My Garden

Midges!!!!

Last post 09-10-2009 10:12 PM by Digger. 6 replies.

• 08/10/2009 02:49 PM

  Maddock Location: Derbyshire Joined on: 08 Oct 2009 Posts: 2

  Reply | Contact Hi, I am being plagued by swarms of midges in the garden early morning and then mid afternoon through to the evening. For some reason they have deceided I taste nice and I am bitten every time I venture outdoors, even when it's just a dash to the garage and back.  There is an old well in one corner which is very deep and doesn't appear to be their 'home'. The house is very old, south facing and has a high walled garden. Is it likely to be the lawn or are they attracted to particular plants/shrubs?  Rather than covering myself in chemicals every day, I wondered whether there were any other solutions to the problem (other than never venturing outdoors!) Any suggestions are very welcome!  Thanks

• 08/10/2009 04:56 PM	In reply to
  BB Location: Hereford Joined on: 12 May 2009 Posts: 573	Reply | Contact I believe midges are aquatic in their larval stage (I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong) so the well is most probably the source. I think they like damp areas in general. Perhaps you could cover the top of the well with some form of fine mesh to stop them? BB

• 08/10/2009 05:20 PM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 2,977	Reply | Contact They may have recently hatched out and found that your garden is comfy. We don't have any water here, but there are trees and there are always clouds of midges bobbing about under them.

• 08/10/2009 05:46 PM

  In reply to

  Maddock Location: Derbyshire Joined on: 08 Oct 2009 Posts: 2

  Reply | Contact I just wanted to thank you both for your replies. I'll try putting fine mesh over the well top. Do you know if they go back to 'nest' on a night (ie down the well?) or if they would actually leave the garden and return the following day? I suppose what I'm wanting to know is whether I'm fighting a losing battle until the weather really changes, and whether there's anything I can do to discourage them next year in addition to covering the well? Thanks in advance

• 08/10/2009 07:52 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact  If you like garlic, try eating lots of it. For some people this seems to stop them getting bitten. Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 09/10/2009 11:48 AM	In reply to
  Arrem Location: West Midlands. UK Joined on: 12 Jul 2009 Posts: 90	Reply | Contact  This is about the only positive thing to be said for smoking.  When fishing, if bothered by midges they never came near us if we had a ciggie on the go.  No good for me now however, I gave up 20 years ago (smug smilie on!) since then I've had to resort to Autan spray. There is no such thing as useless - you can always be a bad example.

• 09/10/2009 10:12 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact Midges are annoying mingers, we get loads of them. I use a citronella roll on repellant it works well and I use it on me and on my horses, it keeps all the blighters away but you do need to keep applying it every hour or two, I did once consider getting one of those bee keepers hats with the mesh on but i can't find one. digger