Scotland’s wet summer is providing perfect conditions for surges of midges, with experts saying worse is yet to come.
This week the Scottish Midge Forecast predicted high numbers of the biting insects, reaching peaks of four and five on a scale of one to five.
Tourist hotspots such as Ullapool, Fort William and Lochcarron have been some of the worst-affected areas, with an early surge in May due to Scotland’s wetter than average spring.
Jay Hutchison, an entomology project director at Dundee-based APS Biocontrol, which researches midges in Scotland and produces an insect repellant, said: “They came about two weeks early this year in May. They usually appear in May but there were much larger numbers than expected. Scotland had a particularly wet spring and they thrive in damp conditions.”
According to Met Office weather data, Scotland had its wettest April on record this year with some areas recording more than double their average rainfall.
This wet weather has continued into the summer months, providing the perfect damp habitat for midges.
Hutchison said: “The second peak usually comes in August actually, so in the next couple of weeks we would expect the peak to arrive.”
In 2015 there was a rare third hatching of midges during an unusually warm autumn. Even with the early hatch in May, Hutchison said it was hard to predict if this could happen this year as it is entirely weather dependent. But it is possible if the wet and humid conditions continue.
The footpaths team are on the hills all year long, braving swarms of midges and the elements, to maintain and repair the almost three hundred miles of upland footpath in our care. This work couldn’t continue without your support of the Footpath Fund. > https://t.co/h8JVPHJclN pic.twitter.com/gOu4lVP4z3
— National Trust for Scotland (@N_T_S) July 11, 2024
The National Trust for Scotland shared a video last week to show the public the problems its team has to deal with while maintaining footpaths and walking trails on popular tourist routes in Scotland.
The midges can get so bad they have been added to the risk assessment, said the trust’s upland path manager, Bob Brown.
“The work that the team do is very physical work, they’re moving quite heavy stones around on the hill,” he said.
“When you add another element like the midge, you’ve got to be really concentrating. They’re actually in the risk assessment – not as dangerous but as a distraction.”
The West Highland Way is a popular trail for tourists and midges alike, with hotspots including Milngavie in the south and Fort William in the north. High numbers of midges were forecast at the beginning of the week along the walking route.
The West Highland Way business development manager, Jane McGeary, said climate crisis factors could be considered when looking at midge numbers in Scotland and along the trail.
“Midges are certainly a feature of the Scottish summer and, although they might be an inconvenience to us, they are an important part of the food chain and our biodiversity,” she said.
“Insect populations are in huge decline across many parts of the globe and we know that a changing climate might mean that natural seasonal patterns, such as midge populations, could be affected.
“The impacts of climate change can be unpredictable and June was wetter than average in Scotland, with unsettled conditions continuing into July.
“They don’t like to fly when there is a breeze but do like warm evenings, especially after rain. The best advice is to use midge repellant and a head net and keep covered up, particularly at dusk and dawn.”