View Full Version : Planning ahead to deal with the Scottish Midge
Snowfire
16-03-2010, 22:09
I know it's early in the year but I need to get this organised.
I'm off to Scotland (Loch Morar) at the end of May with my Scouts. I've been told the midges can be bad there at that time of the year and that we should get them head nets. Endicotts have mozzie nets at a price we can afford but will these be fine enough to keep out the midges? :mosquitos:
If not can anyone suggest a suitable alternative. I don't think making them is realistic as I need 16 of them.
Also is there anything I need to be aware of in how the nets fasten? I don't want them hanging themselves by accident on drawstrings or the like. Actually I don't want them hanging themselves on purpose either - too much form filling :rolleyes:
Thanks in advance.
Mozzie nets won't do.
Headnets are easily and widely available and cost about a fiver, and are worth every penny.
Beatons Midge jackets are highly recommended when the midgies are rapaciously hungry :sigh: and yes, you can sleep in them.
cheers,
Toddy
As Toddy says the mozzie nets are to coarse a weave for the wee blighters up there.
LifeSystems do a midge/mozzie headnet for about £8 each.
These look good for £5 ...
http://www.midgie.net/
But you can't really beat the Beaton jacket as it offers full protection for the upper body. If it's hot and stifling up there when you go you might be happy for the arm protection at least. They're not cheap at £20 but worth every penny.
Best bet in the Scottish midge season is to go to Portugal or the Canary Islands :)
You might be ok at the end of May - midge season is variable but they likely won't be at their worst.
I use the trinity of head net over Akubra hat, repellent and smudge fire.
Best repellent I've so far used is the US Army 'new DEET formulation' sold commercially as Ultrathon, but ask ten Scots and you'll get ten different repellent recommendations.:)
DEET isn't ideal for kids. Mozzy Off is agood herbal option. You might pick a bit of bog myrtle - it helps a bit.
Forgot to say, I've been using Autan and it works for me :approve: This is a great delight since almost nothing else keeps the blighters away from me.
cheers,
Toddy
Avon skin so soft works too.
I'm a bloke so how do I know? The Army told me, and they swear by it!!
I thought they were kidding but no, it works.
Jungle Formula brand will melt spectacle legs and lenses and quite a few modern fabrics so beware.
Liam
Avon skin so soft works too.
Jungle Formula brand will melt spectacle legs and lenses and quite a few modern fabrics so beware.
Liam
And Swiss Army kknife handles. Don't ask how I know.
your no going to belive this but it works.......Skin so soft, available from Avon.
Best repellent I've so far used is the US Army 'new DEET formulation' sold commercially as Ultrathon, but ask ten Scots and you'll get ten different repellent recommendations.:)
I don't know about the 'new' stuff but I got some of the old stuff on my lip once; lip went numb for an hour or so. :eek:
The Avon skin-so-soft did work on Georgia 'skeeters and would leave your skin so soft, we laughed at first but then was, "let me try that".
Mozzie/midge nets have been a topic of late, so for example....
http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/8039/0000018s.jpg
The top head net is this one:
http://www.basegear.com/repelheadnet.html
I really like this one, it is perhaps the best head net known to Bravo4. :approve:
The lower is this one:
http://store.everestgear.com/eqcg8941.html
This one is....not the net you're looking for...
Mora Clipper handle shown for scale.
helixpteron
17-03-2010, 01:53
Like that ranger band retainer idea! http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/helixpteron/happy0034.gif
Got one of the Lifeventure head nets, but not liking the 'Phantom of The Opera' type appearance, I'm thinking along the lines of Rik's idea!
Does anyone know how they're likely to be on the west coast in mid-June? Got a couple of nights lined up there and need to figure out precautions...
Definitely :D.......on the other hand they don't like wind so you might get lucky.
cheers,
Toddy
Grooveski
17-03-2010, 08:57
It's just your luck. The slightest breeze will tone them down.
It's a couple of years since I've seen them bad. Just been lucky with breezes.
Keep you're eye open for headnets with an elasticated cord that wraps under your armpits. They offer a better seal round the neck of long sleeved t-shirts than the usual ones.
