If you live anywhere near the Highlands, the west coast, or really any part of Scotland with damp woodland and boggy ground, you already know the midge isn’t just a minor annoyance. It’s a serious consideration when you’re thinking about how to use your home’s biggest openings during the warmer months.
This guide explains exactly what midge mesh is, why we fit Phantom Executive power screens with 20/20 insect mesh, and why the 30/20 mesh you’ll see advertised online isn’t something we’d recommend for large retractable screens.
Phantom Executive power screen with 20/20 midge mesh, installed in Lairg, Northwest Highlands
The Highland Biting Midge: What You’re Actually Dealing With
When our Highland and west coast clients say “midge”, they’re usually talking about the Highland biting midge (Culicoides impunctatus), the species responsible for up to 90% of bites on humans in Scotland. It’s found across the country, but is most abundant where boggy, acidic ground provides ideal breeding conditions.
A few facts that matter when you’re choosing mesh:
- Wingspan: about 1.4 mm
- Body length: slightly less than the wingspan
- They’re weak flyers: above 8.8 km/h (roughly 5.5 mph), they can’t fly properly and tend to land on vegetation
- Most active at dawn and dusk, and on dull, overcast days you can still get bitten mid-afternoon
- Females are drawn to CO₂, dark moving objects, and specific body chemicals including acetone and lactic acid
That last point about wind speed is worth remembering. A breezy evening can feel completely “midge free”, which is why screens matter most on those still, humid evenings when midges are at their worst.
What “20/20” Mesh Actually Means (In Plain English)
Mesh counts describe the number of openings per inch in each direction.
20/20 means roughly 20 openings per inch both ways, giving about 400 openings per square inch (20 × 20). Using a strand diameter of 0.013 inches, each clear opening works out at roughly 0.94 mm, which is comfortably smaller than a Highland biting midge’s 1.4 mm wingspan.
30/20 means 30 openings per inch one way and 20 the other, giving 600 openings per square inch (30 × 20). More holes, but each one smaller.
More holes and smaller gaps might sound automatically “better”, but the trade-off is always:
- Less airflow through the screen
- Less daylight and a less clear view
- Higher wind load on the system
- More stress on a large retractable mechanism
That trade-off is why screen manufacturers talk about openness factor, not just mesh count.
The Mesh We Fit: Phantom Executive Power Screens with 20/20 Insect Mesh
Phantom’s Executive power screens are specifically designed for large openings and can span up to 12 metres wide. They’re secured along all four edges, making them suitable for exposed installations, and they’re built to retract neatly into a headbox when you don’t need them.
Phantom’s own UK case studies show Executive installations using 20/20 insect mesh, while their smaller manual screens use a standard 18/14 mesh. That’s not an accident. It’s the manufacturer’s deliberate choice for the tighter “small insect” mesh that still performs properly on a large retractable system.
When we fit Phantom Executive screens for clients in midge country, we’re using a mesh choice that sits within the Phantom system and is engineered to work reliably at scale.
The Technical Specification
For architects, specifiers, and clients who want the numbers:
- Mesh type: No-see-um / small insect mesh, 20 × 20
- Typical openness: around 43–45%
- UV reduction: up to 55–57%
- Strand diameter: 0.013 inches (warp and fill)
- Colour options: Charcoal and Silver Grey
- Material: PVC-coated fibreglass
Clear opening calculation: 20 openings per inch gives a pitch of 1/20 inch (0.05″). Subtract the strand diameter (0.013″) and you get a clear opening of 0.037″, which is 0.94 mm. The Highland biting midge has a wingspan of about 1.4 mm, which is why 20/20 is widely recognised as effective midge mesh.
“But I Heard 30/20 Is Better…”
You’ll find retailers online selling “genuine midge mesh 30×20” and claiming you need 600 holes per square inch to stop midges. Here’s the honest, professional answer.
1. Phantom Don’t Offer 30/20 as a Standard Option
Phantom’s mesh range includes insect mesh, solar mesh, and privacy mesh, but 30/20 isn’t listed as a standard option for their systems. On a premium motorised product like the Executive, we don’t substitute alternative fabrics. The system is engineered, tested, and warranted around specific materials.
