Not every bite in the Scottish outdoors comes from a midge. THE BAMPOT has seen walkers blame midges for horsefly welts, blame ticks for midge bites, and generally prove that most people would struggle to describe the insect that just fed on them.
This matters because the three main Highland biters differ in behaviour, season, and health risk. Here is the identification guide that should be on the dashboard of every car heading north.
The Highland Biting Midge — Culicoides impunctatus
Appearance: Tiny — roughly 1-2mm. Barely visible as a speck. Greyish-black body, transparent wings that hold at a V-shape when at rest. Female: needs a blood meal to develop eggs. Male: feeds on nectar only, harmless, does not bite.
When and where: Dawn and dusk, still air below 7mph, sheltered damp ground below 300 metres. May to September, peak June-July.
What the bite feels like: You will not feel the bite itself. The midge is too small. What you feel is the allergic reaction starting seconds afterward — a sharp, persistent itch that builds quickly. The sensation is a dense, localised prickle rather than a single sting.
The bite appearance: Small red raised dots, usually in clusters. Midges do not bite singly; they bite in numbers. The classic presentation is a patch of angry pink dots on the back of the neck, the ears, the hairline, or the wrists.
Risk: None beyond the nuisance. Midges in Scotland do not carry disease. The risk is secondary infection from scratching, nothing more.
The Cleg (Highland Horse Fly) — Haematopota pluvialis
Appearance: Much larger than a midge — 8-15mm. Grey-brown body with mottled wings. Distinctive: the wings are patterned with dark spots and held flat over the body. The eyes are iridescent green or bronze. The mouthpart is a small blade, visible on close inspection.
When and where: Clegs are daytime biters, active in full sun when midges are dormant. They are most common June to August, favour open moorland, hill paths, and the edges of boggy ground. They fly in a distinctive zigzag pattern and are attracted to movement and CO₂.
What the bite feels like: You will feel this one. The cleg cuts the skin with its blade-like mouthparts — it does not pierce like a mosquito. The sensation is a sharp, immediate pain, often described as a hot stab. The area around the bite swells quickly and the itch is deep and persistent for days.
The bite appearance: A single raised welt, often 1-3cm across, red and warm to the touch. The centre may show a small puncture mark. Multiple bites are possible but they are solitary feeders, so a cluster of small dots is midges, not clegs.
Risk: Very low in the UK. The main risk is the bite site becoming infected if scratched.
The Tick — Ixodes ricinus (Sheep Tick / Deer Tick)
Appearance: Tiny before feeding — 1-3mm, the size of a poppy seed. After feeding they swell to the size of a pea or larger. Eight legs (adult stage), oval body, no visible head from above. Colour ranges from dark brown to reddish-brown when engorged.
When and where: Ticks are active March to October, with peaks in spring and autumn. They live in long grass, bracken, heather, and woodland edges. They do not fly or jump. They wait on vegetation and climb onto passing hosts.
What the bite feels like: Nothing. Ticks inject an anaesthetic before feeding. You will not feel the bite. Most people discover a tick only because they see it on their skin.
The bite appearance: The tick itself is the identifying feature — a small dark bump that does not wash off. After removal, the bite site may be a small red ring. A spreading red ring — a bullseye rash — is a Lyme disease symptom and requires immediate medical attention.
Risk: This one matters. Ticks in Scotland carry Lyme disease. Not every tick carries it — estimates range from 5-20% in Highland areas. Symptoms include bullseye rash, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, and joint pain. Early antibiotic treatment is highly effective.
Quick identification table
| Feature | Midge | Cleg | Tick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 1-2mm | 8-15mm | 1-10mm (fed) |
| Bite sensation | Itch, not felt at time | Sharp stab, immediate | Not felt |
| Active time | Dawn/dusk, still air | Daytime, sun | Any time |
| Disease risk | None | None | Lyme disease |
| Bite pattern | Clusters of dots | Single welt | The tick is the bite |
What to do
For midges: wash, apply antihistamine cream, do not scratch. For clegs: clean the wound, ice the swelling. For ticks: remove with fine-tipped tweezers as close to the skin as possible, pull steadily upward, clean the area, and monitor for a bullseye rash or flu symptoms in the following weeks.