Midget and other bites help

[WhoahThereCrazyHorse]

Hello, can anyone offer any advice, tips, experiences that might help?

I get ANNIHILATED by midges, mosquitos, any biting insects whenever there are any in the vicinity. We are off to Scotland in August and I’m actually quite apprehensive about quite how badly I will be bitten and the effects and after-effects. I’m currently sitting with an ice pack on my ankle as it’s swollen due to being bitten loads last night, feeling really itchy and tight (Didn’t notice any bigs around at the time, was only in my own garden).

Obviously I will do the long sleeve thing and use DEET, but does anyone have any tips, tricks, medical, natural, otherwise?

Really grateful for any and all contributions, thanks.

Didn’t notice any *bugs

Smidge. Anthisan for bites. Whereabouts in Scotland are you going? Some areas are better than others. We just came back from camping at Loch Lomond and the midges weren't that bad, it depends on the weather.

Ahh... I was hoping for a very strange thread from the typo in the title. Such a pity.

On topic, I've heard that mosquitos etc dont like marmite. Apparently if you eat lots they can smell it in your blood and avoid you. I have NO IDEA how it works, or if it's just an old wives tale, but my dad grew up on the west coast of Scotland and he swears by the stuff. He never does get bitten, so it may be true - worth a shot?

Scottish people I know use smidge repellent. It's DEET free. They seem to rate it (but not the bugs).

The website also has the midge forecast.

I’m the same. A biting insect magnet.
This will sound very weird, but it worked miraculously well for me. I was advised by a regular traveller to exotic places to eat lots of marmite because it puts them off! No idea whatsoever about the science, if any, but as I said it works for me (seriously!)

Im also a delicacy to flying bitey bastards, vitamin b (which is found in marmite) really helps, I have a slow release one from boots, start taking it before you go, although now if you're being bitten at home anyway, and keep taking whilst on holiday. Work out which antihistamine works for you by trying the different ones (supermarket own brands just as good) and if no luck see your gp - mine prescribes me fexofenadine which is really good for me. Also I didn't find midge bites affected me in the same way as mosquitos so you might be lucky!

Ha ha. Not been bitten by many midgets recently !

Start taking your vitamin B NOW (marmite is high in vitamin B that’s why it works) excess is excreted in sweat & they wee bastards don’t like it! You need to start ASAP though as it takes a while to build up levels but it really works.

sadly it doesn’t seem put the clegs off...

If you are going near the Borders then the midges are full.
Of me!!

Well it might be a bit drastic but I'm always eaten alive, except if pregnant!! Never touch me when pregnant.

They are bad just now here as its so close and muggy. We use anything citronella based on horses. Avon skin so soft used to be the go to but I think they changed the ingredients. Lots of shops sell local type stuff, midge away, smidge that midge, for example.

They are usually worse here if sitting out of an evening, not so bad in day.

If it's windy they don't tend to be out and about.

Where are you going?
Buy a 'batons midge jacket', get some Smidge (don't use Deet, fucking awful stuff for delicate ecosystems) and some citronella incense sticks.

if I get a bite from anything I find the best way to damp it down and cut the itchy burn is to rub a dry (preferably brand new) bar of soap over it, give it a good go, as if you were rubbing in a generous amount of lotion and didn't want to be slidey

and failing that a blast of really hot water from a shower helps

I never worked out prevention really...I am the Black Forest Gateau on the menu of all bugs.

I don’t think people with dwarfism like to be called midgets.

I’m Scottish, smidge works well.

It's B1 that does it but a high dose B multi should do the trick as well. Supposedly garlic. But yes Smidge, it actually works really well. Much more effective than things like Jungle Formula for midgies.
Also physical barriers like a hat with midgie netting. Not the sexiest look but it works.

Oh my god!!!!! What a typo. Sorry 😳

Thanks all. East coast then Cairngorms.

Midget bite! Funniest thing I've seen all day Thank you auto correct for that gem.

Sorry OP, if it's any consolation 'funniest' was almost 'funkiest'.