A pair of really thin gloves are good too.
Melonfish
17-03-2010, 09:35
got my skin so soft on order already ;)
i'm also trying those highland patches this year, see how they go, could be a horrible failure could work a treat, who knows :D
Choosing your camping spot well and appropriate clothing can help as much as any repellent.
scrogger
17-03-2010, 10:53
Whats the thoughts on how bad they will be this year anyway? The larvae overwinter in the top 2 to 3 inchs of soil so is there any chance the very cold winter will have given them a bit of a bashing? I am currently planning my first summer trip to Scotland for years as swmbo hates the winged beasts but this year she has agreed to have a cottage in Knoydart:mosquitos:.
With a second week in another cottage near Loch Tulley. we are planning on the last 2 weeks in August :rolleyes:
We will have to see I guess, if it goes badly it will be first summer trip in years and last summer trip in years and I will get a :twak:
Andy
gregorach
17-03-2010, 11:15
Whats the thoughts on how bad they will be this year anyway? The larvae overwinter in the top 2 to 3 inchs of soil so is there any chance the very cold winter will have given them a bit of a bashing?
It's quite likely that the harsh winter will have knocked them back a bit, but the difference between 10 trillion midgies and 5 trillion midgies isn't likely to help much...
scrogger
17-03-2010, 11:19
Aye Duncan but it all aids my plans half the numbers half the bites. lol well at least I hope so anyway. Its a starting point at least. I reckon I might order swmbo a nasa space suit!!
Snowfire
17-03-2010, 21:13
Many thanks for the suggestions, links and pictures they were very helpful.
:You_Rock_
I'll be putting in a bulk order for Skin so soft too.
I really like the idea of Portugal or the Canaries but I can't see it going down too well with the Fundraising committee at this stage :)
to doss in when its really warm i use my dd hammock as a tent as the netting does a good job of keeping the pesky critters out
davyowens
17-03-2010, 23:34
to doss in when its really warm i use my dd hammock as a tent as the netting does a good job of keeping the pesky critters out
I used to plan every trip giving careful consideration to the scottish midge...until last year when I became really aquainted with the scottish deertick & ended up with 27 holes on my ar**/legs & a month long course of antibiotics.............midges are lovely wee things compared to ticks...especially when encountered in such numbers....the main weapon in the fight against the midge is the humble campfire...
I used to plan every trip giving careful consideration to the scottish midge...until last year when I became really aquainted with the scottish deertick & ended up with 27 holes on my ar**/legs & a month long course of antibiotics.............midges are lovely wee things compared to ticks...especially when encountered in such numbers....the main weapon in the fight against the midge is the humble campfire...
:eek: Where did you manage to pick all those up from ?
(So I can avoid it myself)
davyowens
18-03-2010, 00:02
:eek: Where did you manage to pick all those up from ?
(So I can avoid it myself)
Sea kayaking trip along the wild Northwest shore of loch long....left from village of Arrochar & paddled along the uninhabited shoreline as far as loch goil - landing at three excellent spots - all of which had grass like a bowling green but were infested...not aware of them until day 2 then we basically had to stay off the grass!!!!!!!!!! Had to scutinize & De-tick every item of our equipment..We were not strangers to ticks & have encountered them many times over the years.... but here.....over a six day trip...we removed hundreds of them from our gear...in twenty years in the hills I've not encountered the likes of it.....Going into this season with a sense of paranoia!
Sea kayaking trip along the wild Northwest shore of loch long....left from village of Arrochar & paddled along the uninhabited shoreline as far as loch goil - landing at three excellent spots - all of which had grass like a bowling green but were infested...not aware of them until day 2 then we basically had to stay off the grass!!!!!!!!!! Had to scutinize & De-tick every item of our equipment..We were not strangers to ticks & have encountered them many times over the years.... but here.....over a six day trip...we removed hundreds of them from our gear...in twenty years in the hills I've not encountered the likes of it.....Going into this season with a sense of paranoia!
