[HamishMcMurray]

My small flock seem to be plagued by midges. When I went out to check on them this morning I got bitten 3 times. It's making them behave in a strange way. They run around and then dive on the ground or hide in clumps of long grass. They seem healthy and clean and do behave normally most of the time so I think it's just the midges bothering them.

Can anyone recommend anything I can spray on them or give them to help keep the midges off them? They've been sprayed with Crovect but this doesn't keep the midges away.

Thanks.

[Mallows Flock]

I use Clik for anti fly strike but to keep midges away I add the natural but potent barrier Blow Fly repel..... it has no chemical nasties and smells divine! I also use it on our wrists and ankles and never get bit!!!
Either that or a pre-bend shelter... this works well on our lambs with midges. Midges don;t like going in the shelter AND it is a cool place for our lambs!

[SallyintNorth]

My small flock seem to be plagued by midges. When I went out to check on them this morning I got bitten 3 times.

Bitten 3 times, huh?   

Yesterday morning we were sorting the first of the fat lambs to go away this year ( ) and the midges were out in force.  The very idea of being able to identify and count individual bites when every exposed micron of skin is swarming with the wicked things made me shout out loud with laughter when I read your post, HMcM!   

My personal tactic is Marmite.  I've been told that they don't like the taste of you if you eat Marmite.  I still get bitten but seeing how the others around me are acting I suspect they are getting more bites than me.

I do tell the people that I work with about the Marmite.  I just make sure I eat more of it than they do 


As to the poor sheep, yes the things run them ragged - ours hide their heads in the reshes to get away from them.  If it gets bad the wee lambies hide in amongst the stones of the Roman Wall, ruins of the fort buildings, etc, and rub their heads against the stones, sometimes to the extent of making themselves bleed 

I have wondered about giving the sheep Marmite in one of those licky drums...  However, I see that Blow Fly Repel can remain effective for up to 4 weeks in dryish weather - might look some out and give it a go.

[jaykay]

I use a Barrier midge repellent on my goats. It's various plant oils (smells nice  ) and definitely seems to help. It's a spray, so not to difficult to apply to an unco-operative animal.

For myself, I variously use Skin so Soft, MosiGuard and DEET (the latter not much). I have a midge jacket and three midgie catchers about the place 

[Haylo-peapod]

I have a midge jacket

WOW - I didn't know these existed - could have done with one the other day whilst trying to check out the wildlife by our stream...and having to give up pretty quickly. Fleece pulled over top of head and binoculars sticking out by the collar wasn't really a satisfactory solution. 
 
Amazon, here I come   

[jaykay]

The midge jacket is so good for just 'popping out' to do something without having to cover every inch in repellent. The midges, as you may have gathered, are so bad here you can't breathe at times

I bought a Pyramid one. There was no offer of different sizes and the one they sent is humungous  . At some point I'll buy a smaller one and keep this as a visitor's spare. It has a gap where the head and front zips join (pretty inevitable really) so I just spray a bit of Mosiguard on the jacket there.

It works really well and has revolutionised my life 

[SteveHants]

Boring person that I am - I once went to a lecture about this in  the Natural History Museum of all places (it was on whilst I was there, I didn't go specially for the lecture!)


Apparently in humans, your tendency to get bitten is genetic, some peoples skin is harder for the mosquitoes to 'detect'.


I wonder if it is the same in sheep?

[Lazarus]

We were in Scotland on our camper van tour of 2007 when we went into a corner shop for supplies. Suddenly, four athletic hairies, who turned out to be lumberjacks, came in and bought up all the avon skin so soft spray (yes they had it on the shelves there). When they left, we asked what that was all about - and were told it was the ONLY cure for midges that worked!

[madcat]

It's my bad luck to be bitten and to react as well .     I can be reduced to itchy lumpy misery in very short order.
Might have to give the Blowfly repellent a try.

[Hellybee]

I second the sss, it's gotta be the green one tho xx

[Bionic]

My personal tactic is Marmite.  I've been told that they don't like the taste of you if you eat Marmite.  I still get bitten but seeing how the others around me are acting I suspect they are getting more bites than me.

I do tell the people that I work with about the Marmite.  I just make sure I eat more of it than they do 

How about covering yourself in Marmite instead of eating it 

[Foobar]

I tried the blowfly repel stuff, but it didn't seem to last long (<1week).
Crovect at "head fly" dose (and on head) works,  but is tricky to apply - my sheep get it on the ears a lot.


Has anyone tried garlic? (given to the sheep, not yourselves )

[Bramblecot]

I have bought the garlic lick buckets but the sheep hardly touched them.  Obviously not a flavour they liked but eventually eaten.  this year seems particularly bad for biting flies, a lot of my sheep are hiding in the shade.

[farmvet]

smidge is a great midge repellent for people, now available in tesco as well as outdoor stores! I can even do cow caesars without being eaten alive!
Auriplak tags should work for sheep. They last 5 months in cattle.  I wouldnt use them as tags but could be tied round the neck/wool in tamer sheep.  They work plaited in horses manes too. technically you need a prescription from your vet to use in animals other than cattle.