Midges, live track and thank you

[Tangled Metal]

There's a theory marmite with its vitamin I think B12 and other B vitamins if eaten for some time before the trip repels midges. Apparently it causes you to be less attractive to midges. It's not guaranteed but I know people who have a natural repellent so I can believe there's something about smell which affects how badly or not you get bitten.
I used to be a real midge magnet. One evening camping out I got bitten 50 times on one leg in 10 minutes while I cooked my dinner. Each came up into big red bites. Now I don't get bitten much at all. My dad can walk through a dense cloud of midges and they'll part like Moses and the red sea. I think I'm developing the same midge repellent ability.

[SimonCelsa]

I was out cycling in the central Highlands (Glen Affric area) this morning and didn't see a single midgey......plenty of other little black flying things though which bounce of the face quite painfully when travelling at speed. You should be OK for the next couple of weeks unless it warms up considerably; around 12 degC today with a nice breeze so still a bit cool for them,

enjoy your trip, all the best, Simon

[Mick F]

There's a theory marmite with its vitamin I think B12 and other B vitamins if eaten for some time before the trip repels midges.

Sorry, but Mrs Mick F is Britain's foremost Marmite eater, but she is an absolute magnet for any and every biting insect know to man.

Me?
I hardly eat the stuff, and midges may probably bite me but I don't react to them. I just find them annoying.

[Tangled Metal]

I once had a 5m high column of midges following me when walking to the pub in the lakes. About 5 were fluttering round my mate. I'm a real magnet in the past for midges but TBH over the last few years I have never had a problem with midges. I have noticed a change in something about me and whether midges are attracted or repelled. They have changed their mind about me!!! Long may it last!

[Andibs]

Found a great midgie repellent on bushcraft uk. It's called stupidly simple or simply stupid and is all natural ingredients made by a couple of members on there.

Comes in a wee tin like Vaseline or lip balm and lasts for ages. Quite strong woody smell but I found it brilliant on canoe trips

Andy

[Starfire]

I would take a small container of midge repellent with you to use when you are pushing or cycling very slowly up hills on still days. This is one of the few occasions when they can really annoy you, otherwise when you are cycling at any reasonable speed you won't know they are there.

[Ewan]

We're just back from completing LEJOG on 30th May and can report we didn't encounter a single midge. None. It's just been far too cold for them to hatch out so far this year. (Living in Scotland, I would normally expect to see them from late May onwards but not this year).

As for live tracking software (bit late for the OP but others may be interested), Followmee works well. Not the slickest app perhaps but it works, updating your progress every 30 mins or so. Family/friends can see your whereabouts on a map. The best thing is that it's very economical on smartphone batteries - I ran it all day on my iPhone and reckon it maybe used 10% of battery power.

[Bigdummysteve]

Firstly hello all (first post) I'm off on the 18th June, surprisingly on my Surly big dummy I'm taking it slowly and going the scenic route, the hills don't worry me as much as the midges. My brother and I spent some time traveling in Europe and he got about one bite in 4 months where I got eaten alive. I have a bottle of smidge which seem highly recommended. As I'm camping it is a worry.

[Paulatic]

Last night was the first night this year the midgies were out here.

[Mick Metcalfe]

Ive had a quick glance through the comments so far and have to say I have heard the Marmite theory too.

As an ex runner though I used the banana theory. When you sweat the banana traces get excreated onto your skin, causing a natural insect repellent. I can confirm this DOES work, if you like eating bananas though, hehe. Load up the day before and you should be fine. It also helps that its a great food for training with too.

Hope this helps and you dont get eaten alive.

[JohnWL]

I began by using Jungle Formula then stopped after witnessing it disfiguring plastic.

That brings back memories of 1979 when I was in teh Army Reserve and we were given DEET which I think was developed by the USA for Vietnam- it's watered down in Jungle Formula. I saw it melt away the plastic butt of a rifle.

As to midges not existing in the East of Scotland I must disagree with Mick F. They are there but not as prevalent as in the West. Few around at the moment due to the cold but when I was in Glenlivet last week they were out when it was cloudy and in the evenings. But they have been awful in the height of summer there - so much so that once trying to fix a puncture we couldn't do it due to teh midges and had to go into a pub to get away form them to do the repair.. That was my excuse anyway

On my LEJOG last June I only had them bad on the Cowal peninsula - the furthest west I got .

[Mick F]

In defence of my rather sweeping statement, Glenlivet is in the Cairngorms. I was really suggesting that if you are in any of the eastern counties, there isn't really a midge problem.

We lived for many years in Fife, and we never heard of Scottish Midges.

[Paulatic]

All about midges tonight BBC Scotland 9pm
Probably on I player afterwards.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06jh4ss