Are you going to the forest for a picnic and choosing a place where there is a stream or river nearby? Are you going to the swamp for cloudberries or cranberries? Are you just going to the dacha?
In any case, you need to take care that the small midge does not consider you an object of attack.
The bite of a midge is not felt immediately, but the consequences from it can be much greater than from the bite of an ordinary mosquito.
How to prevent an attack by a swarm of midges? When going on holiday to a forest area with a pond, wear long-sleeved clothes and pants with legs that reach the feet.
If you are going to pick mushrooms or berries in marshy areas, you can additionally protect your head with a hat with a fine mesh.
Children are given a scarf or other headgear to wear on their heads: midges often bite the scalp and neck, and the bumps from bites in these areas do not go away for a long time.
Don't forget about special repellent sprays. Apply them to your clothes in a thin layer before leaving the house, so that the midge will smell the unpleasant smell as it approaches you and stay away. And put a bottle of repellent in your jacket pocket or at the bottom of your hiking basket/bag.
For an overnight stay in the forest or a long picnic in nature, choose dry and warm, sunlit glades away from water. And if you are driving to the forest or to the country in your own car and want to keep the windows open, curtain them with a thin but strong fine-mesh net so that insects do not fly inside the car.
Are midges bothering you at your dacha? Since they live in small and large bodies of water, as well as in water-filled containers, check the condition of your dacha pond, cover your pools with film, and empty water from barrels when you are not going to use it.
Some herbs can also serve as good protection against annoying small insects: lavender, rosemary, basil.
A good solution against the invasion of midges would be to plant bird cherry near a summer house or gazebo: midges cannot stand the smell of its flowers and leaves.
How do you know if a midge has bitten you despite all precautions? Its bite feels like a needle prick, the skin at the site of the bite begins to burn sharply and itch strongly, swelling and redness appear. What should be done to minimize the consequences of the bite?
First, do not scratch the itchy area: this will only help the poison penetrate deeper into the skin. It is better to rinse it with cool water, and to reduce swelling, apply an ice cube to the bitten area.
Secondly, apply an antihistamine ointment to the bite. This will also help to get rid of itching and swelling faster.
Thirdly, lubricate the bite mark of the midge every hour with a cream or a chatterbox containing zinc. It dries the wound, preventing it from getting wet, and speeds up healing.
