Midges on a car

Midges are small, two-winged flying insects. Midges are a subgroup of gnats, and comprise several families of Diptera, including especially the Chironomidae, or non-biting midges, and the Ceratopogonidae or biting midges (also known as no-see-ums in North America). Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2966x1986, 273 KB) Description: Midges on a Toyota. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2966x1986, 273 KB) Description: Midges on a Toyota. ... Classes & Orders See taxonomy Insects are invertebrate animals of the Class Insecta, the largest and (on land) most widely-distributed taxon within the phylum Arthropoda. ... The name gnat is applied to small insects in the order Diptera (the true Flies) and specifically within the suborder Nematocera. ... In biological classification, family (Latin: familia, plural familiae) is 1) a rank or 2) a taxon in that rank. ... Suborders Nematocera(Eudiptera) Brachycera Green Bottle Fly Flesh Fly Fannia a Lesser House Fly (unidentified species) Dolichopodidae (unidentified species) Diptera (di - two, ptera – wings), or true flies, is the order of insects in which the hind wings are reduced to halteres. ... Chironomidae are a family of Nematoceran Diptera closely related to the Ceratopogonidae, Simuliidae, and Thaumaleidae. ... Ceratopogonidae, or biting midges, are a family of small (1-4mm long) Nematocera within the order Diptera of Insects. ...

Biting midges fly in swarms and usually don't stray too far from their breeding grounds. Females feed on blood for protein to produce eggs. Males only feed on nectar.

Midges are important for the pollination of cocoa. Cocoa beans in a cacao pod Cocoa is the dried and partially fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree from which chocolate is made. ...

The orange wheat blossom midge is a pest in cereal grains and is a standard research animal used for the testing of pesticides. Larval form of some beetle is damaging specimen of Sceliphron destillatorius in entomogical collection. ... Oats, barley, and some products made from them Cereal crops are mostly grasses cultivated for their edible grains or seeds (actually a fruit called a caryopsis). ...

The Highland midge is found in large numbers in the Scottish Highlands. They are famously vicious and have become something of a cultural icon in Scotland. They were also a favourite subject of author Vladimir Nabokov. Irish midges have a similarly fearsome reputation. The Highland midge (scientific name: Culicoides Impunctatus) is a tiny insect, found in wet places specially in the north-west of Scotland during spring and summer. ... The Scottish Highlands are the mountainous regions of Scotland north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Motto: (Latin for No one provokes me with impunity)1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots2 Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I 843  Area    - Total 78... Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov (Russian: Владимир Владимирович Набоков; pronounced ) (April 22 [O.S. April 10] 1899, Saint Petersburg – July 2, 1977, Montreux) was a Russian-American author. ...

George Hendry, writer of Midges in Scotland, looks specifically into the biology of midges and why they bite.

Midges are at their worst on still damp cloudy days. They do not like direct sunlight or high winds because their flight speed is less than human walking pace. This is why midges cannot immediately follow you when you run away, although they can quickly gather again if you stop moving.

Regional terminology in Northern Ohio for the non-biting species includes "muffleheads" and "muckleheads". Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Cleveland Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 km²)  - Width 220 miles (355 km)  - Length 220 miles (355 km)  - % water 8. ...

Further reading

• Hendry, George. Midges in Scotland 4th Edition, Mercat Press, Edinburgh, 2003 ISBN 184183-0623

External links

• Scottish University project on midges
• Highland biting midge species profile
• Solving the problem of being ‘eaten alive’ by midges