Thousands of midges swarm camper at Aberdeenshire nature reserve following damp summer

Thousands of midges have been pictured swarming a tent at a nature reserve in Aberdeenshire.

The picture, shared by National Trust for Scotland, showed a camping tent surrounded by the insects on the Mar Lodge Estate.

Scotland’s dreich summer has brought double the misery, as the wet weather provides the perfect conditions for midges to thrive.

While midges usually disappear during the colder autumnal months, STV meteorologist Sean Batty has warned the population may continue to bite for weeks to come.

“At the moment midges are at their worst around Lochaber, Lochalsh and Wester Ross and are likely heading into their third generation which means there’s still some biting to go before their autumn slumber,” he said.

Sean added that female midges could lay up to three more batches of eggs before the autumn chill sets in to scare them off.

Network Rail also shared an image of their workers being swarmed by the insects while carrying out overnight works.

We haven't had much of a summer in Scotland, but it hasn't deterred the midges at Kildonan on the Far North Line. 🪰

Huge thanks to our teams who are out there working, whatever the weather! #BehindTheScenes pic.twitter.com/vYGnkStlh6
— Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) September 3, 2024

Smidge’s Scottish Midge Forecast has levels at one for most of Scotland, with parts of the west still at a level four and five warning.

Insight Sean Batty STV meteorologist

We all know midges love damp weather, and there’s been plenty of that around this summer – especially after the epic rainfall in the west during August. The strong winds at times and the chillier nights will not have been to their taste though.

Females lay their first eggs in the spring and don’t need to take a bite or any blood to be able to do this, but they do need a blood meal before laying every new batch of eggs after that – and they can lay three more batches before autumn if conditions are right.

At the moment midges are at their worst around Lochaber, Lochalsh and Wester Ross and are likely heading into their third generation which means there’s still some biting to go before their autumn slumber. The warmer and drier conditions in the north and west Highlands this weekend will probably quell their activity for a while, but I’m sure they’ll be raring to go again when the rain returns next week.