Will the hard winter impact on this season’s midge population?
Yesterday’s Times Newspaper reported on the possible impact of the hard winter on this season’s midge population; an interview with Dr Alison Blackwell of Advanced Pest Solutions Ltd. Midges overwinter as larvae, just a few centimetres below the soil surface and are susceptible to ground frosts. However, we’ll have to wait until the Spring to find out if there has been any effect. Click here for the full story and to find out more about how we predict midge activity, visit the Scottish Midge Forecast.
EcoGuard Extreme Product Feedback
We are currently collecting feedback on the Saltidin-based insect repellents available at the Midge Forecast Shop. EcoGuard Xtreme is proving to be popular, with comments including:
“Ecoguard Extreme insect repellent - it was excellent. Wild camping in Scotland in late July and not one midge bite (though engulfed in midge swarms)”
and….
“Great product - I’ve been hill walking in Scotland for years and this was an excellent solution to the “midge problem”
EcoGuard Xtreme vs 50% DEET
Saltidin-based EcoGuard Xtreme has been designed to be an effective biting insect repellent, which is gentle on the skin and without the downsides of some other repellents such as being harmful to plastics etc. It is non-toxic, long-lasting, not sticky and is suitable for use on children over the age of two.
The product contains 20% Saltidin (also known as Icaridin) and in laboratory trials with mosquitoes has proved to be at least as effective as 50% DEET, if not better. In trials carried out in Edinburgh with laboratory-reared Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, cages of 30 unfed insects were offered two “attractant” targets to land on; one treated with either EcoGuard Xtreme repellent formulation or 50% DEET, and the other left blank as a control. Mosquito landing behaviour was recorded every 30 seconds for 10 minutes, at 2 hour intervals up until 6 hours (using a different batch of mosquitoes for each observation period).
Whilst the 2 repellents performed similarly for the first 4 hours of investigation, by 6 hours the EcoGuard Xtreme formulation statistically out-per
formed 50% DEET.
EcoGuard Xtreme and will provide good, long-lasting protection faced with the greatest of biting insect attacks. It can be purchased online at the Midge Forecast Shop.
EcoGuard Midge Repellent Performs Well
In it’s first full summer of use, Saltidin-containing EcoGuard Midge Repellent is performing well and even has its own slot on STV each Thursday night. The repellent has beeen formulated to provide safe, effective protection against midges, mosquitoes and othe biting insects. It is gentle on the skin and without the downsides of some other repellents such as being harmful to plastics etc. This makes it an effective alternative to DEET-based insect repellents.
EcoGuard Midge Repellent has been scientifically developed, with rigorous assessment against Scottish biting midges throughout.
Initially, encouraging laboratory studies of EcoGuard with biting midges demonstrated that the product was as effective as DEET. Following these investigations, field trials were carried out with ‘volunteers’ exposing their repellent-treated forearms at regular time periods throughout the evening with the aim of determining both the efficacy and longevity of the product. The trials were carried out in an area of the Scottish Highland know for its huge midge populations, particularly Culicoides impunctatus, the ‘Highland Biting Midge’.
EcoGuard Midge Repllent contains just 10% of the active, Saltidin (also known as Icaridin). Compared against a 10% DEET formulation, the EcoGuard Midge Repellent provided more than 4 hours protection against the Highland biting midge, whereas the performance of the DEET formulation was very variable between individuals and overall, it provided no significant repellency.
EcoGuard Midge Repellent can be purchased online at the Midge Forecast Shop.
Midge Forecast Shop Discounts
The Midge Forecast Shop is currently offering all new customers a discount of £2 on orders of >£15 (including tax and Shipping). Key products featured include:
EcoGuard Midge Repellent, which has been specially formulated for protection against the Scottish biting midge and rigorously field tested in Scotland.
Attractants (octenol) for biting midge traps, including the 
Midgeater. These attractants are essential to maximise a trap’s performance through synergising the attractiveness of carbon dioxide released from it and hence, mimicing a normal, mammalian bloodmeal host for a midge.
New protective ‘Original Bug Shirts’. Designed in Canada (where mosquit
oes and biting flies are a national menace), the Original Bug Shirt is designed to protect against biting insects, including midges, mosquitoes, black flies and clegs.
To benefit from this discount, just enter the code SMF2207N at the final Google Checkout after visiting the Midge Forecast Shop.
