Smidge Insect Repellent (75ml)

Product Information

If you're keen to get out and about why not join us on one of our Scottish adventures? How about summit Ben Nevis and learn winter mountain skills? Given the time of year this trip runs, there's not a midge in sight. Leave your Skin so Soft at home and bring your ice axe instead (or you can just borrow one for the weekend). Midges are most active during low-light conditions. If you can, stay indoors at these times. If you're a hardcore great outdoors fan and you're camping, slather yourself in plenty of insect repellent before the sun starts going down. Avoid stopping in long vegetation Don’t worry too much about the midges in Scotland and don’t let them put you off visiting this beautiful country. Midge bites don’t irritate me as much as mosquito or cleg (horse fly) bites and as midges don’t transmit disease to humans, I’m more relaxed about midges. We generally find it’s too windy for midgies most of the time anyway! When you go out and it isn’t that windy, carry a couple of different natural insect repellents and a midge hood and hopefully, you should be fine. What’s the one thing that’s most likely to spoil a sunny holiday above anything else? Mosquito bites. So, it’s a good idea to equip yourself with the best mosquito repellent before jetting off. The best method to stop being bitten in the Highlands is to use a repellent and to recognise the conditions when midges are likely to be most active and avoid going out in them.

DEET-free: contains 20% Picaridn (also known as Saltidin), recommended by WHO, Health Protection Scotland and Public Health England for effective biting-insect protection The 3 inch pillar candles weigh about 340 grams, and burn for over 40 hours. These are NOT inferior dipped candles,

Mozzies are more often found in warm climates and make a distinctive and loud buzzing noise. Scottish midges, on the other hand, are only about 1-3mm, and often grey in colour (unless they've just been guzzling blood, in which case they turn red. Lovely). Midges are found in the Highlands of Scotland because they like to lay their eggs in wet soil. All the damp moss and rushes in the Highlands, therefore, makes it a paradise for midge egg-laying. Only half of them bite – male midges prefer chilling and eating – but the females need the protein in their blood to help grow her eggs. And that's where you come in.

Midge season Scotland usually runs from April to September (the summer months) but depends on the temperature and so can come a bit sooner or last a bit later. Adult midges in Scotland generally start to come out in April and are active on the wing until October. There are often two peaks in emergence which are the worst months for midges in Scotland so these are the best times to avoid – one in late May/early June and the second in late July/early August. It is dependent on the temperature so could start a bit earlier or end slightly later. By early autumn midge numbers start to decrease, which is why September and October are good times to visit Scotland. Wearing light-coloured clothing may attract fewer midges as, like goths, midges seem to prefer dark colours.There's usually a first generation (or wave) and a second generation of midges. In the early autumn midge numbers are on the decrease, which is why September and October are great hiking months in Scotland. WHERE BEST TO AVOID MIDGES IN SCOTLAND? We also recommend carrying a midge head net (also known as a midge hood). We have Smidge head nets which we wear over our Tilley hats. The male midge usually emerges in early May. Shortly after the females join the party. They then get it on and then the male midge dies... ah, nature.

Lifesystems also have a product formulated especially for midges which contains myrtle extract and DEET. It is only the female midge that bites. When female midges emerge they have built up enough fat reserves as a larva to lay their first batch of eggs. To mature more batches of eggs than this initial batch, the female midge needs a blood meal.At your wit's end? Here are some more… unconventional methods to rid yourself of midges. Bog myrtle is a plant found throughout the Highlands which is apparently effective at repelling midges. Tie it to your hat for maximum protection (but don't tell anyone else what you're doing, just own it).

If you've got little ones or are pregnant then it may be best to go with Smidge. Or if you're an 'I don't do chemicals' kinda person then there are completely natural alternatives like citronella. Midges can be a serious nuisance. The worst places for midges in Scotland are the areas where you’ll find their preferred habitats such as wet, boggy, sheltered areas. These places include the north and west coast of Scotland and in the Highlands like Fort William, Glen Coe and the Great Glen. Generally, the east coast tends to be more midge-free. The good news is that there are plenty of parts of Scotland where midges aren't even a problem. The Lowlands, for example, and anywhere when there's a high wind - queue the dad joke. No seriously the tiny little nuisances can't take off when the wind speed exceeds 5mph - the not so mighty Scottish Midge ladies and gentleman...The Care Plus Natural repellent is also made from Citriodol®, a lemon eucalyptus extract which smells fresh and very pleasant, except to the midge! Due to their tiny jaw-span, midges aren't very adept at biting through clothing. It's a good idea to opt for full-length trousers and long-sleeved tops. Your very own midge trap. Keep materials lightweight and breathable if you're hiking in the summer. Get up high