Trap or repel - the end of the Scottish midge problem Print E-mail
Few people living or visiting north of the border will need reminding of Scotland's summer midge problem: it ruins holidays, keeps folk indoors even when the weather is good, and has a negative bearing on the Scottish economy. No end of products have been launched in the past to combat the problem, such as sprays, lotions, nets that cover your head, and candles which give off an awful smell. Some of these things have limited success, with others apparently not working at all.

But now one company, Procter Pest-Stop, thinks it has a solution - or actually 'solutions' . Andy Simmons, director of Procter Pest-Stop, takes up the story:" We approached the whole midge problem from two different angles as it seemed to us that one solution could never fit all situations - for example for people out and about fishing, shooting and camping etc., to others wanting to relax in their own garden or enjoy a game of golf without being attacked by swarms of midges.

"For those out and about n the countryside, the answer had to be a highly effective repeller and that's just what we've got in the ThermaCELL product. In fact so effective is this small and portable device, that it's even used by the American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan."

ThermaCELL uses revolutionary, patented technology to dispense a small amount of repellent into the air over a long period of time. ThermaCELL is powered by a butane catridge which provides the cordless portable heat necessary to operate the device (batteries are not needed). It directs the heat to a metal grill. A mat saturated with Allethrin, a copy of a naturally occuring insecticide found in chrysanthemum flowers, is placed on top of the metal grill. The heat generated by the butane catridge vaporizes the repellent allowing it to rise into the air, creating a 4.5m x 4.5m mosquito and midge-free-zone in minutes. The repellent is very unpleasant to mosquitoes and midges but, when used as directed, will not harm humans or pets.

The other solution is to attract and the then trap midges and again Andy Simmons takes up the story:" for situations where the area is larger that midges need to be cleared from, the solution is to attract then trap them. This sort of technology is not new, but the units we have available are far more effective than previous ones on the market. Our largest unit- the Predator Dynamic - is probably the most powerful mosquito and midge trap currently available in the UK and has an effective area of 5000 square metres. It has been developed to attract female mosquitoes and midges from a large area - it's only the females which bit - and will ensure their colonies in this area will be significantly reduced and, in many cases, be extinguished altogether. The Predator Dynamic is ideal for large gardens, seating area outside hotels and even on the edge of golf greens".

Procter Pest-Stop also has two devices for the smaller garden and both are ideal for patios. One is an attractive 'lantern' version of the ThermaCELL repeller product, and the other a trap called the Amplecta AMT100 which has an effective area of 1500 square metres.

To find out your nearest stockist for the ThermaCELL products call 029 2088 0844, and for the Predator Dynamic and Amplecta AMT100 these are available from Highland Industrial Supplies in Inverness (call them on 01463 239160) and Macdonald's Hardware in Dingwall (call them on 01349 862180).