The scourge of walkers, climbers and tourists alike, clouds of biting midges are one of Scotland’s less attractive attractions.
Ticks, too, have earned the enmity of anyone who has had to take the tweezers to remove that charming beast that loves to burrow its head in our skin and suck our blood.
In the interests of fairness, however, the Perth-based Mountaineering Council of Scotland has been carrying out research to see if there is a positive side to the tiny insects.
Though mountain safety adviser Heather Morning did discover that they have their place in the nation’s eco-system she remains unconvinced by their merits.
“The midge undoubtedly wins in terms of numbers and provides a food source for a variety of plant and animal species, including pipistrelle bats and swifts.
“However, the numbers of midges caught by them is a miniscule fraction of the annual population and so probably the biggest claim to fame for the Scottish midge remains its contribution to keeping parts of the country wild and beautiful by putting people off living or even visiting there!”
The tick, it emerges, also plays an important role in the food chain as they too are a favourite snack for birds.
The research also looked at the ticks’ reliance on host animals as the opportunistic species are quick to exploit weak, ill or old animals.
If an already weak animal is infested with ticks it will weaken further, leading to death, so ticks play a role in ensuring only strong animals in a species survive and leave more resources for the fit, healthy animals.
“Making your own mind up on which of the beasties wins is probably the only fun you’ll get out of them, because both ticks and midges can be a real problem,” Heather added.