Midges

scatterbrainedlass · Apr 23, 2017

Osca said:
It did get me thinking, though. Genes must play a part; maybe also diet? or immune reaction? Can you get acclimatised to midges?

Interesting, I lived in Scotland for a while as a child, and used to get eaten alive, especially feeding orphan lambs. My arms would be covered in red marks from wrist to elbow. We used Jungle Formula (called it jungle juice!) which worked. However, on holiday in Missouri my husband and my cousin's husband were being bitten and my cousin and I were barely tasted. I do get the occasional horsefly bite but I don't react as bad.

milkloss · Apr 23, 2017

Osca said:
My Great Aunt Ivy, a formidable lady, had this theory that it was the "sweetness of the blood" that the midges and gnats enjoyed and that some people had sweet blood and were bitten, and others had sour blood and were not. She was a martyr to gnat-bites, unlike our side of the family. She further theorised that being "sweet-blooded" went with being sweet-natured and generally attractive to man and beast, whereas sour-blooded people, like those on our side of the family, were sour to the core.

She was, however, living proof that this theory didn't hold water.

It did get me thinking, though. Genes must play a part; maybe also diet? or immune reaction? Can you get acclimatised to midges?

With horses it is the animal's own reaction to midge bites that causes problems such as sweet-itch - but are these animals also more attractive to midges in the first place?

I'd go with this, badly managed diabetes and they love me!

Chasingmytail · Apr 24, 2017

Ive been out on the veg patch over the weekend and the creatures bit my lower back from when I was bending over. This is another problem for me. My husband cant understand calls it a townie thing but he is a jerk !

Osca · Apr 24, 2017

Is "lower back" a euphemism here?

scatterbrainedlass · Apr 25, 2017

Only if she has a habit of gardening in the nude??

REStracTORATION · May 7, 2017

Midges dont bother ali @Gator s

JohnGalway · May 7, 2017

First midges of the year here yesterday evening.

llamedos · May 7, 2017

The dogs do dahs used to be a product called shoo made by a Scottish company, but, they sold out to a Canadian company and it is now no longer available here, I have emailed the company who bought it several times, however they do not have the courtesy to reply.

Avon SSS body oil spray works brilliantly, as does taking yeast tablets before and through out the midge season.

If you get bitten badly either with midges or horse flies, take anti histamine, bathe the bites with salt water, and dab them with anti inflamatory gel such as Voltarol. Local chemist gave me that advise and it works well.

Robigus · May 7, 2017

Not 100% sure with midges but anything with a good dollop of Deet in it was reliable against mosquitoes.

Not sure how effective it would be against a @Gator

Midges

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