by Caberfeidh » Sun Sep 27, 2015 11:04 am
I reckon it is the increase in long grass and forest; a few years ago before the deer were killed off, Mar Lodge Eastate was remarkable for having very few midgies. The grass was bitten down to a smooth bowling green shortness, with no dampness to harbour the vampires. Hillsides and moors were burned yearly to get rid of the tussock-grass and this meant squillions of creepy-crawlies were sacrificed to save our skins. All this p.c. not-burning-the-natural-world has repercussions. Burn them! Burn some sense into them! Burn it all! Ahem.... sorry, I got a bit carried away there.... Anyhoo, some years frosts come early and kill off the midgies and cleggs by the first week in September, some years it takes till October. If Global Warming really happens, imagine: they might not die off until Decembuary ...