Scottish midges tend to be much less numerous on the east coast, and in the southern part of Scotland. Locations that are attractive to tourists and relatively midge free include those around Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh, the Loch Ness area and the Cairngorms National Park.

While midges (tiny biting flies) are the legendary pest of the Scottish Highlands, they are rarely an issue in the center of Edinburgh. Midges thrive in damp, boggy areas with low wind and high humidity—conditions that define the west coast and the mountains but are less common in the "windy" coastal city of Edinburgh. You might encounter a few in the heavily wooded areas of Holyrood Park or near the Water of Leith on a very still, humid evening in July or August, but they are not the "swarms" that hikers encounter in Glencoe. The main "pest" in Edinburgh is actually the seagull, which can be quite aggressive when it comes to food. If you are planning to travel north from Edinburgh into the Highlands in 2026, that is when you will need "Smidge" repellent and a head net. Within the city itself, the constant breeze from the Firth of Forth generally keeps the midges at bay, allowing you to enjoy the outdoor terraces and festivals of the "Athens of the North" without the need for specialized insect protection.