It's February, why do I have midges?

[TooBigForMyBoots]

They're hanging around under my clematis arch. I'm not unused to them, They're a constant, big, bitey and aggressive presence in late spring /summer.

But I've never seen and had to avoid them in February.

Perhaps they,re a different species? There are several different kinds of midges. The bitey Scottish midges don't come out til late May, but some others come out in a spell of mild weather.

I was a bit surprised last weekend to find that my French lavender (on a third floor north facing balcony) had not only survived the winter, but had begun to produce flowers.

I don’t think these are biting midges.

Thanks for the replies.