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Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

Original poster

Midges. Just how bad can they get?

53 replies

rosetulips · 22/04/2022 09:58

I'm looking to move to Scotland from south of England (start making (possibly correct) assumptions now). Whenever I mention this to anyone down south I'm met with a torrent of 'but the midges how can you get by with the midges'

I'm about to book a trip up to go see some areas and start to decide what's what but are these little things really everywhere? Does everyone pack their bags and move elsewhere during midge season 😂 im assuming it's somehow possible to survive through it. Are some areas better than others. I'd assumed the midges only really lived in the highlands and only those who wear long trousers up there still have legs...

Should I be put off anywhere in particular?

OP posts:
Colinthedaxi · 22/04/2022 10:00

The West coast is worse than the East! Some people are simply not bothered by them and others, like me, are eaten alive when I’m up North! Where were you thinking of?

SoggyPaper · 22/04/2022 10:01

The midges would come out under the trees at the bottom of my garden on summer evenings in the central belt. It was just what happened. I’ve never really given that too much thought.

it seems like a particularly silly reason to give against moving to Scotland. It’s just midges.

MyCommentWasDeleted · 22/04/2022 10:04

In the highlands they are awful, and I mean astonishingly awful. They seem to gravitate towards me and feast on every patch of exposed piece of skin. May to September is pretty much hunting season for them. In the towns / cities you don’t get them… once you get into the country it’s open season.

Honestly they’re the thing that spoil the highlands and stop me visiting during the summer months.

darlingdodo · 22/04/2022 10:06

West coast Argyll and points north. They can be appalling but areas affected are not always the same or to the same level. In a bad area in a bad year it's awful being outside in the evening.

Plenty people live and holiday in these areas so I'm not sure it has so much of an impact really.

Midge season is usually late May to mid September.

We live in SE Scotland and are never affected at home but have experience of the bitey wee feckers in Kinlochewe, Inverewe and Skye. No sitting out with a glass of wine in the evenings!

Original poster
rosetulips · 22/04/2022 10:11

Sounds reassuring, I'm planning to go up to Dumfries soon as houses seem cheaper there. Will go over the east as well at some point too. Am researching based on house prices atm to see if I can get a nice house in a nice enough area.

OP posts:
Original poster
rosetulips · 22/04/2022 10:11

Oh and I generally get eaten alive by most bugs...

OP posts:
Chemenger · 22/04/2022 10:12

They can be absolutely unbearable. We had a holiday in a house near Braemar and there were days we could not sit outside. We live near Edinburgh and never see them here. I was brought up near Aberdeen and never saw them there. Some people are not bothered by them, other people are midge magnets.

Original poster
rosetulips · 22/04/2022 10:13

@Chemenger I'd definitely be a potential midge magnet !

OP posts:
Wbeezer · 22/04/2022 10:17

Avoid houses near woods and damp spots and the West Highlands and you'll be OK.

Wbeezer · 22/04/2022 10:18

Have you heard about clegs?

nearlyspringyay · 22/04/2022 10:20

Lived in Edinburgh, not a problem. Holiday in Aberdeen kayaking was the predictable scenario. Fucking awful.

Arucanafeather · 22/04/2022 10:26

I live just the other side of the border from Dumfries in Cumbria. I get eaten alive. I’ve discussed smidge (it’s a non deet insect repellent that claims it works on the Scottish midges). It definitely works on the Cumbrian ones which I suspect are the same. We have a beck at the bottom on the garden & livestock so I apply smidge all over once a day from March to October and have no issues… forgot for a couple of days last week & had dozens of itchy bites. I know put it on before deodorant, mosturiser etc to make sure I don’t forget. It’s a lovely, lovely part of the country there. You’ll love it I’m sure. I used to work there, commuting from Cumbria. It’s a different culture and feel to the south bad people said we would like moving to Cumbria as it’s different when you’re not there on holiday but we love it! Edinburgh and Glasgow are a day trip away and the countryside is beautiful and the open space brings me great peace. Happy planning!

Arucanafeather · 22/04/2022 10:26

Sorry! A few typos - discovered not discussed being the biggest. Hope it makes sense.

HeadNorth · 22/04/2022 10:28

I grew up on the west coast so never knew any different. However, now I live in lovely Perthshire I could never move back - I fully appreciate being able to enjoy being outside in the evening without swarms of midges.

You'll be fine in Dumfries - it is only Argyll and upwards on the west coast where they are really hellish. And I mean hellish. If you are not brought up with them, you will struggle.

Original poster
rosetulips · 22/04/2022 10:33

@Wbeezer erm just googled clegs wth?! Urgh scared again now

OP posts:
ApolloandDaphne · 22/04/2022 10:45

I have always lived in central or east Scotland and never been bothered by midges. They aren't everywhere.

mistermagpie · 22/04/2022 10:45

Depends where you live. I live just outside Glasgow and have never been bothered by midges at all. However we went in holiday to the west highlands in the early summer one year and it was terrible. My DH brought full midge net suit things that go over your head and I laughed in his face when I saw them, we'd only been there an hour and I was begging for one!

That's the worst I've seen it but it was very warm and damp on that trip, generally it's not as bad when we go away.

historyrocks · 22/04/2022 11:20

I’m in the Angus area and have never seen them.

Blanketpolicy · 22/04/2022 11:45

We live on the west coast, Ayrshire, and the only time we get bothered by midges was either in fields watching ds play footie on warm damp days or dh would have problems with them when fishing at the river. Otherwise we never notice them.

traintraveller · 22/04/2022 11:56

I grew up in west coast argyll and they could be bad in the summer, especially near water and grass/forest areas. I now live in Glasgow and have no issues here. It wouldn't put me off moving. Cleggs are wee bastards but not that common.

Cryofthecurlew · 22/04/2022 12:07

I live in Dumfries and Galloway, admittedly by the sea and I’m a favourite of midges mosquitos etc and I don’t have any problems. When I stayed on the west coast after about 5 pm I was eaten alive in about 3 minutes stunning area but I couldn’t live there.

Cryofthecurlew · 22/04/2022 12:09

Should add I was also eaten alive at Loch Lommond no problems in Glasgow or on the Ayrshire coast.

Lyricallie · 22/04/2022 12:10

I live in the Highlands (as north as you can go before hitting the north see) and really don't have issues with midges at all. I grew up in Glasgow and again not much issue, you might walk through a clump of them under a tree but a "oh yuck midges" then moving on with your walk was about it. I've only ever had it awful once and I was about 10 years of age on girl guide camp in Perthshire. And I assume that's because we were camping near trees.

I just chuck on some smidge if I think I'm going to be near them e.g. on a river walk.

Lyricallie · 22/04/2022 12:10

*north sea

CuddlyCactus · 22/04/2022 12:27

I live east central Scotland and never had midge problem here

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