Midges ‘prefer big targets’

It may not rank among the world’s most illuminating discoveries but scientists have found that fat and tall people are more likely to be bitten by midges — because they present a bigger target. This less-than-sensational finding has come from a wide-ranging study into the feeding habits of the Highland midge. It follows similarly questionable scientific revelations, such as that men with body odor are less attractive to the opposite sex, and people with low self-control tend to be fatter.

The research, partly funded by the Scottish government, set out to identify those at greatest risk from the midges plaguing our countryside. Academics from Aberdeen University and Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire asked 300 people in the Highlands how often they had been bitten, and information was also gathered about their health and lifestyle. All the women who were overweight or obese had been bitten. There was no such correlation between fat men and the frequency of bites.

Among men, height was the main factor. Of those who were taller than 6ft, 90% had been bitten, compared with just 70% of those under 5ft 8in. The study, published in the journal BioMed Central Public Health, concluded: “Midges are known to rest in trees after they have emerged from pupae and are found in greater numbers with increasing height. It is, therefore, possible that midges searching for a suitable host would be descending from above and would encounter taller people, within a group, first. Additionally, larger people would provide a more substantial visual target for host-seeking midges as well as greater amounts of heat, moisture and attractant chemicals such as carbon dioxide.”

While the findings may seem obvious to lay observers, the scientists behind the study believe it could help them develop an effective repellent for midges and mosquitoes. “This helps us understand how midges interact with us and gives us clues about how to find people who are naturally repellent,” said Dr James Logan, an honorary research fellow at Aberdeen University and lead author of the study. Contrary to popular belief, people who consume alcohol, garlic, chili or onions are no less likely to be bitten. Smoking, exercise and diet were also ruled out as factors.