Flies, midges and bugs!

Yes more than usual this year. Have tried different things lavender oil in body lotion for me to keep them off.

Standard precautions putting bins out often, not having fruit out, etc but still pests.

Flies, yes, worst year ever, mozzies, not so much and I normally get bitten if they’re around.

I live in the same neck of the woods as you Bluebellwould but I cant say we have had any more than usual this year.

There do seem to be far more flying insects around this year. They're actually committing suicide on the car windscreen again which hasn't happened to any degree in years. It's meant that we had a larger contingent of swifts heading south this year. Their numbers have been decreasing so it's great to see them recovering a bit. Fingers crossed not too many get shot flying over the Mediterranean!

How odd, I was just thinking the other day that things had been better than usual in the matter of flies this year. I've seen very few wasps, and even fewer house flies.
Whether its the cooler temperatures we've experienced in the north I've no idea. But I'm happy with the (so far) lower number of flying attacks.
(Just wait - next week I'll be writing about infestations up here - and it'll serve right )