Clegs.

[Landsoul]

Has anyone else noticed that clegs this year seem to be relentless? In an attempt to dodge the heat yesterday I went hillwalking in the evening/night and left behind me a trail of dead clegs all the way up a couple of hills, they were almost unbearable and almost had me turning back a couple of times. I cant remember them ever being this bad.

Can anyone recommend some repellent that actually works for clegs?

[Jon and Jen]

Jen and I have bumps everywhere from the critters. At Streap they followed us almost to the top. Jen was wearing shorts and by the time we got up she had blood running down her legs. Relentless is right. Smidge just seemed to attract them. Only respite we had in two days was jumping into rivers and even then they were on us when we dared come up for air.

[Alteknacker]

... Smidge just seemed to attract them. Only respite we had in two days was jumping into rivers and even then they were on us when we dared come up for air.

I've certainly never experienced it as bad as currently. Was in Fisherfield on Tuesday and Wednesday, wearing shorts and T-shirt, and Smidge proved pretty effective. Not absolutely 100%, but they clearly didn't like to land on smudge skin, and tended to land on my clothing, where I could - with deep satisfaction - slaughter them.

As regards attacks when one is in water: yes, they sure do. Lumps on faces - forehead, eyelids, etc - were a regular sight in the lidos of my youth!

[Cairngormwanderer]

Yeah, as the temperature goes above bearable the midges tend to reduce (slightly), but the clegs come out. I once walked from Linn o Dee to Corrour on a hot summer evening wearing just my boots and a pair of shorts. The clegs never let up until well up on the shoulder of Carn a Mhaim, by which time I had so much blood running down legs, arms and body I looked like I'd walked in front of a machinegun.

[Gordie12]

Finished St Cuthbert's Way last weekend and the Friday was really warm and calm by the time I finished in Wooler.

The Clegs were out and feasting on me from early afternoon (though not as bad as others have stated above). Mentioned it to another couple of walkers in the pub at night (they were about an hour behind me doing the exact same route) and neither of them had picked up a single bite so maybe they got all the blood thy needed from me and left everyone else alone.........

[Fiona Reid]

The clegs were diabolical on Lurg Mhor etc today

I've never seen them so bad anywhere. I must have killed 50+ and even then I've still got quite a number of votes.

Covered myself in permethrin, smidge and neat citronella. Sod all works, keep moving, keep killing them, hope for a breeze and even then that breeze needs to be a lot more than we had today.

I confess derived a lot of satisfaction when seeing a spider catch one in Beinn Dronaig bothy and kill and bind it in silk. We'd hidden in there to have the rest of our lunch having had to get in the bothy bag to eat the first half as it was impossible to sit in the open.

Bizarrely, not even the slightest nibble at Lochcarron where we sat by the loch relaxing with juice and crisps for a good 30 mins.

[Old Stag]

The worst I've ever seen over the last few days. Got bitten relentlessly by them slogging over the moors of Lewis.

[Mal Grey]

Hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them, hate them.

Every bite takes a week to stop itching, comes up in a massive itchy lump. I may resort to the Bug Shirt at this rate, though I bet the cleggy bu88ers can bit through it.

Not TOO bad down here at the moment compared with what it sounds like up in the Highlands, but they're definitely thronging more than usual, as are the mozzies in the woods when out with Surrey Wildlife Trust or on the water in the canoe. Hundreds of mozzie bites, but only half a dozen horsefly/deerfly/clegs until tonight when I get another few. And I've had ticks attached in Surrey twice already this spring.

At least we don't get many midges here.

Gotta love summer! Hopefully it will mean that it keeps the human population from constantly expanding in our beloved Highlands!!

[jupe1407]

I assume that given a near flat calm, dry and sunny forecast for the weekend, that an attempt on the Glen Etive hills is going to result in me being massacred?

[audreywaugh]

Just back from Glenmore and Clegs and midges were rife, feet and ankles are a mess, very aggressive this year, a downside to the good weather. Thank goodness I was in the hostel and not camping!

[mmill]

We were walking in Glen etive yesterday up sgor Na h-ulaidh. Lots of flies bugging us, haven't worked out exactly what they were yet. Got desperate enough to try some bog myrtle cream we had and this seem to stop them landing on us.

[IreneM]

Clogs - almost unbearable on Rum over the last few days!

Midgies - not too bad despite there being no wind - think they all had heat-stroke!

[IreneM]

Oops! Meant to say CLEGS!!!

Think I'm suffering from heat-stroke too!

[Billbobaggins]

Clogs - almost unbearable on Rum over the last few days!

Midgies - not too bad despite there being no wind - think they all had heat-stroke!

I think a traditional wooden clog would be unbearable on the hills in any weather haha

[BlackPanther]

We were out in Ben Alder area yesterday, walked from Moy to Geal Charn and Carn Dearg. Clegs were vile, the worst we have ever experienced. They attacked in swarms, especially near water sources. Higher on the ridge there was some wind and that kept them away, but as soon as we tried to sit down by the summit cairn, they were back. Obviously, we couldn't take a lunch break - we were lunch

We have encountered clegs before but never as bad as this. I'm still scratching myself tonight!