Size matters for the dreaded midge

Celebrity Nell McAndrew was one of the First Monster Challenge competitors that took part in the midge study in 2008

Research with First Monster Challenge Competitors Suggest Midges Prefer Tall Men and Large Women
Competitors at the 2010 First Monster Challenge, a 120km team relay duathlon around the shores of Loch Ness, will be warned of midges biting preferences when they turn up for the September 11 event.

Findings, which have just been published, from researchers showed the Scottish biting midge demonstrated a preference for tall men and women who have a large Body Mass Index (BMI).  The research also showed that children may inherit a tendency to be bitten from their parent(s).

A study into the habits of the Scottish midge was conducted by researchers at the University of Aberdeen and Rothamsted Research and involved hundreds of competitors at the 2008 First Monster Challenge.  The questionnaire based study was the largest investigation of its kind for any biting insect.

Professor Jenny Mordue is a retired Professor in the Department of Zoology at the University of Aberdeen and an expert in pest control and the behaviour of midges.  She was joint leader of the study conducted in 2008.  “The First Monster Challenge provided a perfect setting for us to conduct trials and interview competitors,” she said.   “The setting around the shores of Loch Ness is classic midge territory while the extra carbon dioxide produced by the competitors whilst they were running and cycling around Loch Ness encouraged midges to attack.  The data we collected from the event formed the basis of our study.

“The preference for the insects to target taller people could be associated with midge behaviour and flight patterns, as midges are found at great numbers with increasing height, particularly between 1-4 metres.

“Larger people would provide a more substantial visual target for host-seeking midges as well as greater amounts of heat, moisture and attractant semiochemicals (behaviour modifying chemicals), such as carbon dioxide, which encourage midges to bite,” said Professor Mordue.

“Our research also found that women are more likely to react badly to midge bites.”

“The survey was part of a much larger study to develop new repellents for biting insects.  A new product is currently being commercialised,“ she added.

Paul Moore Director of Communications and Public Affairs at transport giant, FirstGroup, the company behind the First Monster Challenge, said: “We were delighted to offer our First Monster Challenge competitors to help with the midge experiments in 2008.  We had a particular problem with the dreaded midge the year before with some of our competitors suffering more than 100 bites each.  We were very keen to join forces with our University partners to learn more about how we might win the war against the insects.  Our competitors, including our star celebrity, Nell McAndrew, were all too willing to take part in the experiments.”

He continued: “At the First Monster Challenge 2010 on September 11 we will be making all our competitors aware of the midge preference for tall men, women with a large BMI index and that women are more likely to react badly to midge bites.”

The First Monster Challenge will take place on 11th September around the shores of Loch Ness and is completely sold out.  In teams of four each competitor is required to complete two legs of the eight-legged event – one 20km cycle and one 10km run.  For more information, log on to www.firstmonster.com.  All Monster competitors are encouraged to raise money for good causes and in particular First’s charity partners, Save the Children.