Sweetitch and sugar?

The top pictures are of Grey Belle this time last year, when she was on traditional turn out on a grass pasture.

The second picture is of Grey Belle this year, now living on a track system and a diet of mainly hay.

Her sweetitch is not gone, but her owner had commented on how it is significantly less than last year since moving here in December.

I truly believe this is due to less sugar in the diet, meaning the blood is not as tasty and attractive to midges (midge bites are the cause of sweetitch).

I had never considered this as a plus side of track systems and/or a mainly hay diet but it totally makes sense!

I know that when I've been on holiday (remember holidays?😭)I've been told to avoid drinking alcohol as it makes your blood taste sweet to mosquitos... Can't say I obeyed that advice though 🙃

On a serious note I would love to see some sweetitch research done on this. Comparing horses on grass to horses on low sugar/starch hay 🤔