Dear Evan, yes midges can draw blood but do not carry any diseases. They are only prevalent on the west coast of Scotland and a few areas in Wales. On the east coast it is too dry and cold for them, and in the south of the UK there is not enough of the wet atmosphere they like to survive. We do not have mosquitoes here as it is too cold for them. Plus we have many very clean and fast running streams and rivers, and mosquitoes do not like them!
Our trout, frogs toads and bats would also eat them, plus our aquatic Dragonfly nymphs.
Although saying that, with global warming and probably some crafty Scotsman out to make a new repellant that might lure them, we may someday get some!
Regards.
Neil.

I always thought that mosquitoes didn't like the cold until I went to Alaska and they had monster mosquitoes and they get 50 below 0 there. I knew then there was no hope for Louisiana.

No way????!!! I can't believe that there are mosquitoes in Alaska! Well ... I guess they are like roaches ... they will be here long after humans are gone from the earth!

Neil - Your midges sound like nasty biters! We have something called "no see ems" here that really can be worse than the mosquitoes as far as attacking you in large numbers! But they are mostly found along the coastal beach areas and come out at dusk. Though they have moved inland quite a bit because I get them in my yard some times. Not fun, let me tell ya!

And they get big!

ROTFLOL!!!!!

Yeah, I was in Minnesota this past March and they have mosquitoes size of a fly up there in the WINTER time!!!

So this means that after mosquitoes become immune to D.D.T., and indeed many other chemicals we have tried to kill them with. they are now flying around Alaska with wooly hats, boots, gloves and winter jackets on?
Someone could make a lot of money out of this, selling them miniature snowmobiles, so they could pop in for a bite to eat!
Regards.
Neil.

I was told they are the state bird.

Florida's state bird ... for sure! Alaskan mosquitoes ... I would have never guessed that to be true! Amazing!

It is sad but true. I have heard my whole life that we needed a good cold winter to kill off the mosquito, but after seeing the size of the mosquito in Alaska I know that's not true!!!! By the way, that green alcohol works good on any bites.

Now would that green alcohol work on that giant skeeter?
What is that green alcohol concoction? How/where do you get it?

LOL!! Candee I'm not sure if anything but a giant fly swap would work on that giant mosquito. The green alcohol has spearmint in it and it soothes the sting of bites. It's located in our walmart or any drug store that sells
rubbing alcohol. When the kids get bites they come in wanting that green stuff.

Thanks

hand sanitizer works just as well, probably all that alcohol in it!

My favorite garden room.

That certainly is a lovely area. Do you have more pictures?
Thought I would post a few updated pics of my Gazebo and back yard area. My yard is divided into areas for different functions. This area is for entertaining.
From the outside looking in.

Everything has grown a lot Holly and is really looking good!!! Thanks for the comments on my oasis. That's what we call it until the weeds get tpo bad and then I can't repeat what they call it. LOL!!! I'll try to post a few more pictures later. I'm on the run at the moment.

The beginning of this thread by CircleBack mentions a "sitting garden". I had a good laugh because I have one too and wondered how many of us have a sitting garden. Here are some pics of mine that we started in 2008.

This is what the area looked like in 2007, just some volunteer petunias, a Weigela florida 'Red Prince', and some tiger lilies in the background. The arborvitae trees belong to the neighbors.


Getting the idea going in 2008. My husband built the bridge over the drainage ditch from the garage and we put in the walkway, a Kwanzan Cherry Tree to anchor the north end and a Star Magnolia on the south end next to the tiger lilies:


2009. Oh how I enjoyed going to the garden centers and the daylily farm to find plants to fill in the space. Crape Myrtles, azaleas, roses, and lots of daylilies:


And in 2011 Full to the brim!

wow Vickie that is beautiful!