Grampian outdoors: Midge swarms spark a shortage of Smidge repellent spray
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Swarming midges across parts of Scotland have sparked a shortage of repellent sprays.
The huge demand has been fuelled partly by the surge in staycationers exploring the great outdoors.
The makers of Smidge sold a record 63,000 cans in June – but halfway through July another 63,000 had already flown off the shelves.
Production has since been ramped up.
The shortage coincided with reports of large midge swarms, particularly along the west coast.
Midge expert, Dr Alison Blackwell, said: "It seems like everybody has come to Scotland on staycation at the same time and needed midge repellent.
"We have never known anything like it before – it has been a record demand and for the first time we ran out.
"The midges drank us dry.
"But we managed to get production up, which was at peak anyway at this time, and we have more on the shelves now.
"Midges like wet and warm weather and that is what is predicted ahead."
Dr Blackwell, who runs the official Scottish Midge Forecast, added:"About 7C is the cut-off point for a midge to fly.
"The only good news I can offer is that midges do not like it hot and dry.
"The numbers fall quickly in hot spells. They only have a 2mm wingspan so they become dehydrated quickly."
Dundee-based APS Biocontrol – makers of anti-midge repellent Smidge – have also had large orders for repellent from abroad, including Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway.
Dr Blackwell said: "Iceland is particularly interesting because they had no midges until about three years ago.
"Now they are really stocking up because they have become such a pest.
"In Scotland last October we had the largest third hatch we have recorded and there were plenty of them about.
"Their season is becoming longer.
"With climate change a third hatch may become a regular feature and people will have to get used to it.
"What was once a rare occurrence is now more commonplace."
