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Midges 2017

Midges 2017


Postby sking40 » Sat May 13, 2017 8:32 pm

Anyone have news of midges yet this season? Heading to the north-west highlands (Achnasheen-Fisherfield area) for five days next weekend (20th May). Haven't been to Scotland in midge seson for over 10 years now (kind of on purpose after a horrendous trip to Skye) but would like to know what to expect this time of year.

I bought a headnet and some Smigde today anyway....
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby Gythral » Sat May 13, 2017 8:40 pm

1 or 2 about in Glen Affric earlier in the week, but nothing like the summer plague levels yet 8)
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby mrssanta » Sat May 13, 2017 9:16 pm

Theory is they are going to be bad this year due to warm winter and early spring.
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby Sgurr » Sat May 13, 2017 9:20 pm

Horrible swarms of the non-bitey kind arrived at Loch Leven, so I hope this doesn't presage swarms of the bitey kind when they do arrive

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-e ... e-39898684
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby MrsOrr » Sun May 14, 2017 7:15 am

Went birdwatching at Barons Haugh, Motherwell a few days ago, swarms of them and biting too! Not the ferocious Highland variety but still unpleasant, I seem to attract them now when up until about 5 or 6 years ago they never bothered me.
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby Billbobaggins » Sun May 14, 2017 7:49 am

Has anyone tried these? Seem to get reasonable reviews not sure if they are field tested on the mighty midge?
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby Gythral » Sun May 14, 2017 10:33 am

Billbobaggins wrote:Has anyone tried these? Seem to get reasonable reviews not sure if they are field tested on the mighty midge?


Not a chance of that working for me :roll:

This is more like it

Image
http://www.midgejacket.co.uk/shop/beatons-midge-jacket

But so far no-one has come up with the ultimate in midge protection - a jumpsuit :shock:
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby Billbobaggins » Sun May 14, 2017 10:50 am

Gythral wrote:
Billbobaggins wrote:Has anyone tried these? Seem to get reasonable reviews not sure if they are field tested on the mighty midge?


Not a chance of that working for me :roll:

This is more like it

Image
http://www.midgejacket.co.uk/shop/beatons-midge-jacket

But so far no-one has come up with the ultimate in midge protection - a jumpsuit :shock:

This would offer great protection and superb resistance training but you'd definitely need some gloves :lol:
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby TheFox » Sun May 14, 2017 2:59 pm

mrssanta wrote:Theory is they are going to be bad this year due to warm winter and early spring.


Theory a couple of years ago was that the unusually cold winter would have killed a lot of them off. Instead they descended in greater numbers than ever, because what was really killed off was most of their predators (birds etc.), allowing them to multiply in greater numbers.

So maybe the warm winter will mean fewer midges (due to more birds around), not more?
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby IanEzzi » Sun May 14, 2017 5:19 pm

Just back from 5 days in Achnashellach/Torridon/Kinlochewe.

Literally 1 or 2 biters about, we sat outside on a still, slightly overcast but warm evening and weren't really bothered by them. Someone next to me slept under a tarp with no bug net.

Don't know what difference a week would make though! 8)
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby fostyrob » Mon May 15, 2017 9:01 am

We have had a fair few of them in the garden (north fife) in the evenings which make the unpleasant garden renovations even more unpleasant- we do not normally get them so I am unsure if this heralds a midgey enslaught if you go further north. Fortunately they are just the slightly annoying ones, not the tear your skin off variety.
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby sking40 » Mon May 15, 2017 9:41 am

Well, it looks like I may be lucky - but will take the headnet and repellent anyway. Will almost certainly leave the suncream at home though - the weather for this week into next weekend looks like potentially a bigger problem, especially since I'm going to need to cross the river at Shenavall next Monday.
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby BlackPanther » Mon May 15, 2017 10:02 am

A few buzzing about in Kinlochewe car park yesterday morning - one bit me :? Up on the hills, no sign of them yet, but yesterday was quite windy. I can feel it in my bones, they are getting ready for frontal attack soon :lol:
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby Robinho08 » Mon May 15, 2017 3:11 pm

I was near Achnasheen at the weekend, no midge yet. But the wee blighters are in the post. Usually not bad in May though.

If you're planning on camping high, then you'll most likely be be fine.
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Re: Midges 2017

Postby Caberfeidh » Mon May 22, 2017 7:49 am

Tarbert, Loch Lomond yesterday. A still, warm, muggy, damp afternoon. The midgies arrived and bit, feeding happily on my corpuscles. They're here! The Horror! The Horror! Time to take up deep sea diving off Antarctica. :shock:
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