Is Skye bad for midges?

Living and walking a lot on Skye we find that tales of midges do tend to get a bit exaggerated. As long as there is a breeze the midges will not bother you too much so best advice is to head up a hill. They are worst in damp, humid weather and they tend to hang around water and heather.



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Where are the midge hotspots Scotland? The west of the Highlands, islands and parts of the Cairngorms. They are also found in Perthshire and Argyll.

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May, June, September and October. These months give you long days, almost all the tourism businesses are open, the crowds of July and August are avoided, midges are not at their most prolific and even the weather is pretty decent.

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Our Tips for keeping the Midges away Firstly, midge season is generally in the height of the summer, from mid-May to September. So, if you are visiting us at any other time of year, you will not be bothered by them.

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Citronella candles These are really effective and suit outdoor eating scenarios, picnics and BBQs, although BBQ smoke does a good job of keeping the midges away too. Midges dislike the smell of the candles, so burn a couple at a time to double your chances of keeping them away.

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If you're planning on eating outside, smoke from the BBQ is a popular repellent to Scottish midges. Buy some citronella candles and coils to create a wider no-midge zone too.

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The best way to prevent midge bites is to wear EPA-registered insect repellent, especially if you're wearing clothes that expose large areas of skin. Biting midges can't bite through clothes, but they can get underneath them. When enjoying outdoor activities, like hiking, it's best to wear long sleeves or pants.

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25% strength should offer about 5 hours midge repellent of protection. If you'd prefer not to use DEET, Avon Skin so Soft is an effective alternative. Whilst DEET works to block midge antennal receptors (meaning they can't smell you), Avon Skin so Soft works because once the midges land on you they ain't coming off.

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In theory yes, they prefer darker colours - because their prey is dark in colour. They are least attracted to white and bright colours. That's the theory at least, most people I know say it doesn't make a jot of difference in practice but it certainly can't hurt to take extra precautions.

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In theory yes, they prefer darker colours - because their prey is dark in colour. They are least attracted to white and bright colours.

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