Everyone knows how annoying – and painful – midge and mosquito bites can be. Somehow, no matter how many you manage to swat, there always seem to be a few that manage to get through to give you a nasty, itchy bite or two.

Here are some facts that you might want to know about these nasty little insects:

• They can develop from eggs to adults in just six to ten days.
• They are found close to still-standing water, where their larvae feed and develop.
• They seem to be attracted to bright colours.
• Mosquitoes will normally bite you at dawn or dusk, or if you’re unlucky, both. That’s when their internal clocks tell them that it is feeding time.