The dreaded Midge

oliveoil54

Hi
I am a keen gardener, we have approx half acre garden in South West Scotland, it is surrounded by large trees on the edge of a forest and at times the ground is quite wet.

I know for the next few months I am going to be eaten alive by midges, they really affect our enjoyment of the garden. Have tried loads of different repellents - avon skin so soft, deet (which works for a time), herbal, citronella heated devices. They all have limited uses, but most ware off, especially after a few hours intensive gardening. I also use anti-hystamines etc.

So have thought about spending quite a bit of money and getting either a midgeater http://themidgeatershop.shopkit.net/ or a mosquito magnet http://www.midge-free-zone.co.uk/RunScript.asp?Page=5&p=ASP\Pg5.asp

Has anyone actually bought or had experience of using any of these? Are they any good? Which would you recommend? Also any advice regarding positioning as the entire garden is surrounded by mature fir trees.

Any advice would be really welcome asap before I have scratched half my skin off!:mad:

RAS

hi

I would start with the basics; get a midge hood and midge mitts for a few quid from your local outdoor store.

Also learn when they are a problem; still days, evenings and after rain. Go out hoodless when it is dry and the wind is blowing to keep them down. Sometime the onshore wind gets up at a particular time and they drop then.

Even the most hardened people I know stay indoors in the evening in parts of Scotland. You could consdier building a screen porch if you want to be outdoors and unbitten?

teapot2

Sorry don't have any advice but wanted to extend my sympathy having endured the midge many times - miserable.

angelavdavis

Sorry can't help out and about in the garden but I have to say that we holidayed last year in Florida and the accommodation had a screened veranda (http://www.screen-house.com/screenhouse.htm for similar).

I was dreading the holiday and took deet with me. The veranda was a great hit as I have a BIG allergy to mosquitos so to have the freedom of sitting outside without the worry was fab!

I would have thought it would be easy to make up a conservatory like structure over a patio using frames of wood and then staple stretched fly screen mesh over the top. (see http://www.twowests.co.uk/TwoWestsSite/product/FSM.htm for similar)

We are currently fabricating a slightly less ambitious project for screen doors using this fly screen mesh and hinged frame doors for the conservatory so we can have the doors open for ventilation in the summer but stop the blue bottles coming in.

nodwah

The midgies love me too, it's awful. I go my holidays to argyll and the place has the migde-eater that looks like a patio heater - is that the thing you want to buy? After an evening on the collection bag is stuffed full of corpses looks like millions of the wee B****** - in fact I worried to the proprieter that it was taking food away from the swallows and swifts and he laughed for a long, long time!

oliveoil54

Hi
Thanks for all your replies and sympathy. Nodwah could you let me have the name and address of the place where you holiday in Argyll, I would like to contact him to see how successful their purchase has been?:T

thule

we live in SW scotland too and have just moved to a house in the middle of a forest, next to a big pond and a burn, oh and have a few horses too to add to the attractions.
We have just purchased a Texol Midg-it machine, it was designed for scottish midges, costs £459 delivered, and the sales office were very helpful.
We have had it running for 2 days and it has helped already(was so bad before that we couldnt leave the house without the full midge netting gear on.
https://www.midgeater.co.uk/2006/index.html?g
hope this helps, if you want to come and see it in action do let us know

oliveoil54

Thule
Thanks very much for info - we might take you up on your offer to visit.
But would really like to know if you can keep me updated as to how successful it is and what size area you think it will realistically cover.
Have had email from camp site owner in Argyl who said that altho they work to a certain degree they will not completely clear them.
It would be really useful to know what your experience over a few weeks usage is?