Scotland's Midge Species

There are many thousand different species of midge, few of which bite. The most well known of these pests is probably the Highland Biting Midge, however others are found across Scotland.

Here are a few of the worst Scottish biters. The "C" is an abbreviation for Culicoides, the genus to which they all belong. Culicoides is part of the Ceratopogonidae family.

Species Where Found Comment

C. heliophilus All-day flier rather than mornings and evenings

C. impunctatus Highlands The infamous Highland Biting Midge

C. newsteadii Salt-marshes Painful biter also known as the "beast of Arrochar"

C. nubeculosus Farmland Often found near sheep and cattle

C. obsoletus Lowlands and towns The garden midge. Not as painful a bite as the Highland midge, but persistent