Midges - advice

[Quandary]

They are too drunk to notice.

Naw, not first thing in the morning, almost sober then.

 

[Kelpie]

When I was wee we used to camp in Aviemore in a tent designed more with France in mind. There was fine gauge netting which was just the right size to let in a hungry midge, but not big enough to permit the exit of an engorged one. This led to a thin veil of squashed midges clogging up the mesh as they attempted to leave. I don't know if anybody won there.

 

[Bodach na mara]

It is a well known fact in these parts (that we normally keep secret from strangers from darf sarf, so don't be telling everyone this) that the midge hates the smell of beer. However it is no use rubbing it over you, it must be consumed and allowed to seep out of the pores in your skin. You will notice an improvement about ten minutes after consuming only one pint, however to maintain the effectiveness, at least two should be taken. This will protect you for an hour or two, but topping up at intervals is advisable. After a few hours, you will not feel a thing.

 

[Greenheart]

Good grief Dylan, all this advice after my mild suggestion elsewhere about ventilating the Centaur's cabin?

Pretty sure I heard that Queen Victoria objected to midges while at Balmoral, and claimed that smoking discouraged them. I wonder if she found herself addicted to discouraging them?

Of all unlikely products, SWMBO and I bought 3 square yards of wedding-dress netting - it's stiff stuff that gives bridal gowns their puffy volume - and used it to screen our very big opening windows at home. Not the prettiest job of attachment, but I was in a hurry towards sundown on a hot July night, and to be fair it lasted through the winter storms.

Now we get a nice draught through the flat after dark without midges, mosquitos or ruddy great eight-legged hunters stopping in to say how-do. The netting & tape cost under £5.

 

[pandroid]

Ikea sells a mosquito net big enough to go over the whole cockpit for about a fiver. (They are intended to go over a bed). The Swedes use them in the nature harbours to cover almost the entire boat.

 

[dylanwinter]

Ikea sells a mosquito net big enough to go over the whole cockpit for about a fiver. (They are intended to go over a bed). The Swedes use them in the nature harbours to cover almost the entire boat.

this is good

midge proof or just mozzie proof do you reckon?

D

 

[Greenheart]

Interesting question...how far will one go, to avoid the irritation?

Maybe avoid playing Ultravox tracks?

View attachment 41347

Or, risk resembling Jake Gyllenhaal in some weird forest-moon movie?

View attachment 41345

 

[Thistle]

Lots of good advice given re-avoidance of bites. But even with all precautions taken some bites are pretty much inevitable. Some people seem immune to the bites though who in the party is immune may vary as you move around the country and encounter different local populations. There are plenty of over-the-counter anti-histamine preparations available based on cetirizine, loratadine, and various other substances. Find one which suits you, take a goodly supply and think about using them before getting bitten to avoid the itching. (Consult your pharmacist professional advice.)

 

[KellysEye]

Another thing you can do that the Warao Indians in the Orinnoco river do, is find an ants nest, cut a piece off the nest and rub it over bare skin.

If you happen to live in a rainforest then these are other things we were shown:

The bark they use for treating fever; the bark for smallpox; the type of palm used for roofing and how to lay it; the type of vine used for binding the palm; the type of vine used for crab pots; a liana that holds drinking water (just cut it and hold to mouth); a nut that also holds drinking water that is slightly bitter; a fibre net that encases an inedible fruit but the covering is used both as a net and to make fire; the palm used to make canoe paddles; the palm that Palm Hearts come from. To get the palm heart means chopping down the tree and it was interesting that after we ate the heart he planted a cutting to replace the tree - but this was not a cutting as we know it, it was five feet long and ten inches in diameter! You might think that we walked for hours to find those things but they were all within fifty yards of each other. It was almost as if every other plant has a use. Apparently the Warao can live off four types of palm tree plus a bit of fishing and hunting. The palm tree that they make most use of they call the Tree of Life.

Hope that helps;-)

 

[oldharry]

Ticks, however, are a much more dangerous insect carrying some really nasty infections and diseases and while not as numerous as midges are in the vegetation nearly everywhere that there are sheep, deer, hares or rabbits.
Perhaps it is safer down south, Awol gives good advice on this!

Sorry, ticks are common down south too. My BiL who lives in the New Forest sees them regualarly. 3 years ago he went down with what was identified as a tick-born disease, and was seriously ill for nearly 18 months, neaerly dying before the Doctors identified it. Cover up arms and legs completely before pushing through undergrowth and bracken - even here down south.

We were in the Hebrides 18 months ago, and they were all swearing by a new anti-midge cream/spray developed by local doctors. Cant remember the name unfortunately, but it really worked.

 

[Daydream believer]

?

Of all unlikely products, SWMBO and I bought 3 square yards of wedding-dress netting - it's stiff stuff that gives bridal gowns their puffy volume - and used it to screen our very big opening windows at home. Not the prettiest job of attachment, but I was in a hurry towards sundown on a hot July night, and to be fair it lasted through the winter storms.

Now we get a nice draught through the flat after dark without midges, mosquitos or ruddy great eight-legged hunters stopping in to say how-do. The netting & tape cost under £5.[/QUOTE]

Yes but the wedding cost £ 25K & the divorce £ 250 K

 

[Greenheart]

Odd as it may seem, every advantage of marriage is available without the enormous downside of having to be involved in one!

 

[SimbaDog]

I made some covers with this stuff: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Window-Sc...tures_Accessories_EH&var=&hash=item20de27ecc5

 

[Quandary]

We were in the Hebrides 18 months ago, and they were all swearing by a new anti-midge cream/spray developed by local doctors. Cant remember the name unfortunately, but it really worked.

Suspect that is 'Smidge', as well as meterology Aberdeen University has a department looking at midges and they came up with a spray on repellent about 2 years ago, however it is the CO2 in your breath that guides them to you so if you can avoid breathing the problem is sorted.

 

[Daydream believer]

Odd as it may seem, every advantage of marriage is available without the enormous downside of having to be involved in one!

What ? get your smalls washed, grub cooked, house tidied, without having to offer anything in return
Do not believe it

 

[Greenheart]

What ? get your smalls washed, grub cooked, house tidied, without having to offer anything in return...Do not believe it

It is all down to the fact that my wife does not understand me !!

Need I say anything?

 

[nigelmercier]

Sorry, ticks are common down south too. My BiL who lives in the New Forest sees them regualarly. 3 years ago he went down with what was identified as a tick-born disease, and was seriously ill for nearly 18 months ...

My son is being treated for this at the moment. What did they give him?

 

[NorthRising]

A couple of years back they descended when we were locking down at Fort Augustus on the Caledonian Canal, a couple of Scandinavian yachts had some sort of superior chemical to us; we got eaten... The wife had a huge blister on her lip for two months where she was bitten. Evil evil pure evil.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Really just an agreement with what others have said. They don't go far offshore: 50; is enough in my experience, though a few may follow you out in a dinghy. No significant issue in marinas or harbours devoid of greenery either. Avoid cool, damp places in the early evening and you'll be fine.

 

[lenten]

this is good

midge proof or just mozzie proof do you reckon?----

D

mosquito netting is not midge proof-----regards lenten----ps never used deet but have heard it damages plastic---watch straps/clothing etc