As the UK warms up there are higher pollen and pollution levels. There are the UV levels to watch in summer and for Scotland the return of biting Midge season. It's not all sunny smiles and barbeques.
Imagine, it’s been a fine, sunny day, not too hot, but warm with a nice breeze. You’ve been walking in the hills, watching the salmon fishing from a distance, seen a few deer. You are back at camp or lodgings and it should be time to sit down with your evening meal and a tipple to watch the sunset. Hello Midges!
As the wind eases down, the sunlight fades, here they come, ready for their meal, you! They are the bane of the summer months in Highland Scotland and at times other areas too. Can we have good or bad midge seasons? What does a midge forecast consider, will they not just be about every evening May until September? What can I do to combat them?
The survival of midges relies on the females getting a decent supply of blood. When they find a source, human or animal they summon their friends. There are different types with different behaviours but the ones in Scotland don’t tend to operate in bright sunlight or brisk winds. You get midges in Africa, Australia even Lapland, a summer visit is quite different to a winter one. Temperature and moisture affect the hatching and survival.
These midges shouldn’t be troubling anyone too much, quite early in the season, probably males who don’t bite. It’s June, July and part of August when the biting season is in full force.
Seasonal cycle
Over a year there will be peaks of midges following a cycle of eggs being laid, larvae to pupae in the ground, the midges appearing, mating and back to more eggs.
Egg laying; that’s why the female bites you, she needs blood reserves to develop her eggs. The eggs/larvae are below ground in the winter, appearing near the surface as the soil warms up, yet they need some moisture to develop and hatch. A lack of rainfall in at this time will greatly affect midge pupae. When is this though? Usually, the season starts in June for biting midges. A warm spring could draw things forward with more midges appearing in May, yet after our extended winter that seems unlikely this year (2018). A severe cold winter won’t have killed off the midges as they are buried underground, think of Lapland.
However, if everything is early, after a warm fine spring, the females can lay their first set of eggs early too. Usually, they would only hatch the following year but if weather conditions are right, warm with rain, you can get a late summer next generation, in addition to the last year egg hatchings. That would mean extra midges. They are looking for wet soil to lay their eggs on, and the hatching pupae need moisture to survive. So, a timely dry spell is vital to reduce midge numbers early in the season. How the spring is and how the summer progresses can alter the later part of the same season. If the summer is damp but warm around August, there can be some September nibbling.
Climate change is providing the warmth, year after year. Western Scotland has been wet climatologically compared with the rest of the UK, even if a drier trend appears it could still be wet, wet enough for those midges to thrive. Highland Scotland has ideal habitats for the midge eggs, damp, some shelter, thick vegetation
Forecasting each day
Bright sunlight usually keeps the midges at bay. Low light but still warm, early morning and dusk are prime biting times, time to get the midge spray on and cover up those limbs and ankles.
They are only little creatures so they don’t appear when the wind picks up. Often in the evening or early morning, the winds are light enough for them to get busy. Over 6mph winds can be effective in curtailing their activities.
Cloudy days or in the shade of forests. When do we get more cloud? Frontal systems from the Atlantic will bring more cloud but also freshening winds. High pressure can bring steady conditions with either clear blue skies and sunshine or lingering layer cloud and gloom. Here the same conditions can last for days and winds can be light. If you are at the edge of a high pressure, there will be more breeze, but any light rain won’t stop them. Within a forest, it is more sheltered anyway.
Temperature; They are less active below 10C and well subdued below 3C but so am I.
The Scottish Midge Forecast is created using data collected from biting midge traps (highest numbers are traditionally in early June) and weather stations across Scotland. Alongside weather forecast data, it gives a view of potential midge levels throughout the season. The 2018 forecasts launch mid-May.
What to do
There is always someone in a group who gets bitten loads, someone who reacts to the bites and another person who seems to miss it all and gloats “midges don’t like me”. Don’t stand near them, stand near the well bitten person. The midges smell you.
Wear lighter clothing, they seem to like being camouflaged against dark material. Hope for a breeze and sunshine.
Climb a mountain, there are fewer up high. Get a head net with fine mesh. Don’t leave your windows, doors, tent open at dusk or dawn. Time your activities and plan around a forecast.
Accept that if you go to certain places in midge season, they will be there.
Some people swear by Avon Skin 'So Soft' (green bottle), others taking vitamin B1 for a few weeks before, citronella candles, smoke from a campfire. There are various sprays. I’m about to try Trek Midge & Tick spray (formerly Repel Midge) and Smidge for my upcoming Guide camp, I will let you know how I get on and I’m hoping not to need a head-net just yet.
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