Supermarket giant declares war on Highland midge

ONE of the biggest names on the high street is taking on Scotland’s smallest and most annoying pest.

Tesco is about to start selling an insect repellent targeted specifically at midges, concentrating on the midge heartland of the Highlands.

The roll-out in 46 stores coincides with the dreaded first hatch of Culicoides impunctatus, the voracious insect that costs the Scottish tourist industry an estimated £286 million a year.

Tesco is stocking Smidge, developed by Dundee-based Advanced Pest Solutions (APS) to keep midges at bay, and says it is ‘excited’ by the product.

While Tesco already stocks scented candles and other sprays to combat insects generally, Smidge is especially developed to tackle midges by interfering with the carbon dioxide emitted by human breath, on which the creatures home in.

It does not rely on the chemical DEET, the most common active ingredient in repellents despite health concerns.

The Smidge trial will see the product rolled out in Tesco stores from Stranraer to Wick.

The repellent has been developed by the world’s leading midge expert, Dr Alison Blackwell, and claims to provide protection against the insect for up to eight hours.

‘Smidge’s unique formula works by throwing midges off our scent,’ said Dr Blackwell. ‘Midges start their hunt for us using smell, detecting CO2 and a cocktail of other body odours. It’s the release of CO2 in our exhaled breath that guides a midge to its prey. Smidge interferes with this process and confuses the insect – when a midge can’t smell us, it can’t find us, and therefore won’t bite us.

‘Biting midges have the potential to significantly disrupt outdoor activities and unfortunately most summer visitors to the Highlands and much of the west coast will encounter the insects at some point.

‘Tesco is the first supermarket chain to stock a scientifically-- proven repellent like Smidge.’

Last night, Angus Bell, senior local buying manger for Tesco in Scotland, said: ‘It is a great example of a Scottish product for a Scottish pest and Tesco is proud to support the development of innovative Scottish companies such as APS.’

Studies in the past have found many tourists would not return to Scotland in summer because of midges.