Scottish Midge Forecast 18th-19th 2009 (STV)
First TV Broadcast of the Scottish Midge Forecast (STV 2/6/09)
News Release: Scottish Midge Forecast launches on STV
This Thursday (25 June), the first ever Scottish television midge forecast will be launched on STV.
Every Thursday night at 10.35pm, STV will broadcast a 30-second Scottish Midge Forecast provided by Advanced Pest Solutions (APS), a company established by leading biting midge specialist Dr Alison Blackwell, to help STV viewers avoid getting bitten by the dreaded midge this summer.
The forecast, which is sponsored by insect repellent active Saltidin®, allows people to plan their outside activities by providing an indication of predicted midge levels in a similar way to pollen forecasts.
Dr Alison Blackwell explains: “The midge forecast is designed to be of benefit to anyone who wants or needs to be outside in areas of Scotland with midge populations. If you live in an area with midges, you can’t completely avoid them, but with the forecast you can try and plan your activities so that you minimise the risk of getting bitten and are prepared with suitable clothing and a good repellent.
“For tourists, the forecast can help them decide where and when to go to places and when indoor attractions might be a better choice than being outside.
“The online version of the Midge Forecast has been operating for a number of years and has proved to be highly popular and as successful as other similar services, such as the pollen forecast. The addition of a television version is an extremely exciting development and we hope that it will further benefit those involved with outdoor activities in Scotland.”
STV’s weatherman Sean Batty said: “STV’s introduction of a ‘midgiecast’ is a great idea. More people are expected to holiday in Scotland this year because of the credit crunch, and our midge forecast will allow people to be more alert of swarms of midgies heading their way.
“During the Scottish summer months, people that venture out into the countryside usually come back with hundreds of midgie bites, but hopefully our forecast will begin a battle against the wee horrors and more of us can enjoy our countryside in peace! Even better, if the weather stays dry and warm then they might just buzz off elsewhere…”
Dr Alison Blackwell continues: “My colleagues and I have been studying local midge populations throughout Scotland for many years. After collecting several years of midge population data, combined with historical local weather data, we were able to establish a relationship between weather and midge activity. From this we have been able to formulate a midge forecast that can predict midge activity in any given location throughout Scotland.”
APS, based at the University of Edinburgh’s Biospace Incubator facility, combines its midge density data with detailed weather forecast data to calculate the midge forecast. The forecast is enhanced with regular midge catch data provided by Dr Blackwell’s national network of midge traps and sophisticated weather stations. More information on the forecast can be found at www.midgeforecast.co.uk
Saltidin® is produced by Saltigo GmbH and has been designed to be an effective, safe biting insect repellent, which is gentle on the skin and without the downsides of some other repellents, such as being harmful to plastics. It is non-toxic, long-lasting, non sticky and suitable for use on children over the age of two. It is the main component of EcoGuard Midge Repellent, which has been extensively tested by APS against Scottish biting midges. For further information, see www.saltidin.com.
The Scottish Midge Forecast starts Thursday 25 June at 10.35pm on STV
Issued by Advanced Pest Solutions Ltd., ETTC Biospace, King’s Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JF.
Press contacts:
Dr Alison Blackwell, Advanced Pest Solutions Ltd. 07876 495737, e-mail ablackwell@advancedpestsolutions.co.uk
Twittering Midges
The Scottish Midge Forecast is using the power of Twitter to both spread the word about midge 
activity in Scotland and also, to collect information on the midge levels that people are experiencing in real time across the country. Daily midge forecasts are issued on http://twitter.com/midgeforecast. Also, we are encouraging people to send in their own midge reports to help us build up a ‘midge map’. Send us your catches!
BBC Scotland, The Reel Blend: Midges!
BBC Radio Scotland’s “The Reel Blend” recently interviewed Dr Alison Blackwell of Advanced Pest Solutions, producer of the Scottish Midge Forecast. Listen to the interview with Robbie Shepherd below or download here.
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- Will the hard winter impact on this season’s midge population?
- EcoGuard Extreme Product Feedback
- EcoGuard Xtreme vs 50% DEET
- EcoGuard Midge Repellent Performs Well
- Midge Forecast Shop Discounts
- Scottish Midge Forecast 18th-19th 2009 (STV)
- New Research to tackle Varroa Mites
- First TV Broadcast of the Scottish Midge Forecast (STV 2/6/09)
- News Release: Scottish Midge Forecast launches on STV
- Twittering Midges
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- Saltidin - The Midge Forecast sponsor for 2009
