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The carbon dioxide in your breath draws them like a magnet. It is the aggressive female midge that bites. She can only lay her eggs after she has had a blood meal. Make what you will of that. In the Highlands midge populations can reach densities of 10,000,000 midges per acre in ideal conditions. Ideal for whom?
It is not much of a consolation to know that she has only a short life span of a few weeks. One of the mountain plants eats midgies. Good. Some people she does not bite. You'll have to ask her.
Midges start to become a problem in June and usually last through to August. The first frost kills them off. A mild winter, a lot of rain in Spring and a warm temperature will breed midges. They come out mostly from the late afternoon up to dusk in sheltered valleys and woods. They don't like direct strong sunlight, or windy days. You seldom find them above 1,000 feet high or in rocky areas. (But it is possible)
Twice only in the past 20 years in which this has been a family cottage have we known the midges to be bad here, at this spot by the water. Honest. If you are being bitten to death then you won't believe us.
HOW TO AVOID MIDGES
Avoid forest walks like the plague. Midges don’t like wind or sunshine. Avoid mornings and avoid evenings. If it has been damp, then avoid days, too. Wear long sleeve tops and avoid shorts and wear light coloured clothes. Use a midge repellent or Avon So Soft.
THE OFFICIAL
free BAYVIEW GUIDE TO MIDGES
DEALING WITH MIDGES IN SCOTLAND
Give forest sand trees a miss
Midges love the damp
Avoid females at all costs
Stop breathing
Avoid being the Chosen One
Stay light and bright
Get pregnant before you go
Get a severe attack of wind
Stay in bed some days
Climb Ben Nevis
Go rock climbing
Use Avon So Soft oily soap so they slide
off your skin -
