Midges: Are the beasties back so soon?

Expert tells of ‘a few sightings’ – and it’s not even spring yet!

The unseasonally warm winter has led to the early return of midges.

Parts of Scotland were warmer than the Spanish holiday isle of Majorca this week with the Isle of Skye reaching 14C on Tuesday.

But now the world’s leading expert on the biting beastie has appealed on Twitter for reports of midges in February.

Dr Alison Blackwell said so far there had been “a few sightings”.

“They are mainly non-biting midges (chironomids) that tend to come out and swarm in the sunny weather,” she said.

“But given the temperatures that have been reached this winter, I think there is a good chance that there a few biting midges about.

“It certainly has been the right conditions and that’s why I’m asking for any reports of people being bitten. It would certainly be the earliest seasonal records.”

And on Twitter, Dr Blackwell wrote: “Scotland’s weather is apparently coming from the Sahara just now – anyone been bitten by midges yet? We need to know.”

A number of people responded with reports.

Daniel Gerber wrote: “Was surprised to see them this early given the recent colder weather”, while Fiona Fraser from Gairloch in Wester Ross added: “Got a couple of bites? Could be midge?”

More midges were about last year – but not at record levels, the official end of season report on the insect revealed.

But the study showed regional differences over the chances of being bitten.

While Wester Ross and Sutherland were having to deal with a major rise in midges – other parts of the Highlands were dealing with less.

It would certainly be the earliest seasonal records

The unseasonably warm winter has led to a few reports of midges being spotted in Scotland.