go to the east coast.

 

[maingate]

I worked out in W. Africa a lot and have tried every remedy known to man. None of them worked, got Malaria twice. If you give off the pheromones that they like then you are doomed to a life of torment.

 

[Deleted member 8180]

Skin so soft works for us vs. midges, bug nets vs. the bigger stuff. We have Canadian bug shirts which worked well on mossies and blackfly. The little piezo crystal zappers work well to relieve any kind of bite. And anyway midges are good - they keep Scotland empty...

 

[sparrks]

Missed the midges back in April, but going back up in last 2 wks of September. Being a midge magnet (couldve been a babe magnet, but oh no) i attract them wherever i go and occasionly get bitten (i use avon skin so soft).
Once bitten i apply bog standard Malt Vinegar to the bite every hr or so. This stops the bite developing any further than a dull red mark. This also prevents any of the weeping and stops the itching, give it ago its virtually free.
I have posted this in a previous thread.

Happy wilding Paul

 

[upmarkethippy]

repell

Ok, this might not seem the best idea if you going and plan on making friends, but i have found if i start eating ( or if you don't like, take capsules) GARLIC. I have tested this myself in a number of countries, including russia, and they have some big buggers. The garlic oil that comes out of the skin seems to camouflage the traces of what they like.
Happy travels

 

[Boxerman]

I've found that what works for one person may not work for another. I've also found that what works for me in one place may not work elsewhere.
When in the land of the wee beasties, I take anti histamine tablets every day. It doesn't stop the little ladies biting but it stops the itchy red swellings. I also use Avon Skin so soft and other concoctions but stop short of garlic - I'm not that anti social.

Frank

 

[ajs]

I worked out in W. Africa a lot and have tried every remedy known to man. None of them worked, got Malaria twice. If you give off the pheromones that they like then you are doomed to a life of torment.

that explains a lot...

regards
aj

 

[kenjones]

Did John-O-Groats to Lands End in August.
Midges were a major problem in the highlands. Cathy was very badly bitten when we stopped near Ullapool. Our fly screens just didn't work.
No midges on the eastern side of Scotland though.
Advice from the locals. "You just have to get used to it".
Loved the north of Scotland and will return but never when the midges are bad.
The site below is helpful.


Midge Forecast : forecast

 

[Pioneer]

On our recent trip to Scotland, everything went well up to a point.
No problems with the little beggars, until in Wester Ross, pulled in for the night, and immediately opened the door to check around,(BIG MISTAKE) was invaded by hundreds of the dam blighters. They must have been the smallest that I have ever seen, but boy did we know they had entered.
Citronella candle out, fly spray ( two types), skin so soft, but to late, spent the next couple of hours killing the beggars, and cleaning up the dead bodies.
Next morning, looked like I had measles! Obviously missed a lot.
Silly me forget to put the door screen across.

Happy Campingwell it was until that moment.

 

[Deleted member 4053]

midges

They must have been our little friends
The No-see-ums they are especially fond
of Southern blood

weez
Tony

 

[ajs]

was invaded by hundreds of the dam blighters. They must have been the smallest that I have ever seen, but boy did we know they had entered.
.

they do say that after consuming a bottle of wiksey
you can watch then die of alco poisoning while still attached to yer body...



i'd pay a fiver te see that


regards
aj

 

[Guernsey Donkey]

Kill one and 10,000 come to the funeral, kill 100 and boy have you have had it.

 

[kylel300]

just when you think you have got the caravan secure for the night and midge free the blinking dog wants out and brings in a millon of the blighters in his coat