Midge repellent is super important and with the weather getting better you might be planning for your next getaway. Perhaps you’re looking for some staycation inspiration – well Scotland is a great place to visit for all your outdoor adventurers.
Here are just some of our favourite places to visit on a staycation in the Scottish Highlands:
- Isle of Skye
- Loch Ness
- Beaches
- Local campsites
- Eilean Donan Castle
- Cairngorms National Park
But before you go, you should definitely prepare yourself for running into midges.
What are midges and where do they live
The midge insect, also known as ‘no see ums’, are tiny flying insects that bite.
They are found all over the world and in parts of the UK. They are common bugs in the Scottish Highlands. The prime midge season in Scotland is between May - September, with July and August being the worst – just in time for the summer holidays! They are most active in the early morning before dawn and in the evenings.
Scottish Highland midges are known for swarming and biting as their ideal habitat is surrounded by lots of wildlife and damp soil.
Why we’re not their biggest fan
Although we can appreciate the delicate wildlife of the Scottish Highlands, we can all agree that we don’t like midges. Not only are midge bites painful and a nuisance, but they can have more serious side effects such as spreading diseases and causing allergic reactions, resulting in painful insect bite blisters and hives.
All these side effects can dampen your exciting adventures, but luckily there are some ways to avoid and reduce midge bites.
How to get rid of midges
Due to the high demand in bug repellent there are some great products out there to help your adventures remain bite free.
- Midge Traps – these are handy when camping as they can easily be set up near your tent. They work by attracting midges by releasing chemicals and mimicking body temperature and sweat. Once the midges are drawn in, they get stuck inside the trap.
- Chemical midge repellent – these often come as creams or sprays to cover yourself for protection. They work by blocking your scent so biting bugs can’t detect you.
- Natural midge repellent – there are a few natural options people can choose. One is a bonfire – a camping staple! But with an added benefit of preventing bugs. Another is plant candles or capsules. There are various plants midges hate and these products release their smell, thus deterring midges.
- Midge nets and clothing – this is the most effective way to avoid bug bites as you’re physically blocking contact to the skin. Covering the skin with a long top, trousers, gloves, and socks for instance, will reduce midges being able to get to your skin, though they are persistent and can get past lightweight materials. Top this off with midge head nets to protect your face and sleeping nets to protect your tent.
Before you go, it’s important to consider all your options and choose what’s the best midge repellent for you. The biggest decision is whether to go for coverage, to prevent midges from getting to your skin, or repellent, to reduce their attraction to you. While both can be used simultaneously and are effective solutions it can get costly when adding up.
Don’t worry we’re here!
With this in mind our Anti-Insect Sleepwear is here to save the day.
Inspired by travel, our bug proof clothing has been specially designed to give the best of both worlds of coverage AND repellent – so you don’t have to compromise on one or the other!
Our bamboo pyjamas are infused with OEKO-TEX® approved insect repellent technology to keep bugs at bay, wherever you are. This technology boosted with the use of bamboo makes for the ultimate insect protection must-have! You can read more about the many benefits of our anti-insect bamboo nighwear here.
The set includes:
- A long sleave top with thumb holes to protect your wrists and torso
- Long trousers with stirrups to cover your ankles and keep the trousers covering your legs
- Socks to cover your toes
- 2-in-1 pillow case and storage bag to protect your head from bites and easy packing
The stylish unisex design gives you freedom when getting a good night’s sleep on the move – but don’t limit yourself to sleeping. The set is brilliant as loungewear or as a base layer when exploring to ensure no bites all day long, and don’t worry, it contains odour resistant properties so you can literally wear it all day on your adventures!
We definitely recommend using insect repellent clothes for the ultimate protection against bug bites on your travels and beyond.
More about us
During her travel to South East Asia, our founder suffered from bug bites at night. This left her feeling tired due to the lack of sleep but also incredibly itchy due to waking up covered in bite bumps. This inspired the creation of our We Drifters sleepwear set. Click here to read more about our story.
References:
- www.highlandtitles.com/blog/midges/
- www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/general-travel-health-advice/insect-bite-avoidance
- www.nhs.uk/conditions/insect-bites-and-stings/prevention/
- www.againstmalaria.com/WhyNets.aspx
- www.citrefine.com/midgebite
