HOME & GARDEN
The scourge of the summer S
UMMER: the sun is shining (some- times), the days are long, the garden is
beckoning...and swarms of midges are lying in wait.
The scourge of the Scottish summer has ruined many a glorious day but it is by no means a re- cent phenomenon; back in 1872 even Queen Victoria was forced to abandon a Highland picnic after complaining of being ‘half-devoured’ by the beasties. Prevalent at dawn and dusk the midge is par- ticularly problematic in Argyll and the Highlands, where damp conditions provide perfect breeding grounds.
A single midge measures one millimetre in length with a wingspan of less than two millimetres but they sure feel bigger when they bite! The male is less of a nuisance, happy to feed off plants and nectar; it is the female of the species that is vicious. She requires blood to help form her eggs and when she’s alerted to our presence by smelling carbon dioxide in our breath she at-
tacks - along with thousands of girlfriends! 3,000 bites in an hour, while 40,000 midges can land on an unprotected arm over the same pe- riod. After their - or more likely, your - retreat the effects of the attack can still be seen. The bite marks will be itchy, often lead to swelling and, oc- casionally, other complications.
But not everyone appears to be appetising to the midge; some remain oblivious to their at- face of the insects’ advances. There are many theories about what can offer the best protection from attack, ranging from citronella, bog myrtle, repellents including the chemical DEET, cigarette smoke or simply staying indoors at certain times of day. Research into midge bite prevention is on- guidance on how best to beat the midge. No doubt readers of West Coast Review will be experienced enough with midges to know how best to avoid them.
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