Midgie repellent testers are wanted in Argyll.
Paid midgie “volunteers” are wanted to stand outside for eight hours to find out if a product works.
The initiative in the middle of “midgie season” will be no mean feat – but to save your skin you will be given a new product to test.
Smidge, who makes one popular brand of midgie repellent, wants people to stand outside for an evening.
Midgie repellent testers wanted in Argyll
The trial is due to take place in Minnard or Inveraray in Argyll.
On social media site X, formerly Twitter, Smidge Forecast wrote: “Paid volunteer
opportunity!
“We need 10 people in the Inveraray/Minard area willing to be bitten by midges for an eve.
Paid volunteer opportunity! We need 10 people in the Inveraray/Minard area willing to be bitten by midges for an eve. This would take up all of your eve (up to 8 hours) as we are testing a repellent. Please get in touch if you fit the bill & want to make a little extra cash!
— Smidge (@SmidgeForecast) August 16, 2023
“This would take up all of your eve – up to eight hours – as we are testing a repellent.
“Please get in touch if you fit the bill and want to make a little extra cash!”
What is a midgie?
Midgies, also known as the Highland midge or culicoides impunctatu is a species of biting midge found across the British Isles, Scandinavia, other regions of Northern Europe, Russia and Northern China in upland and lowland areas.
They especially like to be on machair or coastal areas, or anywhere there is no sun or a breeze.
In the north-west of Scotland, and down the western coast to north Wales, the Highland midge is usually in bloom from late spring to late summer.
Female midges are well-known for gathering in clouds and biting humans, though the majority of the blood they obtain comes from cattle, sheep and deer.
Pregnant women and children are likely to be excluded from the trial.
Fort William a hot spot for the midge
Midge expert Dr Alison Blackwell said the numbers of midges recorded throughout the summer in 2022 were 20% and “several percentage points” up on the peak of 2018. 2023 is set to see a further rise.
Dr Blackwell – whose company also makes the repellent Smidge – did benefit from a silver lining from the perfect swarm.
She said the huge numbers of staycationers had also seen UK sale of Smidge double to a staggering 250,000.
Fort William and the north-west were the midge hotspots, she said.