Biting Midges

Biting midges are tiny (1-3 mm in size) flies (Diptera) that have the potential to ruin a fishing trip to many wild places in the UK, including north Wales, the Lake District, Yorkshire dales, Cornwall and particularly Scotland. Basically, midges like locations which are sheltered and warm with high rainfall and humidity. They lay their eggs in damp boggy ground such as acidic peat bogs and grasslands.  They are on the wing from April to October and their population numbers peak in the summer (July and August) when they can reach hugely problematic numbers. The biting midges are part of the family of midges known as Ceratopogonidae, with walkers and fishers most likely to be bitten by the ferocious female of Culicoides impunctatus. They will bite any part of your body that is exposed, including getting into your hair, ears, eyebrows, eyelids …. as well as getting up your shirt sleeves and trousers legs if these are not sealed off fully. In short they are major menace that can suck the joy out of a fishing trip in double quick time, even if the fish are actively feeding.

You will generally encounter them in low light (<260 W/m2) and still air conditions (wind < 7m/h). So if the sun is out in full or there is a good breeze then they will be sheltering and you will be fine. Similarly, they will be absent in light or heavier rain. Stopping to sit in the shade of a tree to have some refreshments will remind you that they are never far away. Similarly, early morning or evening sessions with lower light conditions will be prime times for attack. They are absent above 500m altitude and I have seldom encountered them in the Welsh Uplands above 400m. If they do start bothering you it is best to move and find another spot as they release a pheromone when they feed that will attract others. Planning ahead with the phenomenal midge forecast in Scotland is a must.

If numbers are low to moderate then an insect repellent will do the job. Smidge is highly effective at keeping the little blighters at bay. Once numbers reach problematic levels then a head net in combination with a repellent is best. I also wear a long sleeved shirt with the cuffs taped down, fishing gloves and my trousers tucked into long socks and knee length gaiters. Another effective but outdated solution is smoking. I recall a fishing session with some of the locals at Loch Maree, Scotland in August 1997 where the local fishermen’s solution was to smoke 2 cigarettes at a time, one in each corner of their mouth. The clouds of cigarette smoke collecting around their face under the brim of a hat were very effective …. well they were for the locals but given I don’t smoke the solution was of little benefit to me. I lasted all of an hour on that occasion as I was not properly prepared and since then I carry a head net and repellent in my fishing backpack at all times.

I can take being bitten on my arms etc but being bitten on my eyelids was just too much. If you do get bitten don’t rub or scratch the affected area as this will make the itch, from the anticoagulant they inject into the wound when feeding, much worse. Some people react badly to the bites and it might be an idea to carry an anti-histamine tablet like Piriton and Eurax hydocortisone cream. I recall meeting a Dutch couple hiking the West Highland way who reacted so badly to the midge bites that they looked like they had a bad case of chicken pox. 

So be prepared so the blighters don’t ruin your fishing trip.

Tight Lines

Greg