country living... bug bites

[dmccarty]

This is a fairly lengthy read but well worth the time IMO . Bob

Chiggers!

Some of what is in the link has not been my experience. I think chigger's prefer to bite where its warm, dark and moist not where the skin is thin. Failing to find a dark, warm and moist spot they will just bite you. I have had hundreds of bites all over my legs. Not thin skin where I got bit. I don't know if chiggers move around but I surely have seen where a nest of them had collected and then gotten on me.

I was wearing trousers treated with Permithren and which killed the chiggers. I stood and watched them die and fall off. I admit I took great joy in watching their demise.

I have seen ticks sense me and follow me. They don't just sit and wait. I was taking a break one day on the gravel road. I saw a tick moving towards me and every once in awhile the tick would stop and rear up and wave its front "legs" It then would move towards me again. This went on a few times. I then moved 90 degrees out of the way to see what Mr. Tick would do. Mr. Tick was confused when I moved but he waved his little legs and eventually found me again and started moving after me. I moved the chair again.

He found me again.

I smooshed him between two rocks.

Benydrel both the gel and the pills helps. The gel really helps since it is easy to spread over large area of chigger bites. Frankly, scratching the heck out of the bites seems to reduce the itch. Infection is a worry but the itching is unreal. Ya gots to do something. For me once I have scratched the heck out of the bite it leaks white fluid. Once that happens the itching seems to decline quite a bit.

Later,
Dan

 

[cowboy357]

Some of what is in the link has not been my experience. I think chigger's prefer to bite where its warm, dark and moist not where the skin is thin. Failing to find a dark, warm and moist spot they will just bite you. I have had hundreds of bites all over my legs. Not thin skin where I got bit. I don't know if chiggers move around but I surely have seen where a nest of them had collected and then gotten on me.

I was wearing trousers treated with Permithren and which killed the chiggers. I stood and watched them die and fall off. I admit I took great joy in watching their demise.

I have seen ticks sense me and follow me. They don't just sit and wait. I was taking a break one day on the gravel road. I saw a tick moving towards me and every once in awhile the tick would stop and rear up and wave its front "legs" It then would move towards me again. This went on a few times. I then moved 90 degrees out of the way to see what Mr. Tick would do. Mr. Tick was confused when I moved but he waved his little legs and eventually found me again and started moving after me. I moved the chair again.

He found me again.

I smooshed him between two rocks.

Benydrel both the gel and the pills helps. The gel really helps since it is easy to spread over large area of chigger bites. Frankly, scratching the heck out of the bites seems to reduce the itch. Infection is a worry but the itching is unreal. Ya gots to do something. For me once I have scratched the heck out of the bite it leaks white fluid. Once that happens the itching seems to decline quite a bit.

Later,
Dan

I agree dmccarty , I dont go along with some of the info as well. I,ve never had them above My knees . I,ve allways sat on the edge of the tub when I came in & applied bleach with a wash rag ( Which They said is a myth ) . It seemed to take care of them rather quicklly & not much itch after the fact. But you have to catch it Pretty quick from coming in from out doors .

Also keep You clothes seperate untill there washed real good . I also spray My jeans & socks with deet & eat plenty of garlic. . I haven,t had a problem in quite sometimes . Bob

 

[jimmyj]

This is a fairly lengthy read but well worth the time IMO . Bob

Chiggers!

Yeesh. Yuk. Glad we don't have chiggers up here (nor many ticks until the last year or two we had zero it seems).

We got lotsa mosquitoes and deer flies, and black flies in the spring of course. Deet is the only thing that seems to work besides thick clothing. You kinda get immune to mosquito bites after a few years.

 

[jrepp44]

My treatment for chigger bites: cover the bites with a rag soaked with rubbing alcohol (90% type) for about 30 seconds, next apply 1% hydrocortisone cream. Your mileage my vary.

 

[LBrown59]

How do you deal with bug bites living in the country? Is this something you have to live with? During the summer months, every time we visit, we always come back with bug bites all over our arms, legs, neck and all exposed parts of the body. We didn't notice any mosquito or anything obvious. Just after a few days, the bites will show. I hate to spray stuff all over my body and not sure if that of any help. Any sugguestions???

I've never seen a bug that could read a city limit sign.

 

[tallyho8]

I was wearing trousers treated with Permithren and which killed the chiggers. I stood and watched them die and fall off. Later,
Dan

Dan, either your chiggers are much larger than ours or your eyesight is much better than mine, because I can not see our chiggers without a magnifying glass.

The best product I have found for relief of insect bites is AfterBite. It comes in a small rub-on tube and is sold at Walmart and other stores. It is great for all kinds of bee stings and is also good for ant and mosquito bites as well. I carry a tube on my tractor and one in my truck and golf cart. I find it works much better than benzocaine when applied right away.

The most important thing is to apply it IMMEDIATELY after you get bit. The sooner you apply it, the better it works.

 

[Frosty2]

When I was a kid Mom always put nail polish over chigger bites.Anyone heard of this?

 

[Bird]

When I was a kid Mom always put nail polish over chigger bites.Anyone heard of this?

Of course. Chiggers burrow in and a spot of nail polish cut off the air to the chigger and it suffocated. Or at least that was the theory, so my mother used that method, too. You hoped she had some clear nail polish 'cause it could be embarrassing to go to school with little red spots showing.

Another home remedy was a bath in a tub of water with some bleach in it, but I don't recall the ratio; i.e., how much bleach.

 

[Tig]

Deet was a big no no, not so long ago. It's as bad for you as it is for the mosquitos. They only difference being that it doesn't get rubbed ob the mosquitos. Even the manufacturers web sites had quite clear warnings for children. Then along came west nile and now I'm not sure which is worse.

 

[Frosty2]

Bird,thanks for the reply.I was glad that she used the clear.My Dad woudn't have gone for girly colors.Funny how mention of chiggers brings back the great childhood memories of summer vacations in Southern Illinois.I was lucky to have great parents and relatives w/farms.Great times I tell ya....