Chiggers, A Hard Lesson Learned

[Gordo 56]

 

[xtn]

I took a nap in the afternoon - on my back in the tall grass - once back when I was twelve years old or so. Perfect weather with the warm sunshine and a gentle cool breeze. When I awoke I though I would die. My southern hemisphere pretty much didn't have any untouched skin left. Utter misery for a couple of days.

On our place we keep an old sock filled with a cupful of sulpher powder hung on a nail outside the back door. When going outside (during chigger season at least) we just tamp our ankles and lower legs with the sock. Doesn't keep every single chigger away forever, but works kinda decently and in the long run is a heck of a lot cheaper than buying Off all the time.

xtn

 

[Daver1963]

The chiggers don't care how much experience you have farming or being out in the country. They'll get you either way!!
If they are burrowed under the skin one of the remedies we always used was clear nail polish over the welts to suffocate the little buggars!
Hang in there and watch out for ticks!

 

[k0ua]

Yep ticks and Chiggers aren't they great?. I see on movies people sitting on the grass. Ha, not around here. At least not until it frosts. If you really want to find out about chiggers, go pick black berry's. There is something about a black berry patch they love. You will have at least one chigger bite for every blackberry picked if you don't "dope" up.

James K0UA

 

[jinman]

Off! brand insect repellent or any other product with DEET will do a go job of repelling chiggers. Also, the first thing you want to do when you go indoors is to shuck out of your clothes in the laundry room and go take a shower. If you are in a motel, put your clothes in trash bags. Never make the mistake of sitting on furniture or laying on the bed before a shower and change of clothes. DEET based repellent products and careful control of infested clothing will make you a lot less likely to see bites. You can't completely escape them, but one or two bites can be treated with vinegar to reduce the sting/itch. Chiggers normally get you on your ankles and then work their way up to your crotch area and the butt-crack. I don't think there is anything more miserable that itches in those nether regions.

 

[Travelover]

The best way I've found is to treat your clothes with permethrin spray . Here is the expensive way (diluted) to buy it: Sawyer Permethrin Pump Spray - 24 oz. at REI.com

Here is the cheap way (concentrate): Permethrin-10 Livestock & Premise Spray, 32 oz. - Tractor Supply Co.

 

[econometrics]

Yes, welcome to rural living indeed!

Chiggers will die when the weather cools off, fear not. Only problem for you (as you live in IL) is that you can't go lay out in the snow and enjoy a glass of tea. :laughing:

I had about a one-month off/on bout with Chiggers this summer. It was annoying, but small price to pay to enjoy the rural way of life! :thumbsup:

 

[TripleR]

Yes, welcome to rural living indeed!

Chiggers will die when the weather cools off, fear not. Only problem for you (as you live in IL) is that you can't go lay out in the snow and enjoy a glass of tea. :laughing:

I had about a one-month off/on bout with Chiggers this summer. It was annoying, but small price to pay to enjoy the rural way of life! :thumbsup:

I was thinking the same thing. I grew up in the country then my job took me away for years. I built my house on our farm 20 years ago and ticks and chiggers sure beat living in the city.

 

[econometrics]

I was thinking the same thing. I grew up in the country then my job took me away for years. I built my house on our farm 20 years ago and ticks and chiggers sure beat living in the city.

:drink:

One night we were out on our land (the wife, daughter and I) just sitting on the Gator watching the sun go down on a cooler, summer night. It was SO quiet and peaceful out there. We were both reveling in it.

We get back home to our house in town (we're in the building process of a new one on our land right now)...

About 45 min after we left the quiet tranquility of our land, two Harley Davidson's drag race past our house full-throttle, the local fire department screams by on a emergency call, and minutes later the local ambulance service follows suit. :laughing:

We both just laughed at the irony, and then talked about how we cannot WAIT to leave the city behind!

And we even live in a pretty quiet neighborhood in the city!

So, yes, give me the seasonal insects anytime!

 

[Daver1963]

Off! brand insect repellent or any other product with DEET will do a go job of repelling chiggers. Also, the first thing you want to do when you go indoors is to shuck out of your clothes in the laundry room and go take a shower. If you are in a motel, put your clothes in trash bags. Never make the mistake of sitting on furniture or laying on the bed before a shower and change of clothes. DEET based repellent products and careful control of infested clothing will make you a lot less likely to see bites. You can't completely escape them, but one or two bites can be treated with vinegar to reduce the sting/itch. Chiggers normally get you on your ankles and then work their way up to your crotch area and the butt-crack. I don't think there is anything more miserable that itches in those nether regions.

I had a 17 year hiatus from the country (except for visits) and since getting back in May I have relearned about the body areas those pesky critters can get in to.