Avoiding the Scottish midge - the best advice you'll ever get

Many visitors to Scotland are concerned about being bothered by the famous Scottish midge but there is no need for this concern. These days there are a number of great, common sense, solutions to midge attack and it is only those who go unprepared or are stupid who suffer badly. Follow the simple advice in this video and you will be able to manage the midges and get on with doing whatever it is that you want to do.
This is a link to where I get my large bottles of midge repellent, I'm sure there are probably other sources as well:
www.hedgewitch...

[@tcoo1999]

I bought this after watching your video. Its incredible. Actually recorded and sent a video to the manufacturer showing just how effective it was. The midges would land, but very quickly flew away. Its like they can't bare it. Excellent stuff

[@caorach3354]

I did try to reply, honest :-) No idea what happened but I'm pleased that it worked for you and made your time outdoors more comfortable. It is good stuff but, as you say, some midges will still land on you before immediately flying off again. Some people are badly bothered by this without ever actually being bitten so for them a net is the only solution.

[@thomas1144]

I've seen the midge make grown men cry its no joke 😂

[@caorach3354]

It is horrible as there is no escape :-)

[@mattbaker1683]

Was I said grown man? 😢😢😢 Counted 200+ bites on lower legs only a few years back, stopping at Red Squirrel Glen Coe is fantastic but so many midges it's impossible to do anything! Might buy a Paramotor just to blow these wee little bits away 😂😂😂

[@marcoweatherhead4632]

Fr

[@mattwright2964]

Hi Phil, sorry didn't have chance to get in touch but was on the Island last week. Had good fishing despite very dry and bright with quite cold winds. Bivvied out some of the time but midges not too bad due to cold wind. Later in the week they picked up though. Culmination of 2 weeks in Assynt and Hebrides. Managed to get some good music two nights as well.

[@caorach3354]

Well done on getting decent fishing Matt, I was doing some fishing on Lewis last week and the results were pretty much as expected based on the lochs I was fishing. I didn't walk far and only really did one full day. Not much water about as yet so fingers crossed for a few weeks of heavy rain.

[@WildlifeUKNatureByGlenO]

Nice upload without any bullsh*t. A great informative video. Nice1 bro. Best wishes from Manchester, England. I've never been to Scotland "yet" , though it is top of my bucket list. Great share. 👍

[@caorach3354]

Glad you enjoyed it, now you don't need to worry about the midges when you do go :-)

[@anbealbocht2192]

Citronella man! I used to use Deet at home but I had loads of issues with it. Pure lemon juice is good for your hands but you still need a face net some times. Get a proper citronella candle and rub the wax over any exposed bit and you'll see. They still buzz you but they won't bite. I learned this in Spain.

[@caorach3354]

There is no question that citronella will repel midges a bit and for a short period but if you want something that will work well you need to go to chemicals designed to do the job.

[@antonoat]

Aah a sensible human being, how refreshing! Lol. You are so sensible I've subscribed! cheers!

[@DavidOfWhitehills]

If you're camping an incense stick or two smouldering in your tent keeps the buggers out. Any flavour but the higher the quality the better. My fave is Wild Berry's Champa Flower.

[@barrybark3995]

i remember our dog crying as he was bitten by midges at Arrochar in the 70s

[@wildfisher]

Good sound advice there Philip. I've never tried icaridin, always used DEET. Have tried most of the fantasy cures like "Skin So Soft" but always came back to DEET. Might give icaridin a go.

[@caorach3354]

My understanding is that Bayer developed icaridin (1-(1-Methylpropoxycarbonyl)-2-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperidine so wikipedia tells me) specifically as an insect repellent so there's only it and DEET designed to do the job and DEET melts stuff. I've found it at least as effective as DEET and it is slowly taking over from DEET in the commercial preparations. I think Smidge was about the first commonly available preparation to use it and Smidge is readily available but I didn't like the perfume in it plus if you are out quite a lot in a year it is great getting a big bottle for a few quid. Your local agri supplier might have it for horses.

[@Deadushka99]

Thank you. That’s very helpful as I’m planning to go to Scotland in less than 2 weeks.

[@caorach3354]

Glad it was helpful. Smidge is easily available off the shelf in many places and the active ingredient is the same - icaridin - so it might be easier for you to pick up than the Hedgewitch stuff especially if you are only going to be exposed to the midges for a day or two, or perhaps not at all. The big icaridin bottles are good when you are out all the time and so get through loads of it in a season :-) I hope you enjoy the trip and, with just a tiny bit of thinking and planning, there's no reason the midges should cause you any significant problems.

[@Deadushka99]

@@caorach3354 thank you for advice!

