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So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?


Postby Sspaterson » Wed Jul 28, 2021 8:33 pm

In the lovely hot weather the clegs were vile. Yesterday now that the rain has arrived the midges have taken their place and there seems to be zillions of them. Not had a tick for a few weeks.

What’s your choice as a repellent and as a soother if you get bitten?

I favour Skin so Soft for the midges. Not sure if it’s effective for ticks and no effect on clegs. The Boots anti itch stuff seems to take the itch away a bit
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby Coop » Wed Jul 28, 2021 8:53 pm

Went upto Blairdenon from Ben ever yesterday. The peat hags were fine as they were dry. The swampy group was OK as it was spongy.
The midges were unbelievable. As soon as I stopped for a brief second they were on me. Bites everywhere
Normally I use Smidge but yesterday I had XPel mosquito and insect repellant on. Its normally quite good as well
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby Coulags » Wed Jul 28, 2021 10:31 pm

I’m in Cowal doing some Graham’s . The midgies are non existent but I removed a tick earlier . My first in years - and I mainly wear shorts when walking
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby Jon and Jen » Wed Jul 28, 2021 11:54 pm

Have been assaulted by clegs, (pretty bad) ticks, (quite bad) keds (utterly indescribable things) and a few midges. (Not too bad actually) in the cairngorms over the last few weeks.
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby Sspaterson » Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:07 am

Jon and Jen wrote:Have been assaulted by clegs, (pretty bad) ticks, (quite bad) keds (utterly indescribable things) and a few midges. (Not too bad actually) in the cairngorms over the last few weeks.



Keds???? Not heard of those before. Can you enlighten me?
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby denfinella » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:41 am

Sspaterson wrote:
Jon and Jen wrote:keds (utterly indescribable things)


Keds???? Not heard of those before. Can you enlighten me?


No, because they are utterly indescribable :lol:
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby Mal Grey » Thu Jul 29, 2021 11:59 am

Sspaterson wrote:
Jon and Jen wrote:Have been assaulted by clegs, (pretty bad) ticks, (quite bad) keds (utterly indescribable things) and a few midges. (Not too bad actually) in the cairngorms over the last few weeks.



Keds???? Not heard of those before. Can you enlighten me?


Immortal flying crawling evil things that silently find their way onto your body, crawl into your hair, shed their wings and lurk, until they find their moment and start drilling into your skull and suck your brains out. OK, the last bit might be an exaggeration!

From Wiki
"Although their life cycle depends on deer, they may on rare occasions bite humans, producing responses ranging from unnoticeable to highly allergic. Initially, the bite may be barely noticeable and leaves little or no trace. Within 3 days, the site may develop into a hard, reddened welt. The accompanying itch is intense and typically lasts 14 to 20 days. Occasionally, an itch papule may persist for up to a year.[3] The main annoyance in humans is the inconvenience and unpleasantness of removing keds from hair and clothes."
and
"A newborn prepupa immediately darkens, forms the puparium, and begins to pupate on the forest floor, or where the deer are bedded. After pupation, the winged adult emerges and flies in search of a host. Upon finding a host, the adult fly breaks off its wings and it is permanently associated with its host."

ked.jpg
Ked, from Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipoptena_cervi

There is, something really creepy about these things, you can't swat them as they seem to be unkillable, and they are very persistent. Though it seems their bite is rare, for some reason they really make by skin crawl. I only discovered them a couple of years ago. They seem to like coniferous woodland, and lurking, unseen, behind my ears until I find them by accident and go into a meltdown panic.
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby Jon and Jen » Thu Jul 29, 2021 12:27 pm

Yep. Lurking behind the ears, can take a beating and keep going. I got a bunch of them camped near an socach last week. A few in the tent. They just will not die. I ended up moving camp. Shivers. :(
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby nathan79 » Thu Jul 29, 2021 9:06 pm

Actually managed to kill one of the devils the other week. After an evening cycle in the Pentlands when keds (and midges) were at me I thought I'd managed to evade them. One appeared from the shadows after I'd cracked open a beer, put my bike away and sat in the garden for a bit. It was hard fought battle to both catch and then kill it. Roll on winter!

IMG_20210716_234311_371~2.jpg
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby denfinella » Thu Jul 29, 2021 10:41 pm

Mal Grey wrote:"A newborn prepupa immediately darkens, forms the puparium, and begins to pupate on the forest floor, or where the deer are bedded. After pupation, the winged adult emerges and flies in search of a host. Upon finding a host, the adult fly breaks off its wings and it is permanently associated with its host."


Yes, one tried to become permanently associated with me in the Trossachs a couple of years ago. Only noticed it once I got home, embedded (minus wings) in the back of my neck. :(

IMG20191019184010.jpg


Haven't had many encounters with them since then.
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby nikcster » Fri Jul 30, 2021 4:20 pm

Did Sgùrr nan Clach Geala in the Fannichs last weekend and the clegs were horrendous. Got about 20 bites. Two one-a-day antihistamines stopped the itching though.
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby Jon and Jen » Fri Jul 30, 2021 8:20 pm

nikcster wrote:Did Sgùrr nan Clach Geala in the Fannichs last weekend and the clegs were horrendous. Got about 20 bites. Two one-a-day antihistamines stopped the itching though.


I will have to try doubling up on the pills. I get horrific reactions to bites. Never thought to take more.
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby Sspaterson » Sun Aug 01, 2021 1:53 am

Bleughhhhh! So there is another hideous thing to add to the list. I've never heard of keds before. They look hellish wee beasties!

Hadn't ever been bothered by ticks either when I were but a lass - they only seem to have gotten worse in the last 20 years or so.
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby Iain R » Sun Aug 01, 2021 9:43 pm

Eeeeeccchhh. Keds. Only had one land on me once, years ago. Heading up Stob Gabhar, felt something land on my head while ducking under a small tree, and brushed my hand through my (at the time, long and luxurious) hair, expecting to find a bluebottle or a spider, and instead pulled out one of those fiends of hell. Did a wee panic dance for a bit, much to my cousin's amusement...
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Re: So how are the midges/clegs/ticks where you are?

Postby Fiona Reid » Sun Aug 01, 2021 10:13 pm

Been in the NW this weekend.

Yesterday Slioch in the mist. A few midge if you stopped low down but nothing too horrid. No clegs.

Last night, Gairloch Sands Campsite. No midge, no clegs. A few midge on the sheltered side of the van this morning.

Today, climbing above Gruinard Bay. The odd midge, no.clegs, lots of ticks.

Hoping the cooler weather has got rid of the clegs. No keds thankfully on either day.
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