It has been a very dry start to the year, and often a hot one. This week we have had a few days of rain which are very welcome for gardens and for canals although we will need literally months of rain to fill our reservoirs again. But one thing the rain does seem to have done is to bring out the flies and wasps.

It is like we are all living in a jungle. Small flies, big flies and worst of all those horrible horse flies that cover my legs and arms with itchy lumps as they munch their way through me. And wasps – so many wasps buzzing around and annoying the dogs.

We have been trying all sorts of things to prevent these insects. Citronella has no effect. Mandy’s home built sugar trap has trapped nothing. We have ordered some peppermint oil to spray around but I have little confidence. My window frames are covered in tin drops of fly poo. Yuk.

I have seen many dire warnings of the impact of climate change – fires, floods, heat waves. But the world being taken over by flying things is a new one.

Do you have any good solutions?