Most people who have encountered a swarm of midges will tell you they are to be avoided, but that is not the case for one Dundee business.
Instead, the city firm is looking for volunteers to stand outside for eight hours and be bitten by the insects.
The initiative in the middle of midge season will be no mean feat – but to save your skin you will be given a new product to test.
APS Biocontrol is the firm behind the concept. It has developed midge repellent Smidge, and is carrying out testing on a product for another company.
It wants 10 volunteers to take part in an evening’s testing in the Inveraray and Minard area next week.
What’s involved in Dundee firm’s midge testing?
The volunteers will spend either Wednesday or Thursday evening – with a weather-dependent date to be confirmed by the organisers out in the countryside.
They will have one arm covered with a repellent, though not Smidge as the Dundee firm tests another product, while their other arm will not be treated.
The volunteers’ arms will be exposed at three-minute intervals, and the results monitored by the APS Biocontrol team.
Project director Jay Hutchison said: “We’re looking for ideally five men and five women, though that’s not hugely important.
“They’ll need to spend most of the evening with us – we’ll start at about 3pm and we could be out for anything up to eight hours.”
On the day, Jay and the team will also be on hand and will attempt to prevent anyone from being “bitten alive” by the midges.
He added: “Each of the volunteers and they’ll be aiming to catch any of the midges with a vacuum-type device.
“In a perfect world, we’ll get them before they bite you, but inevitably people will get bitten.”
How to get involved in midge testing
There are some conditions as to who can take part.
Anyone with an allergy to midges or mosquitos, or with particularly sensitive skin, is asked not to put themselves forward.
Pregnant women are also not able to take part, and the volunteers must be between the ages of 18 and 65.
In exchange for spending an evening being bitten by midges, the volunteers will each receive a £100 payment.
Anyone interested is asked to email Jay at jhutchison@apsbiocontrol.com
Dundee firm’s mosquito repellent
Meanwhile, APS Biocontrol boss 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
The huge numbers of staycationers had also seen UK sale of Smidge double to a staggering 250,000.
APS Biocontrol has launched a new product, Moskito Guard, which protects against mosquito bites.
Jay added: “Smidge has got a peachy scent to it.
“We’ve removed some of the scent because some people can have reactions to the ingredients that make the smelly bit.
“The main difference with Moskito Guard is that it’s not got that smell. It is aimed at people going abroad to tropical areas with mosquitoes.