2. 30/20 Makes Large Retractable Screens Behave Worse
Even if a denser mesh sounds like it should be “more midge-proof”, it comes with real costs on large openings:
- Lower openness means higher wind load. A tighter mesh reduces airflow, which means the screen behaves more like a sail. On a motorised screen spanning several metres, that increases forces on the cloth, the side retention system, the roller tube, the motor, and the bottom bar.
- Poorer retractability. Executive screens are designed to disappear neatly into a headbox. Denser fabrics generally have more surface friction in guides, more “memory” when rolled, and more susceptibility to waviness if tension isn’t perfect.
- Reduced view and airflow. The whole point of a Phantom screen is that it lets you use your opening. If the mesh choice compromises ventilation and visibility, it undermines the reason you bought the screen in the first place.
3. The Real Weak Points Are Almost Never “Through the Cloth”
In real homes, midges getting indoors usually happens because of:
- Tiny gaps at screen edges or door thresholds
- A door being opened quickly (midges take that as a personal invitation)
- Pets, children, and general life
- Ventilation routes elsewhere in the property
Chasing a mesh count number can become a classic case of sacrificing comfort and reliability for a gain you may never notice. The overall sealing and how the door is used matters far more than the difference between 400 and 600 holes per square inch.
4. Some “Midge Mesh” Is Really Solar Screening
Many products sold online as “midge mesh” are actually solar insect screening, with noticeably lower openness (in the low 30% range) designed to reduce glare and heat. That’s a different design goal entirely. For Phantom Executive insect protection, we prioritise maximum airflow and system performance, because that’s what makes you actually use the screens every day.
When Do You Need Midge Mesh in Scotland?
In Scotland, the season for fly screens typically runs from mid-April through to late September. This is when insects like flies, mosquitoes, and midges are most active.
Midges are particularly active during the warmer months, especially on the west coast, near woodland, and around damp or boggy ground. They’re at their worst on still, humid evenings at dawn and dusk. If you’re in the Highlands or on the west coast, midge mesh isn’t a luxury — it’s essential if you want to enjoy your outdoor spaces and keep big openings usable through summer.
And yes, it’s normal to get mosquitoes in Scotland too. There are several native species, and of those that bite, only the females will bother you. Of the world’s 3,000 mosquito species, just one per cent is found in the UK, but ten are known to occur in Scotland.
The Practical Bottom Line
If you want the best balance of:
- Strong midge protection
- Excellent ventilation
- A clear view
- A motorised screen that behaves properly on large openings
…then Phantom Executive + 20/20 insect mesh is the sweet spot, and it’s fully aligned with the Phantom system approach in the UK.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will midge mesh make my home “100% midge-proof”?
It will make a massive difference, but nothing in the real world is 100%. Doors open, people move, and tiny gaps exist. What you’re buying is a serious frontline defence that lets you use your big openings properly throughout midge season.
Will I still get a decent view?
Yes. Any mesh will be slightly more noticeable than having nothing there, but that’s precisely why we stick with 20/20 rather than going denser. It gives excellent protection without turning your view into a grey haze.
What about windy evenings?
Good news: above roughly 5.5 mph wind, midges struggle to fly. On breezier days you often don’t need midge mesh at all, but your screens are still brilliant for keeping out flies, mosquitoes, and general winged nuisances.
Are midges the same as “no-see-ums”?
Essentially, yes. “No-see-um” is the North American term for biting midges from the same family (Ceratopogonidae). The 20/20 mesh used on Phantom screens is often described as “no-see-um mesh” in international specifications, which is why it works so well against our Scottish midges.
Can midges crawl through the mesh?
Adult midges won’t crawl through 20/20 mesh — the openings are too small relative to their body size. If you’re noticing tiny insects coming through, it’s usually other microscopic species or, more commonly, gaps around edges rather than anything passing through the cloth itself.
What about smaller manual screens?
Our midge mesh is available in both manually operated cassetted screens for smaller windows and in motorised Phantom Executive power screens for larger openings up to 12 metres. The 20/20 mesh specification is the same across both.
Want Advice for Your Specific Opening?
If you tell us where you are in Scotland, what the opening sizes are, and whether the screens will be sheltered or exposed, we’ll give you a straight answer about what will work best. No hard sell, just honest advice based on fitting these systems across Scotland for years.
Request a quote or call us on 0800 086 2989.
