Publishing date: May 14, 2021 • 3 hours ago • 4 minute read Pesky midges gather on a screen outside Susan Young's house. (Susan Young/For The Whig-Standard/Postmedia Network) Photo by Susan Young /For The Whig-Standard Article content This third wave of COVID-19 and the resulting lockdown and stay-at-home order has been challenging for many of us. For me, this spring has been particularly trying. So when the midges — those tiny, bothersome black flies that come out for two or three weeks every spring — began to swarm recently, I was very irritated. I walk every day, when I mull over thoughts and move with ease in nature. Even this simple pleasure became challenging with those vexing flies crawling into my nose, mouth, eyes and ears and on to my hair and clothing.