Been out the last couple of weekends and I've been eaten alive... last weekend I even put jungle formula repellent on which had no discernible impact.
I'm not usually that affected but this year the bites are itchy as $£&^%
Just me or a country-wide phenomenon I can blame on Brexit / Trump etc?
I am certain that it is May's fault.
It is a good year for biting insects. The sun gets shaded out on my tractor at the moment with the numbers of them > Just glad I now have fully enclosed glass and air con. I well remember the days of open tractors with nothing more than a roll bar. You could always see where the horse flies had bitten as the straight rows of hay would have a big wobble in them where you had tried to swat them off and let go of the steering 🙂
Only been bitten twice this year and that was when I was sitting by The Cam having lunch yesterday. YMMV, etc, etc...
I don't normally get bitten too much, but this year I've had a few already.
I completely blame Boris for every single itchy bastard bite.
Yes they are!!!
I'm almost considering stopping riding for a bit. I swell up horrendously from them and had legs like the Michelin man recently.
I got one on my forehead this weekend too and its swollen up above my right eye.
I've never had this many in the UK in such a short space of time.
Flipping nightmare!
Seems to be worse this year. Maybe the very warm spring weather combined with the torrential rain. None of the puddles let alone streams and ponds have dried out yet. Good breeding conditions me thinks.
A typical evening ride in the woods results in multiple bugs being ingested via the mouth, plus a few more stuck in the ears etc. Not worth stopping cos they love sweaty legs
Yep, I returned from MTBMeetup half a stone lighter, thanks to their ferocious eating of me.
YES!
Just returned from the Sam Houghton in the Lakes - didn't fancy taking the big tent (our only tent) so decided to sleep under my fishing brolly on a bed chair - OMFG, about 5am had to dive in the back of the car - would have driven home there and then if I wasn't still drunk from the after party
Definatley worse. My mate I ride with never gets bitten by insects for some reason but they've even been having a go at him this year!
The last few rides I've been covered in red spots the following day.
Quick fixes if bitten - make a salt and water paste and rub it into the bite - this allows you to 'scratch' without taking the top off (easy to do if you stop and eat somewhere or are bitten while eating).
I've also found that Listerine works well too to reduce the swelling, makes sure you let it drown the area.
Taking 24-hour type antihistamines in the days and hours before going out will help control the initial swelling/itching too.
Or just ride faster.
Still mostly OK here in North Yorks, didn't notice too many on Sunday in the Lakes, either (quite a few horse/deerflies though). Perhaps it's been too dry for them, might go mental if we get the forecast rain this week.
The midges and mosquitos for the most part just leave little red itchy as hell spots. It's the horseflies/clegs/gadflies that are pure evil! A single bite can leave you with massive swelling to entire limbs. If one bites you around the head/neck area you can end up looking like the elephant man. I've not been able to walk a few times because of multiple bites from those ****s, usually while sorting a pinch flat!
I use military strength DEET, nasty stuff but seems to keep most at bay.
I guess I’m kind of glad it’s not just me then.
I usually take precautions and ensure that the wife is fairly close as she’s like a Michelin-Starred banquet to anything small and bitey but it looks like I’ll have to break out the DEET again.
I’m glad To hear other saying this, I thought it was just me.
midgies no too bad, but cleggs are evil bastards like.
Ah they're alright. All God's creatures aren't they.
Don't seem to get them up here , possibly cause the midges gee them a doin!
This is where from this point on until the end of September..Im cursed .
I've not felt a thing yet ...