How do I combat chiggers?

[Workstead]

I didn't know where to post this but since the chiggers are attaching themselves to me I guess ATTACHMENTS is as good a place as any.

I am fairly sensitive to chiggers. If I get a few around my ankles and don't get them all off I end up scratching them at night and then they get infected. The itch is really strong and I would like to prevent them from attaching themselves to me.

So my question is - how can I reduce, or eliminate, the darn chiggers from getting on me when I am working in the grass or pasture.

Then, if they do get on me how can I get rid of them.

Then if some still get under my skin - pun intended - how can I eliminate or reduce that real strong itch?

I am trying to stay off the grass or pasture but I need to do some work in the field pretty soon and I'd like to be able to sleep at night.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Clem

 

[mmurphy]

A trick some one taught me in Missouri, (full of chiggers) was to use a good anti perspirant. It will suck the moisture out of them before they can do there thing. I put the speed stick style around my ankles and belt area. Worked great for me.

 

[bigbull338]

theres only 1 way i know to keep chiggers off of you,an thats not get out where you think they are.but if you have boots that gets oil an grease on their soles every day you might be safe.i havent had probs with chiggers in years,an i go in some tall grass an weeds.i guess they dont like my blood anymore.

 

[beppington]

I didn't know where to post this but since the chiggers are attaching themselves to me I guess ATTACHMENTS is as good a place as any.

I like that you posted in "Attachments"! :laughing:

Oh, man, this subject is close to home for me. I've gotten chiggers prob 15 times over the past year.

So my question is - how can I reduce, or eliminate, - the darn chiggers from getting on me when I am working in the grass or pasture.

I'll start off with "good luck", 'cause you're gonna need it. Then ... Try spraying your feet, ankles, socks, shoes & pant legs with regular ol' bug spray. That seems to keep (most of) them from bothering to climb up past it to get to where you haven't sprayed.

Another suggestion I read & tried but don't really believe to have worked is sulfur powder. Suggested to mix a small amount in with baby powder & then sprinkle it all down your pants, socks & shoes. You will smell pretty darn bad, but I'm not convinced the chiggers care.

I've also heard to keep your pant legs tucked into your socks. Not only will you look ridiculous, but it also didn't seem to help

Then, if they do get on me how can I get rid of them.

You can't. It's too late by then. They say if you jump in the shower immediately you can shower them off before they bite you ... but who gets chiggers out in the woods or a field & is then right next to a shower? :confused2:

And you really never know you got them until the itching begins, & then it's way too late. You're in for itchy scratchy fun for the next 4 - 7 days, in my experience.

Then if some still get under my skin - pun intended - how can I eliminate or reduce that real strong itch?

No way to eliminate it. Best you can do is calamine lotion, which creates a sort of crust that seems to sort of scratch for you. I dunno, I'm not sure what it does exactly, but it does help a little. Rubbing alcohol also helps a little - Cools your skin & diverts your attention, for a little while anyway.

I am trying to stay off the grass or pasture but I need to do some work in the field pretty soon and I'd like to be able to sleep at night.

I hear ya. I'd love to have an absolute preventative for you and me ... but there doesn't seem to be any guarantee.

 

[ninefinger]

An old trick here in the south is to add a cup of bleach to your bath water and take a bath. That being said, I am a shower person ( I know, way too much info.) After your "bath" and you pull the tub plug then take a normal shower to get the bleach off. This is not prevention, just a way to get rid of them.

 

[bullbreaker]

I don't suffer from them but came across this:
Home Remedies for Chigger Bites - My Home Remedies - Home Remedy Forum

Boone

 

[jbooth]

When I was a youngster we would sprinkle sulphur in our socks when we had socks. Seemed to work. Probably the sulphur is worse for you than the chiggers, but the chiggers bother you right now. I very seldom go fishing unless in a boat, still get chiggers but they target different areas of my body since I've gotten old. Must have something to do with the blood circulation.

 

[massey990]

chiggars tend to "attach" themselves around wastebands and other places where clothing presses against the skin.
We always used sulfur powder around these areas, it is available from local pharmicies.

There a lots of remedies for already "attached" chiggars, personally I "dig em out" but there are topical solutions available to stop them from itching.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

We use the repellant that you spray on your clothes (not your skin) from Bass Pro. Night before spray your socks, pants, shoes, and shirt to let dry. Works for us and the spray lasts for a couple of weeks or so many washings.

If we don't spray, we can't get from the back door to the truck without accumulating attachments.

 

[Army grunt]

I use skin-so-soft, Just rub it on around your caves an ankles before putting on your socks.Also if you get them on you a small amount of bleach in a cup of water an a damp wash cloth on the area where they are will kill them. then shower using alot of soap an water.Also if you forget any spray for misquotes will work just spray it right on your socks an belt area or neck line.
Army Grunt

 

[SpaceGhost]

Sulfur creme works very well, but even Army stopped using it. Permethrin & / or 40pct DEET spray is next best thing we have found.

 

[Transit]

Chiggers are really ticks, what works for one will work for the other.
Have you tried gloogling chiggers, tons and tons of info?
What about OFF with DET?

 

[Ford tractor]

I thinking flamethrower for all the high grass areas.:laughing:


At first I thought I was kidding, but on reflection....

 

[Haywire]

Benadryl (diphenhydramine) will stop the itch temporarily. The itch is an allergic reaction to their saliva if I remember correctly. Creme or spray for the bite, or allergy tablets will work. If I get into them, I take the pills at night to keep me from clawing the blood out of myself in my sleep.

Ian

 

[Pa Pa Jack]

I am extremely sensitive to chigger and tick bites. the only thing I ever found to prevent them is a product called Permanone. It used to be hard to find but if you Google it you can find lots of sources now.

FOLLOW the instructions though. It is not for use on bare skin. You spray your clothing the night before and allow it to dry. Spray your socks, pants and shirt and pay real good attention to your waste area.

 

[beppington]

I believe chiggers insert their tube/mouth into your skin & inject whatever it is they inject, which begins dissolving your flesh into a tube shape they can feed from. Pretty disgusting.

 

[Turkeyman]

Permanone will help prevent them, but to use you must be in long pants to spray it on.

To help get rid of them, get a bar of Octogen soap and rinse off, turn the water off and lather up w/ the soap, let it sit on you for 3-5 minutes and the, use a bath brush to scrub it off, and finish up with water.

If you get the welts, user Chigerrid, similar to clear finger nail polish but has campor in it to deaden the itch.

 

[eastexan]

i havent had probs with chiggers in years,an i go in some tall grass an weeds.i guess they dont like my blood anymore.

bigbull, we used to have a lots of ticks & chiggers here too, but I haven't seen but 2 ticks in the last 10 or so years. And thats been this summer.

There have been articles in newspapers and outdoor magazines here that mention the reason there are few to no ticks & chiggers, is because they've been wiped out by the Fire Ants.

Texas has been getting the Fire Ant's natural enemy (a tiny fly) from South America established in several places to combat the Fire Ant. So we may be soon seeing the ticks & chiggers making a comeback.

Personally, I would rather have the Fire Ants. :confused2:

 

[Haywire]

Next thing you'll see is Texas importing the natural enemy of the fly. Same thing is going on with the Emerald Ash Borer. They imported some kind of wasp from China to try to combat it. Don't know if it was effective.

Ian

 

[rrrkkk]

The best thing I have found is a product called "CHIGARID" it is a small bottle and smells like fingernail polish. It will stop the itching, and usually one treatment is all that is necessary. Now if i knew how to keep them off.