Scots midge spray set to lead global fight against bugs

THEY may get blamed for costing the Scottish economy millions of pounds each year.

But now the Highland midge is set to turn in to a global money-spinner for a Dundee company whose environmentally friendly repellent is set to be rolled out across the world.

A record 145,000 cans of Smidge have been sold in the UK already.

And now the firm is set to cash in by taking on insects that make the Highland midge look like “wimps.”

The spray was tested last week by researcher Marion MacLeod in Greenland – famous for some of the planet’s worst flying insects, where headnets are almost in fashion!

And Deet-free Smidge, launched in 2010 by APS Biocrontrol Ltd of Dundee, was more than a match for Greenland’s infamous Black Fly and Arctic Mosquito.

Arctic expert Professor Eric McVicar said: “Our midges and cleggs are not in the same league.

“Highland midges are nuisance value and a good repellent works with little lasting damage. But Blackfly and Arctic Mosquito can cause serious and lasting damage – as well as drive animals crazy enough to jump into rivers and lakes.

Leading midge expert Dr Alision Blackwell of APS agrees.

“It is all thanks to the midge that the world is looking to a repellent developed in Scotland to fight its own biting beasties. Those in Greenland make our midges look like wimps.

“We have made clear to people that Smidge is not just for midges – it will work on other insects too, so it’s worth taking on holiday.”

It works by blocking the ‘odour receptors’ on insect antenna, so they are less able to find you and then if they do, other properties make you taste foul to them so they won’t bite.

Dr Blackwell also said that midge numbers this year were heading for record numbers.

The Scottish tourism industry is estimated to lose about £286 million-a year because of the insects.

Many tourists have said they would not return to Scotland at the same time of year because of them.