The Complete Guide to Scottish Midges (And How to Survive Them) — Glen Coe Blog

There's a joke in the Highlands: What's the national bird of Scotland? The midge.

It's not that funny when you're standing in a cloud of them at 7pm on a still July evening, eyes streaming, arms covered in welts, wondering why nobody warned you. Consider this your warning.

What Are Midges, Exactly?

Scottish midges (Culicoides impunctatus, if you want to impress people at dinner parties) are tiny biting flies, roughly 1–3mm long. They look like specks of dust, move in vast swarms, and the females feed on blood. Yours, preferably.

They're not mosquitoes. They're much smaller, they don't buzz (they're eerily silent), and they attack in numbers that make mosquitoes look like amateurs. A single midge is nothing. Ten thousand of them is an experience you won't forget.

Scotland has over 30 species of biting midge, but Culicoides impunctatus — the Highland midge — is the one that causes 90% of the misery. It's been making life difficult for humans in Scotland for at least 7,000 years. The Romans noted them. Bonnie Prince Charlie was driven to distraction by them. They are a permanent feature of the landscape.

When Is Midge Season?

The midge season runs roughly from **late May to mid-September**, with peak hell arriving in **late June through August**.

Here's the typical pattern:

• **April–early May**: Too cold. You're safe.
• **Late May**: First midges appear. Sporadic, manageable.
• **June**: Numbers build rapidly. Warm, still evenings become problematic.
• **July**: Peak season. Clouds of midges from dusk to dawn. This is when grown adults cry.
• **August**: Still brutal, especially in wet summers. Second generation hatches.
• **September**: Numbers decline. Cool nights knock them back. By late September, mostly gone.
• **October–March**: Midge-free. The best reason to visit Scotland in winter.

A warm, wet summer produces more midges. A dry, windy summer produces fewer. Scotland rarely has dry, windy summers.

When Do They Attack?

**Dawn and dusk** are peak feeding times — roughly 5–9am and 6–10pm in summer. They're most active in:

• **Still conditions**: Any breeze above 5–7 mph grounds them. They're terrible fliers. Wind is your best friend.
• **Overcast, humid weather**: Cloud cover and moisture bring them out in force.
• **Shade and shelter**: Forest edges, river banks, lee sides of buildings — anywhere sheltered from wind.

Bright sunshine and strong wind? You'll barely see a midge. Still, cloudy evening by a river in a forest? Armageddon.

The Science of Why They Find You

Midges locate their victims through:

1. **Carbon dioxide**: Your breath draws them from up to 200 metres away. Breathing is unfortunately non-optional. 2. **Body heat**: They detect your warmth from close range. 3. **Dark clothing**: They're attracted to dark colours. Wear light-coloured clothing. 4. **Skin chemicals**: Some people genuinely are more attractive to midges than others. If you're one of those people, you probably already know.

When a midge bites, she (it's always a she — males don't bite) releases a chemical that attracts more midges. This is why you go from "one bite" to "covered in midges" in about thirty seconds.

How to Survive Them

### Repellents That Actually Work

**Smidge** — The gold standard in Scotland. A DEET-free repellent developed specifically for Highland midges. Available in every outdoor shop, petrol station, and tourist information centre in the Highlands. It works. Buy it before you arrive.

**DEET-based repellents** (50% concentration) — Effective but harsh on skin and dissolves plastics (watch your watch straps and sunglasses). The nuclear option.

**Avon Skin So Soft** — Yes, the beauty product. Scottish soldiers, forestry workers, and hillwalkers have sworn by it for decades. The science is debatable, but the anecdotal evidence is overwhelming. You can buy it in most Highland pharmacies. The "Dry Oil Spray" version is the one you want.

**Citronella and natural repellents** — Mildly helpful. Better than nothing, not as good as Smidge or DEET.

### Physical Barriers

**Midge head nets** — A fine mesh net that fits over your hat and covers your face and neck. Looks ridiculous. Works brilliantly. About £5 from any outdoor shop. If you're camping, this is essential kit.

**Midge-proof clothing** — Long sleeves, long trousers, socks pulled up. Midges can't bite through most clothing, but they will find any gap. Tuck your shirt in. Tuck your trousers into your socks if things get desperate. Fashion is not the priority.

**Midge coils and candles** — Citronella candles and smoking coils create a zone of relative safety around your campsite. Not perfect, but helpful.

### Behavioural Strategies

• **Seek the breeze**: Even a light wind eliminates midges. Stay on ridges, open ground, or near the sea.
• **Avoid dawn and dusk**: Plan your outdoor activities for the middle of the day when the sun is out.
• **Keep moving**: Midges struggle to land on a moving target. Stop walking and they descend.
• **Camp wisely**: Pitch your tent on high, exposed ground, not in sheltered glens by rivers. The most scenic camping spots are often the worst for midges.
• **Get on the water**: Midges don't fly over open water. Kayaking, boat trips, and lochside swimming are midge-free activities.
• **Check the Scottish Midge Forecast**: Yes, this exists. The website smidgeup.com publishes daily midge forecasts for different regions. Check it before planning your evening activities.

The Midge Economy

Midges cost the Scottish outdoor tourism industry an estimated £268 million per year in lost visits. They've influenced where people build houses, when farmers work their land, and why some of the most beautiful camping spots in Scotland are deserted on still summer evenings.

But there's a silver lining. Midges are a crucial part of the Highland ecosystem. They're food for birds (swallows, house martins, pied wagtails), bats, dragonflies, and spiders. Without midges, the food chain unravels. And some argue that midges are the reason the Highlands remain wild — if Scotland had Mediterranean weather, every glen would be a holiday park by now.

Classic Midge Stories

Every Highland resident has a midge story. Here are some local favourites:

**The Photographer**: A wildlife photographer we know set up his hide in Glen Etive on a still July evening to photograph deer. Within twenty minutes, the midges were so thick he couldn't see through his viewfinder. He drove home with welts on his eyelids.

**The Camper**: A couple from London pitched their tent by the River Coe on a beautiful August evening. They emerged the next morning with over 300 bites between them. They checked into a hotel that night and never camped in Scotland again.

**The Wedding**: An outdoor Highland wedding in July. The ceremony was timed for golden hour. By the time they reached the vows, the entire wedding party was being eaten alive. The photos show everyone smiling through tears — and not tears of joy. The bride's arms were so bitten the honeymoon photos were taken in long sleeves.

**The Builder**: A builder working on a house in Glencoe in midge season reportedly wore a full bee-keeping suit, head net, and gloves — in July. He still got bitten on the ankles where his suit met his boots.

Month-by-Month Summary

| Month | Midge Level | Best Strategy | |-------|------------|---------------| | Jan–Apr | None | Enjoy the freedom | | May | Low | Light repellent | | Jun | High | Smidge + head net | | Jul | Extreme | Full protection or stay indoors at dusk | | Aug | High–Extreme | Same as July | | Sep | Moderate–Low | Repellent, declining threat | | Oct–Dec | None | Freedom again |

Final Thoughts

Midges are part of the Highland experience. You can't avoid them entirely (short of visiting in winter), but you can manage them. The people who have the worst time are those who don't know they're coming. Now you know.

Pack Smidge, pack a head net, plan your evenings wisely, and remember: every stunning, midge-free photograph of a Highland sunset was taken by someone who suffered to be there.

The Highlands are worth it. The midges are the admission price.