WILDLIFE

MIDGES Etc

No website about the Isle of Skye & Lochalsh would be complete without reference to these pesky wee blighters!

However, they are not an all year-round nuisance as they only usually appear from May to October and are dormant at other times of the year (probably sharpening up their teeth).

There are a range of liquid deterrents, Avon Skin So Soft is very effective, as is Deet.  Midge Head Nets also work well - and yes, it is possible to drink a pint of beer through one!  Most General Stores and Outdoor Suppliers stock a range of Midge Repellents.

Midges like temperate climates, especially boggy areas and hunt in packs.  If you do have the misfortune to be badly bitten, Calamine Lotion is a very effective treatment externally.  And whisky, internally.

See the Scottish Midge Forecast on our LINKS page!

TICKS

These wee insects are also a problem but more so to your pets.  That is not to say that humans are immune, indeed your average Sheep Tick likes nothing better than crawling up your socks and finding somewhere warm to feed.

Kids (and some Veterinary Surgeons)  should be dissuaded from rolling in the bracken, tempting as it is, in sheep and deer areas.

For further information on Ticks and Lyme borreliosis see our LIBRARY section item under "Public Health News".