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Clegs

Clegs


Postby Caberfeidh » Tue Jul 22, 2014 7:54 am

I was out for the first time in a while, at the Campsie Fells so beloved of Tom Weir. I was hardly away from the car when I was viciously set upon by a host of voracious clegs. Are they as multitudinous everywhere, or was I just unlucky? I didn't notice any midgies, just the enormous man-eating clegs.
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Re: Clegs

Postby Lightfoot2017 » Tue Jul 22, 2014 8:48 am

Strangely, not had much exposure to clegs this season so far, thankfully.

Was brutally assaulted by the little buggers whilst doing Ben Alder last year, but have invested in a mesh head net since then.

It must just be you Caberfeidh :shock:
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Re: Clegs

Postby Paul Webster » Tue Jul 22, 2014 9:20 am

I was badly clegged at Rubh' an Dunain last Friday, now covered in lumps :evil:
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Re: Clegs

Postby Steve B » Tue Jul 22, 2014 9:22 am

I was also attacked by a great many shortly after starting the 4 Munros in Strathfarrer. It was about a mile and some before I was clear of them. Evil beasts :evil:
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Re: Clegs

Postby Cairngormwanderer » Tue Jul 22, 2014 9:36 am

Pretty rife in the singed Luibeg woods the weekend before last.
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Re: Clegs

Postby CharlesT » Tue Jul 22, 2014 11:02 am

Seem to have more or less gone down here in Hampshire and fewer than previous years. Maybe they've migrated to Scotland. :clap: Given these reports and the tales of woe regarding midges this year glad now I've had to postpone my planned summer trip to the autumn.

I've read they sight their victims rather than sniff them out and are more attracted to dark subjects so wearing light coloured clothing reduces the chance of attack. Has anyone any experience of this?
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Re: Clegs

Postby Red Peak » Tue Jul 22, 2014 1:05 pm

And yet close up, they seem so harmless ...

Image
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Re: Clegs

Postby celt54321 » Tue Jul 22, 2014 5:22 pm

yep the clegs seem to be out in force this year...and their season is lasting way longer than usual :( theey had a good munch on me yesterday while in the aberfoyal area.i think their is some truth to them being more attracted to dark things ,as my mate dressed in a light coulored shirt was being practicaly ignored by them....while i was being eaten,i had a black top on. :lol: also attacked by large dark almosy black flies with patterned wings and bright orange eyes...maybe some kind of deer fly,they could bite through my top,nasty beasties. :shock:
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Re: Clegs

Postby NickyRannoch » Tue Jul 22, 2014 7:51 pm

Mobbed by them at Loch Katrine today. Haven't been bothered by them since childhood, forgot how much they nip
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Re: Clegs

Postby Gordie12 » Tue Jul 22, 2014 9:22 pm

CharlesT wrote:Seem to have more or less gone down here in Hampshire and fewer than previous years. Maybe they've migrated to Scotland. :clap: Given these reports and the tales of woe regarding midges this year glad now I've had to postpone my planned summer trip to the autumn.

I've read they sight their victims rather than sniff them out and are more attracted to dark subjects so wearing light coloured clothing reduces the chance of attack. Has anyone any experience of this?


No idea if this works or not Charles but it's a white top for me on Friday.
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Re: Clegs

Postby Fudgie » Tue Jul 22, 2014 9:29 pm

I did the 6 munros East of Glenshee yesterday and only one of them managed to get me. I've managed to avoid them and midgies so far this summer 8)
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Re: Clegs

Postby jupe1407 » Wed Jul 23, 2014 8:03 am

Cairngormwanderer wrote:Pretty rife in the singed Luibeg woods the weekend before last.


Let's hope they're not resistant to fire now :lol:
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Re: Clegs

Postby BlackPanther » Wed Jul 23, 2014 9:41 am

We run into clegs in Glen Affric area on Sunday... I didn't know blueberry picking requires so much arm movement :lol:

They were "ordinary" clegs though, the size of housefly. You wouldn't want to be bitten by one of these (spotted on the car park for Grey Corries):
Image

Image

Meet the band-eyed brown horsefly. Until last week I didn't even know such species existed. :lol: Disgusting! About 4cm long and very noisy... :? Luckily they were only interested in nearby herd of cows and used our car as a resting place. We made sure none of them travelled home with us!
I'm afraid no amount of deet, smidge or other repellent would deter them. I felt very sorry for the poor cows...
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Re: Clegs

Postby Cairngormwanderer » Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:00 am

BlackPanther wrote:I'm afraid no amount of deet, smidge or other repellent would deter them. I felt very sorry for the poor cows...


Looks like a job for a shotgun rather than a spray can. :shock:
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Re: Clegs

Postby CharlesT » Wed Jul 23, 2014 10:57 am

Cairngormwanderer wrote:
BlackPanther wrote:I'm afraid no amount of deet, smidge or other repellent would deter them. I felt very sorry for the poor cows...


Looks like a job for a shotgun rather than a spray can. :shock:


The literature refers to Tabanus bromius, the subject here, as one of the smaller species :shock: . However, it tends to stick to biting cows.

Note on light coloured clothing - should have said two layers and loose fit advised - they can easily bite through one layer.
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