[@WallsOfAbaddon]

Whats say, is that a NI accent you posess, doesnt sound like a scotch one, just curious! Great vid, they are descening upon us around the cobbler now!

[@aimeered8191]

Just purchased thank you 😊

[@caorach3354]

I hope it works well for you.

[@nikolai1714]

Cheers from Norway

[@lindaj5492]

Could you please give a photo and link of the head net you mention?

[@Iamnotagoldfish]

What does he recommend? And where do I buy it? English is not my first language. I am afraid of all midges og mosquitos and other creep. Is the product safe to use on sensitive skin? I really don't want to use stuff with parfume or anything that effect ones hormon balance or anything that might be toxic for me, because I am highly sensitive. And what to do, if you get bitten?

[@napieraerialphotography6785]

Does this deter ticks too? Hadn’t realised that this was what was in Smidge. I hate using deet (only use it abroad where there’s risk of diseases etc…) and smidge works kind of ok. Might look into ordering bulk icaridin then 👍 saying that I’m currently sheltering in my house on the west coast because I can only stand mowing the lawn for 20 mins at a time (covered in smidge) lol

[@hedgewitchessentials1569]

Yes, up to 4 hours for ticks

[@caorach3354]

People have varying tolerance to midges, it isn't uncommon to see people badly bothered by them and not have a single bite as the mere presence of the midge is enough to annoy them. Icaridin seems pretty effective against most insects and I've found it keeps the horse flies and clegs off as well as the ticks. The biggest single reduction in ticks I saw was to start wearing gaiters so if ticks are bothering you that is a worthwhile exercise. The science is that Icaridin is as effective as deet and my personal experience would support that. Icaridin is the active chemical in Smidge so if Smidge isn't working for you then Icaridin certainly can't perform any better but having a big bottle around the house and lots of little bottles in pockets etc. certainly works for me.

[@napieraerialphotography6785]

@@caorach3354 oh for sure! I get the most bits out of anyone I know but don’t react (just a red spot for a few hours). My wife probably gets 20% of the bites I get but reacts much worse to them. Ticks seem to be similar, I get loads, my wife has only ever had one.

[@fraseryoung9356]

That's a decent bottle sir! - where per chance do you pick up one like that?!.....

[@caorach3354]

I get mine from Hedgewitch, they are an agri supplier and mostly sell it for use on horses though recently the've also started marketing it for riders. www.hedgewitchessentials.co.uk/onlineshop/icaridin-insect-repellent.html

[@AQUA-Mannie]

Great tip about the Icaridin. I hope you had it on when you filmed in the woods! Do you source the wee spray bottles to decant into on Am@zon?

[@caorach3354]

@@AQUA-Mannie I've got them from both Amazon and ebay just depending on my inclination at the time.

[@kendaloutabout8622]

Thanks for the video I'll try some Icaridin in the Hebrides in a few weeks. Previously I have used Smidge how doe it compare?

[@kendaloutabout8622]

Just used Mr Google - Smidge is an insect repellent that contains 20% Saltidin® (also known as Picaridin or Icaridin)

[@caorach3354]

Smidge and icaridin are the same thing in terms of the active ingredient. Smidge happens to have a bit of perfume in it, which I don't like, but it claims to be waterproof. Personally I've never noticed much difference but Smidge is a good repellent and especially if you aren't exposed to midges much in a year it is handy to buy a bottle and you are good to go. If you are out in them a lot then buying in bulk and having a little spray in each pocket is handy as you never know when you'll be out or what you'll be wearing when you are.

[@tonyjones5530]

Philip when is the next fishing expedition video coming?

[@caorach3354]

I don't know Tony, things are a bit complicated this year so not much scope for fishing just now.

[@tonyjones5530]

@@caorach3354 I know what you mean work gets in the way, but has to be done. I was up in Altnaharra a couple of weeks ago and managed a 8lb Salmon, they have had no proper rain for over a month.

[@caorach3354]

@@tonyjones5530 Well done on getting a fish. Lewis hasn't had rain since about mid-April now. Many people are surprised that Lewis gets much less rain than the west coast and is also very sunny especially April to June so the conditions aren't too remarkable. However in 2020 (i think it was) we had similar conditions and the rain didn't come until 11th September and as a result our salmon run was completely wiped out. There is currently no rain in the forecast and the fish will be starting to come on the next big tides towards the end of next week. If there's no water then the sea lice and various predators will kill them in the sea. It is a very nervous time for anglers and all the ghillies and keepers as the almost total loss of another generation of salmon is going to have an impact. The two big tides in July are also important on Lewis so we can only hope that there is a lot of rain in advance of those.

