SCOTLAND’S midges are notorious for the havoc they wreak every summer, but there’s another country where the midge is flourishing at the moment.

So nasty and prevalent are the midges in Iceland that one of the country’s many lakes, Lake Mývatn is named after the creature – Mývatn is Icelandic for midge.

Now the wee horrors have been given a back-handed compliment as an Icelandic musician, who goes by the name of Nazarus, has composed a song about them.

He told Iceland’s Fréttablaðið publication about the incident which inspired him to write the song called ‘Biting Midges.’

“There is a good reason for this song,” said the composer. “I wrote it in a fit of rage. Last week, my mother and I were sunbathing on the balcony, and when we returned inside, the old lady had bites everywhere.”

Nasarus reported that his mother ended up with more than 200 bites on her legs.

He said: “I got very angry and hurt and started composing.”

Before anyone thinks Nazarus is praising midges, it should be explained that the song not only warns people about these annoying flying carnivores, but also gives advice on how to prevent bites and how to treat them.

In other words the song is a preventive measure but as every Scot knows, none of the advice he gives in the song actually works.

Nazarus said: “I want to warn people of this pest in Icelandic nature. I want them out of here.”

The musician is certainly an interesting character. In another interview with mbl.is, Nasarus explained how his life changed after he was given a nose whistle in 2016.

He told the website: “This was the first time I saw such an instrument. I took it home and tried blowing into all ends, and finally got out a sound. Since then the whistle and I have been one. You could say the whistle has affected my life in a major way, that it has completely changed it.”

On his Facebook page Nazarus says that his wife left him because of the whistle.

He explained: “I’d rather not discuss it, but by wife gave me certain options. In retrospect, I must say the choice for me wasn’t difficult, because there is only one tool in this world that has captured my heart, and that is the whistle.”

Nazarus also plays the whistle differentl: “My nasal septum isn’t straight, which is common, so I actually use only one nostril when playing the whistle.”

He describes himself as belonging to a marginal group which is understandable given how few people play the nose whistle.

He added: “I’m on the margins of society, being a single male, living with my mother. I see myself as a spokesman for, and the voice of, this marginalised group.”

As for the midges, they have started their attacks early this year, according to Icelandic newspaper Morgunbladid. A pharmacist in the southern town of Selfoss told the paper that insect repellent products are in high demand there.

Hjördís Björk Ólafsdóttir told the paper: “Everything sells out right away. Every other person here has numerous bites. We’ve never seen anything like this.”

Nazarus and his song can be viewed thanks to Google. Midges are coming to eat you any day now.