‘The perfect swarm’ sees midge count rise 1,200%

MIDGE numbers soared to nearly 12 times more than in 2010 in parts of Scotland this summer thanks to a dry April followed by a wet May.

Loch Ness saw the highest total in the annual Scottish midge forecast service report, with 1,684,800 recorded – up 1179 per cent.

The other four major traps around Scotland also showed big rises. Galloway Forest recorded more than a million midges and was up 542 per cent. Ardgour Peninsular increased by 454 per cent, Border Hills saw a rise of 146 per cent and Strathspey doubled its count in 2010 with an increase of 102 per cent.

The world’s leading expert on the insects said the summer weather conditions could not have been better. The warmest and driest April on record was followed by wet and damp conditions the next month – just as the midges hatched.

“It was perfect conditions for midges – in fact some would say the perfect swarm,” said Dr Alison Blackwell.

“They like warm and damp conditions. They don’t like hot and dry summers. All the traps recorded big increases and Loch Ness the most. Obviously the area is popular with midges.”

Dr Blackwell added that the spate of wildfires that scorched large parts of the Highlands and Islands earlier this year and the harsh winter had “little effect” on midge numbers.

“They are pretty adaptable in surviving all kinds of conditions as we have seen,” she said.

“The larvae bury two to three inches into soil. They know how to survive. They’ve done it for thousands of years. The only good news is that their numbers are now dropping off.”

The Scottish tourism industry has been estimated to lose about £286 million a year because of the insects.

A previous study also found many tourists said they would not return to Scotland at the same time of year because of midges.

Earlier this year, the midge helped scupper a multi-million-pound buyout of a prestigious Scottish golf club.

A wealthy golf enthusiast scrapped plans to buy Loch Lomond Golf Club after being “bitten to death” by the insects.

Richard Caring said he visited the former home of the Barclays Scottish Open when it was up for sale but was, in part, put off by the swarms of insects.

The peak time for the midge hatch is the end of May and the first week in June. The flying midge lives for between two days and two weeks depending on weather conditions. During this time the female can lay up to 170 eggs.