Midges!

[Arlen]

For those of you who don't know about Highland Midges (Culicoides impunctatus), they tend to fly in swarms and they can drive you absolutely crazy.
I've had times in America where I had literally hundreds of mosquitoes going for me at once (My wife had never seen anyone the mozzies liked so mych even when they were covered head to toe in bug spray), but it was nothing compared to midges.

Now, bearing that in mind, I have a love/hate relationship with them. Because as annoying as they are, they are so very Scottish. They just... will always remind me of home.

I was looking for a midge t-shirt and found this book. And I just have to say:
Best book cover in the history of the world ever.

[Bugbear]

Gees... All we have out here is scorpians and hila monsters...

[sharpdressedscot]

A hila what???!!!

[Woodsheal]

I bet our Adirondack Mountain "black flies" rival the Scottish midges (especially May through June!). Ouch!

Great book cover...!

[Bugbear]

A hila what???!!!

Oops, I misspelled it. It's the gila monster. Here's the Wikipedia thingy on them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gila_monster

[JS Sanders]

To be so tiny.... and such a nightmare when you're enveloped by a swarm of those vile buggers!

Slainte,
steve

[kevinkinney]

You realize that there are Alaskans reading these posts.....

...and laughing, no doubt.

Kevin.

[Arlen]

You realize that there are Alaskans reading these posts.....

...and laughing, no doubt.

Kevin.

There no doubt are, but having never been to Alaska, why are they laughing?
Dreadful insects there, too, or just a dirty word there?

[Bugbear]

Mosquitoes the size of 747s! Which is almost as big as a Texas grasshopper...

[Yaish]

Alaska is known for having mosquitoes that require landing lights and FAA clearance.

I think the Parris Island Sand Flea can take your midges though. They may not fly, but God help you if you ever have to crawl around on the ground. (Gee, why would a Marine Boot ever have to crawl around on the ground?)

Of course the Drill Instructor makes sure you don't harm the delicate native wildlife. You better not be caught slapping at one of the little devils or you might find yourself preparing a funeral for the poor departed soul. The movie "The D.I." with Jack Webb (Famous as Joe Friday) has just such a scene.

One of the favorite questions the D.I's liked to pose when the sand fleas were biting is "YOU HAD YOUR BREAKFAST DIDN'T YOU?! LET HIM EAT HIS!!". Said in the most loving and gentle voice mind you.

I've had them line up at the edge of your cover (hat) and bite in a synchronized command. It was like being scalped! I didn't flinch but I did just about crush my own teeth I gritted them so hard.
Another time my arm went into spasms from the little bastards biting me. Nothing I could do, my arm just started twitching on it's own from the nerves being so stimulated. That one sucked...