Scotland map of midge hotspots and where to avoid blood-sucking pests

Publish date: 2024-05-17

As summer begins and the temperature rises, a website has provided a handy five-day 'midge forecast'.

While there are many positive aspects to the warmer months of the year, the prevalence of midges is certainly not one of them. The small flying insects, which are common in humid and cloudy conditions, are infamous for their bites.

The tiny nuisances are known to be particularly widespread at Scottish beauty spots such as lochs in the Highlands. To help locals and tourists alike avoid midges this year, insect repellent company Smidge has created the Scottish Midge Forecast.

This interactive map shows the places in Scotland that are most likely to be midge-free over a five-day period, and also which spots to avoid. The experts behind the map assign each location a score between one and five, with five being "the most annoying".

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According to the data, the Western Highlands looks to be the worst part of the country for midges over the next five days, with many destinations including Fort William, Ullapool, and Glenfinnan currently having a rating of five.

On the other hand, almost the entirety of the Central Belt looks to be midge-free this week, as do Aberdeen and the north coast of the country. This makes these perfect camping spots for anyone keen to avoid nasty midge bites.

The forecast uses data collected from biting midge traps and mini-weather stations across Scotland. This is extended using weather forecast data, giving a big-picture view of midge levels across the country throughout the season.

More information and the full interactive map can be found on the Smidge website.

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