[@tonyjones5530]

@@caorach3354 I hope you do get some rain as the damage another none event would awful.

[@jasonadcock1699]

Was only talking about this to my brother the other day, The advise from my brother was, man up , lol. What's the head net you use.

[@caorach3354]

Your brother might be right but they don't half annoy me! The icaridin stuff just works really well until your eyes are full of them etc. I've no idea what the headnet is, it's just one I got and it seems to work OK. I used to have a few of them but can only currently find one. I believe the smidge people sell them with a small mesh: www.smidgeup.com/smidge-shop/midge-proof-headnet/

[@thetattooedangler]

I use Nivea Skin so Soft. Or a flamethrower.

[@caorach3354]

A flame thrower might work but Skin So Soft is next to useless when the midges get going. In the past I think Skin So Soft had (by accident) citronella as part of the perfume and so it did have some modest short term midge repelling properties. I believe citronella is very volatile and so it only works for a short period plus it simply isn't designed to do the job so it is only by good fortune that it has a modest effect. I also believe that Skin So Soft was available with icaridin (the stuff I use) and was aimed specifically at the anti-midge market but I'm not at all sure if that still exists and I was told they removed the citronella from the recipe a long time back. So, I'm going to suggest you dump the Skin So Soft and get something that was designed for the job, when the midges come for you then you will thank me.

[@thetattooedangler]

@@caorach3354 to be honest, I actually use the SSS more as a barrier cream and wear a midge net. it did work for a while but the recipe changed and so i use a combination of jungle juice and SSS, but I have to re-apply frequently. watching the little buggers drown in a big oily smear is one of the highlights of my hike. I will try the Hedgewitch stuff and see how that goes.

[@caorach3354]

@@thetattooedangler Yes I think the SSS works just like you say, plus when it used to have citronella there was a short term repellent effect as well. I'm sure that other companies also sell icaridin in big bottles, your local agri supplier might have some. The hedgewitch stuff is just water, a tiny bit of aloe vera, and the active chemical so this does mean you have to shake before use. Smidge is also good and has the same active ingredient, as far as I know they were the first people to start using icaridin, however it only comes in wee bottles and it has perfume and stuff in it that I don't like so much. You can get Smidge in about any shop so it is handy and ideal if you are only out in midges a few days per year.

[@billymacneil3839]

We got the blackflies lol i use OFF with deet whats that other product you said ,hows the salmon numbers and water levels for june.

[@caorach3354]

No water at all, fish can't get out of the sea. It is relatively common for May and June to be dry months but a few years back the rain didn't come until 11th September and the fish all died in the sea. Our main grilse run usually comes around the big tides at the end of June and in July and if they don't get into the rivers the predators and sea lice kill them in the sea. Looking at the long term forecast this year looks to have the potential to be another complete wipeout for the salmon. DEET works well to repel flies as it was designed for the job, I was told it was designed to protect troops in Vietnam but have no idea if that is true. However, DEET isn't a very pleasant chemical and the various organic solvents involved act as deplasticisers and so anything plastic that comes into contact with DEET eventually becomes brittle and falls apart - this will include fly lines, rod varnish, car trim, even bits of clothing. For this reason my advice is to avoid DEET. The chemical I use was also designed to repel flies, so it isn't some random concoction based on old wives tales, and it is available under a number of names including icaridin, saltidin, and picaridin. The big advantage it has is it isn't toxic and it is water soluble and so doesn't melt plastics, or you. Many of the anti-bug products in the shops are moving away from DEET and towards icaridin as their active ingredient so some products that used to be DEET based no longer contain DEET. I get my icaridin from an agricultural supplier, they use it to keep flies off horses, but it is also available in a range of products marketed for human use - they often have a bit of perfume and a product called Smidge is also said to be waterproof and it would probably be the market leading brand here in the UK: www.smidgeup.com/

[@billymacneil3839]

@@caorach3354 I'll see if i can find it here reports say salmon are coming in we had alot of rain this week and forest firers were going up in the morn to give it a go.

[@marcoweatherhead4632]

No thank you, I will pass on repellant ... I would of preferred to meet the midges and swarmed by them at the same time ... I live in shitty life than everyone that's for sure.

[@gina2190]

Wait till they are in your London flat everywhere

[@caorach3354]

I don't have a London flat so I'm good on that count.

[@vvs3796]

What about permethrin?

[@caorach3354]

I've only ever seen it applied to clothing, perhaps it isn't suitable for application to skin? I don't know. Wearing clothing that has been treated with permethrin certainly seems effective against ticks as it seems to discourage them from crawling about in the clothing and eventually ending up on your skin but it doesn't keep the midges off exposed skin.