Lochaber Midges in February — Risk, Peak Times, Kit
Effectively no midges. Plan freely. Ground zero for Scottish midges. Wet, sheltered, west-coast — the trinity that drives the biggest populations in Britain. Glen Nevis, the Mamores, Knoydart and the Road to the Isles are all peak-pressure habitat from late May to mid-September.
Current risk
Lochaber in February: None. Effectively no midges. Plan freely.
When they bite
Out of season — no significant biting activity in Lochaber this month. Still cold and wet. Snow on the tops, frequent frosts in the glens. Midge population fully dormant — no adult activity recorded in any Lochaber location.
What to wear
No specific kit needed for midges in Lochaber this month. Build the kit list around weather, daylight and route choice.
Tactical notes
February in Lochaber continues the winter regime. Fort William's average February maximum is 7°C; the high tops and the Knoydart passes are deep in snow. Midge eggs and larvae remain dormant in the saturated ground but no adults are flying anywhere in the region. There is no need to consider midges in any February planning.
The [Ben Nevis](/hillwalking/munros/ben-nevis-beinn-nibheis) CIC hut climbing season is in full swing — climbers booking the hut for a February weekend can ignore midges entirely. The [Glen Nevis](/glens/glen-nevis) road is the standard winter approach. The Mamore ridge is at its most demanding. The classic [Glen Coe](/glens/glen-coe) winter routes (Curved Ridge, Crowberry Gully, Stob Coire nan Lochan) are on full winter conditions.
For camping and bothy nights, February pitches at Steall, [Sourlies](/bothies/sourlies), [Barrisdale](/bothies/barrisdale), Corrour, Loch Ossian, A'Chuil, Camban or [Glenpean](/bothies/glenpean) encounter zero midges. The bothies are warmer than the tent (when you can get a fire going) and the wild camping is feasible with a four-season system and proper wind protection.
February is a winter-skills planning month, not an insect planning month. Treat the entire region as midge-free for any trip from late October through to mid-May — Lochaber's first hatches don't usually arrive until at least 20 May even in the warmest springs.