Myths and Facts About Midges

Midges are fragile insects of the order of “true flies”. There are two groups, the biting family and the non-biters. In 2016 the ABC reported that the Sunshine Coast Council declared the midge outbreak the worst in fifty years. As a rule, the flies stick to coastal areas but were found as far inland as Nambour and Woombye.

The fascinating facts about biting midges.

1. The larvae and the midges themselves are a source of food for fish. Some species are the natural enemies of crop pests consuming aphids, spider mites and scale insects.
2. Biting Midges come out at dawn and dusk. They love humidity. Watering lawns in those time increases favorable conditions for the insects. On still, overcast days with high humidity midges have been known to attack all day long.
3. Wind speeds of between 6 to 8 kilometres per hour keeps midges away. A 50 cm steel fan produces wind speed of around 18 kilometres per hour.
4. Midges are small, around 2 mm. In comparison, the average mosquito is 6 mm long.
5. Baby oil, Dettol, and eucalyptus oil in equal parts is an effective repellent.
6. Thankfully, the life of the little biters from egg to adult is only 8 weeks.
7. Midges dislike direct sunlight or high winds. They are not around in winter months.
8. The flight speed of these biters is less than human walking speed.
9. Midges are found worldwide except Antartica. In the USA they are called no-see-ums, in Britain punkies. In Mexico they are called ‘hequenes’. Singapore and Australia call them sandflies although not every sandfly is a midge.
10. Only female biting midges suck blood as they need protein to produce eggs.
11. You can spot midges when the males swarm to attract females. Salisbury Cathedral in England once had a swarm so thick locals called the fire brigade thinking smoke billowed from the spire.
12. Midges breed in soft mud of intertidal zones, the areas above water at low tide and underwater at high tide.
13. Midges are indicators of pollution. When midges are about in tidal zones, it indicates normal oxygen levels in healthy water.
14. In Scotland midges are found in fens, bogs, and marshes. In 2017 the Daily Mail reported sixty-eight million midges plagued Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
15. Midges live between the low and high tide levels in creeks and mangroves. One species lives in leaf litter. For most coastal areas, however, midges do not breed in grass or garden foliage.
16. Breeding occurs in spring and autumn.
17. A half moon or neap tide occurs every fifteen days and is prime time for the pesky biters.
18. Midges have sharp mouth parts. They don’t inject as such but saw a hole in your skin which is why their bites are worse than mosquitoes.
19. Midges inject saliva into your skin which has an anticoagulant. The body’s immune system springs into action causing the bite to itch.
20. Tourists are the first to complain about midge bits and wonder how locals can live with them. People who live in midge prone areas develop immunity from repeated exposure.
21. Household defense can be screens and ceiling or pedestal fans as midges hate wind.
22. Diethyl toluamide (DEET) is an effective personal barrier for exposed skin. Products such as Aerogard, Rid, Bushman, and Mosi-guard contain DEET. Herbal Armor is a repellant free of DEET.
23. Organic pyrethrins are effective as well as mosquito coils against attacks. Bifenthrin insecticide can be effective for up to three months but is a toxic chemical and should be handled with caution.