I did a three day trek (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34452&highlight=%22loch+long%22) with a pal round there about 18 months ago and we managed to stay tick free the whole time. It was pretty cold and wet most of the time but it's amazing how some people seem to get them more than others.
davyowens
18-03-2010, 00:20
I did a three day trek (http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34452&highlight=%22loch+long%22) with a pal round there about 18 months ago and we managed to stay tick free the whole time. It was pretty cold and wet most of the time but it's amazing how some people seem to get them more than others.
We were there in July...was a mixture of dry & wet....the shores we camped on were near old crofting ruins....one had a forestry track nearby.
I seemed to attract many more of the parasites than my younger bro...but I reckoned that was because I done much more work preparing our campsites!!!!
But- importantly - the bushcraft lesson {for me} here is to read my own quote "grass like a bowling green" & ask myself - why in the month of July is the grass on a totally uninhabited shore {which is backed by dense deer forest} so bloody short - has someone taken up extreme lawn mowing or have we just landed on the worlds most overgrazed grass patch!!! Hindsight is a great thing isn't it? worth noting though is that you do not ever get them on gravel but a shame the space between the high tide mark & the grassline
was only 1 metre wide!!!!!!!!
You need one of these ! A 4M square one. This picture was taken beside Loch Shiel at the beginning of June and yes the midges were out but only morning and evening.
Stick it up then sit inside and laugh at the midges. Won't help with the ticks
This took about an hour to make.
NS
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z53/rw20330/IMG_1140.jpg
davyowens
23-03-2010, 22:25
You need one of these ! A 4M square one. This picture was taken beside Loch Shiel at the beginning of June and yes the midges were out but only morning and evening.
Stick it up then sit inside and laugh at the midges. Won't help with the ticks
This took about an hour to make.
NS
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z53/rw20330/IMG_1140.jpg
Looks like an excellent bit of kit...great idea.
Scotland has about 5 biting species of midges and IIRC they live in different areas. This kind of explains why different repellants are recommended by different Scots. East coast midges are different from the western ones. Skin so soft works very well on western midges. Others take a dislike to autan or deet products. I don't have the fully skinny on it but a mate with more experience of Scotland than me gave me the lowdown once. I didn't listen because no matter what I put on I still get bitten. I use skin so soft and autan but have a boots deet repellent too. Take a bit of everything so you have choices.
BTW there is another technique which kind of works providing your not like me. That is find someone who is positively desireable to midges who will attract all the midges for a square mile. Sit nearby but not too near as a few midges will circle you looking for him / her. Basically I am suggesting that you find someone to take your midge bites for you. I am one such person but am not offereing to do said job. I'vebeen wlaking along with a 5metre column of midges above my head when everyone else had been commenting on how few midges there were. That is why I take as many different repellants as I know of including citronella tealights for my uco mini candle lantern and the buggeroff tin candles. I also now own a craghoppers nosquito longsleeve shirt. This will be going on with a head net as soon as I see my first midge cloud.
AS far as I can see there is only one positive aspect of being so attractive to midges and that is tick avoid me. I don't know why or indeed if this is universally true but anectdotally those who get plagued by midges rarely get tick bites. Thats certainly true with me. Conversely I have friends who can walk through clouds of midges to see them part like the Red Sea before them only to be forever picking ticks off. Which type would you rather be? Ticks can pass something dangerous on to you midges can't.
I once saw something like a midge net that extended from the tarp over the upper part of your sleeping bag / bivvy bag. That wayif you opened your sleeping bag up on a hot night you still get protection but it is still very light. I think it was less than 80g.
This is the result from going for a 2 minute pee wearing shorts in western Scotland:
http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab301/gweedo01/Canoeing/20080609Midgebitesonleg1.jpg?t =1269453442
Next time, I'm gonna take one of these:
http://i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab301/gweedo01/Canoeing/20080608Midgecatcher.jpg?t=126 9453570
Was this recently? I'm off to Skye in a month or two and if the midges are out already then I'll be stuffed. The buggers go for me big time. I reckon I'd be as bad as you if they are out if not worse. Skin so soft and autan are now going to be put in my pack.