Public Health England (PHE) have found tick-borne encephalitis virus in ticks found in Thetford Forest and the Hampshire-Dorset border in England. Tick-borne encephalitis virus has already been discovered around Scandinavia, Asia and mainland Europe but this is the first report of it in the UK. It is possible that it has reached here via migratory… Read More
Researchers from the University of Glasgow have discovered previously unknown viruses in the Scottish midge population around Loch Lomond. These viruses are not a public health concern but show the potential for midges to transmit diseases to animals, such as birds and cattle, in the UK and Europe. It was only a few years ago… Read More
You’ll be glad to know that it’s nearing the end of the midge season! Numbers are starting to decline around the country, with fewer and fewer reports coming into us of midge activity. This means that the Midge Forecast is soon to shut down for the season. It’s at this stage that females will start… Read More
New estimates suggest that cases of Lyme disease around the UK are possibly three times higher than was previously thought. This is according to a new paper published in BMJ Open. This research found that there could be over 8000 cases of Lyme disease in the UK by the end of 2019. This is compared… Read More
Smidge will be on a road trip around Scotland from Monday next week (15th -19th July). If you are a small business (B&B, local shop etc.) and would like to try Smidge for your customers for the first time, we do great starter packs with a mix & match, or products or for larger businesses… Read More
The 2019 midge season starting with a bang in the middle of May…… Read More
First off, I’d like to introduce myself. I’m Jay and I’m just getting started here at Smidge as a new research assistant/assistant accounts manager (a bit of science and a bit of business!). I have a background in midge and mosquito behaviour research going back to my undergraduate years. I’m not all that new to… Read More
The 2019 midge season has started early this year… Read More
They’ve arrived!… Read More
Midges Season 2018 – what to expect?… Read More
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