Midges. Just how bad can they get?

[rosetulips]

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?

Do not underestimate how bad midges can get in some places, particularly in west coast.

one minute midge challenge:

I'm in Dumfriesshire too - no midges here except very occasionally in the evening. But I would avoid woodland - by avoid I mean don't buy a house in a wood. And the coast should be fine.

Don't forget that some of us are tastier than others. Some people just don't seem to get bothered by them in the way others do.

Glasgow here. I've had the odd bite if I'm outside on a summer's evening and standing still. But I'm an insect magnet.
As pp have said further north can be truly dreadful, but it's massively localised. The things don't travel far and only come out if it's low light levels, still and slightly damp. Family used to live in a village on the west coast. Their garden was fine, a friend's down the road was appalling.

They are in certain places (trees, lochs, gardens maybe) at certain times for year (summer/autumn) usually evening. And they aren't there all the time so if in garden one day doesn't mean always there.

And not everyone gets bitten. Have seen less than 5 clegs in 40 years, definitely not regularly.

Also Glasgow and they're not a massive issue here.

However just a bit further north e.g. Helensburgh and they can be horrendous.

Not had an issue with them on the North East coast, south of Aberdeen. I walk and cycle rurally a lot.

We frequently holiday in Scotland and I appear to be a tasty snack for the midges. We bought a Thermacell which works great but would be expensive for daily use on a permanent basis. A friend who lives in the area swears by eating Marmite and/or taking B vitamins. I have tried pretty much every insect repellent going with and without Deet but the only thing that works for me is a little tin of something called Nordic Summer, stopped the midges, but made me smell like a bonfire!

I've heard the marmite thing before too.
Only anecdotal of course, but that was borne out when our dd, who loved her marmite was the only one not badly bitten when we went to Scotland.

Take me with you.

I could almost guarantee they won’t touch you if I was there.

I am delicious to the bastard things.

Lived in the Central Belt for years, no problem. Highly recommended.

Went to Loch Lomond, we all got eaten alive, dogs were coughing up midges they'd inhaled, it was hideous. Campsite was like a dystopian nightmare with people wandering around in netted hats & masks.

Never again.

I've lived on the west coast most of my life and have never been bothered by them

fort William, Rannoch and north west are hellish for them. I camped at Kinlochewe last year and it was truly awful. Not as bad as this though
m.youtube.com/watch?v=ID5DslhAZ2Y

This reminded me of a trip to Kintyre many years ago. We went at New Year so no problem with midges, but the visitors' book - specifically the summer months-was hilarious: "christ the midges", "eaten alive by midges" etc. They are little buggers.

Moved to crieff a year or so back and not experienced them here. But every single time I've biked around loch earn I've been absolutely covered in bites by the time I get back. I reckon they start at st fillans!

Lived in Cumbria most of my life and am used to general midginess, but the ones up here are def worse.

Clegs are little shits too. And I’ve only recently heard of keds (deer flies) which rarely bite humans but it’s not unknown and they sound decking horrific
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipoptena_cervi

#fecking

and don’t forget ticks! Also nasty and becoming more widespread

I grew up in D&G. There was one night I remember them being really bitey but it has stuck in my head because it wasn’t usually a problem… Am nearly 50 😁

Ticks are fuckers though. I used to pull them off all the time without a seconds thought but am way more wary now

Eww came back to this to an array of insects. I live in the countryside in the SE England. We have deer in our garden. I'm thinking that we probably get a number of creepy crawlies and ticks. I wear trousers every single time and act like a complete townie and rarely sit in the grass without a gigantic picnic rug and I think that may have happened once. Ever. I have lots of garden furniture on a patio though 😁

So if I was to move to Dumfries in a house with lots of land that sounds like it may be a no go for avoiding these monsters?

Midges like warm, moist, stillness and are usually most active at dusk. They don’t like bright sunlight or wind.
Ticks can be avoided if you cover up
Klegs don’t seem to mind the wind or sun and can bite through two layers of clothes (I know this from experience)
Keds I wouldn’t worry about.
having said all that I’ve lived in Scotland all my life and love it here. I’m more east coast so not bothered by any of the above too much day to day.
I don’t think the Borders is as bad for midges as the west highlands but I’ve no experience of there.

However I am a keen outdoorsy person so I go armed. Skin so Soft by Avon is good as a midge repellant. Midge hood for the really bad days (not that often as it’s usually always breezy up a hill. I tend to always wear long sleeves and long light trousers coz I just can’t be arsed slapping on layers of sun cream and insect repellant.
i wouldn’t let it put you off moving to Scotland.

Ticks are on the hills in ferns and scrubby grass - so hillwalking cover your legs.
Never seen one in my garden in the countryside and I garden all the time (grass, woodland, shrubs,veg) that's over 50 years!

Don't think Dumfries would be too much of an issue. Have you looked at the Borders?

My DM’s garden has loads of ticks I’m afraid, she’d often find them on her after she cut the grass. She’d get deer in her garden though.