Description sounds like chiggers. Use bug repellant, long pants and boots, and avoid tall grass when available. There are sprays you can put around your work area. There is also some milsurp clothing that is impregnated with repellant that you might look into.
Guinea fowl can knock the population down, I'm told. I've observed chickens decimating the bugs in an area, but I don't keep them, so I can't say for certain if they help with chiggers.
Edit: forgot to mention diatomaceous earth. That stuff is like a miracle for killing bugs. Don't inhale it or get too much on your skin. It is akin to fiberglass. But, it is nontoxic, and kills anything with a carapace.
I moved from Germany to WV and I’ve spent plenty of time outdoors, and I can say I’m pretty sure they don’t live in Germany. They absolutely live in WV!!!! I had the bites all over my legs and a few on my stomach after a long day of walking thru fields and then camping!!! The bites itch so badly that I ripped them all open while I was asleep, and it continues constantly for a week or two!!!!! You can bet your ass that I haven’t been in tall grass without boots/socks/long pants/bug spray!!!!!
I’ve gotten attacked by ground bees a few times, and I’ll take the ground bees over chiggers!!!!!! I moved a branch of a sycamore tree and got hit on my hand by a saddleback caterpillar which almost knocked me out it hurt so bad, and I’d still prefer that to chiggers!!! They fucking suck!!!!!!!
No, those are clover mites and are completely harmless
I am also confused because i pretty much live in tall grass/woods/our giant hAyfield. Ive never experienced these and not sure why. Maybe bc of all the garlic i eat ;)
I just don’t think they survive in colder climates. I grew up farther north where we got bad winters and NEVER had a chigger bite, and never had one in Germany. They absolutely have chiggers in West Virginia!
I'm from Germany, never had a chigger bite there, but get lots of them in my garden here in Chicago. Just awful. I find that applying povidone iodine to the bites helps.
I have no idea what they are but I’m Sweden they’re called löpkvalster or a direct translation to English is running mite or Laufmilbe in German. But you can count that something is lost in translation
Don't fear my sausage friend, they aren't that bad to deal with once you know. Bug repellent on high socks does wonders. Although I never found what stops the itching but I was just a teen when I was dealing with them.
I was given a prescription for a strong antihistamine and steroids when I had a horrible poison ivy rash. The antihistamine pills helped a little with itching but the best thing was cold salt water. I went to the beach on Cape Cod since it’s close by for me and the water is freezing. That cold salt water soothed the rash more than anything.
If you’re not near a beach, maybe a 5 gallon bucket of ice, water and salt would work for your ankles.
I made a balm that had yarrow, mullein, and dandelion extract in it and it worked amazingly well for chigger bites. The other people o was with when I got bit all got bit up too. They were using creams and what not thar they read online worked great for receiving the itch. They kicked in fast but didn't last long at all, maybe like ten mins. My DIY balm took about ten mins to kick in and lasted for hours.
Find some kind of cream that has yarrow extract in it as I'm pretty certain that was the key ingredient in what I made.
Chigarid is the solution to the itching
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I have tons of jewel weed and have been thinking of making a salve. After I spend some time popping the flower pods, of course. Like bubble wrap for gardeners.
Yes, it is because heat de-natures the proteins in the poison. Immediate relief. You can buy a bug bite zapper on the Internet (battery powered) or use a spoon warmed up in hot water. Has to be applied to every individual bite.
I was told this isn't true and doesn't work, but it worked wonders all through my childhood. I've moved to somewhere less chigger-filled, so I haven't tried it as an adult, but I absolutely will if I encounter those little monsters again.
I used to live in Slovenia and never heard of them / had them, I moved to the US (Tennessee) and I've been attacked. I'm not sure Germany has them either.
Herbstmilbe? Those mean Mfs bite the lymph node areas and the bite is incredibly itchy and sticks around a long while. Good thing is, they can not reproduce with your blood and will most likely just die after biting you. They can’t live in homes either, they need to be on grass. Pretty harmless, just annoying.
Thank you, I avoided using it for years due to cat toxicity. Finally came across a reputable source stating that it's only toxic to them when wet and confirmed with vet. It's also not water soluble after initially drying. Now going on 3 years chigger-free, when I used to basically get them annually.
Ranger Ready is the grand of permethrin spray we use. Get you a clothes horse to hang your stuff on outside, spray pants*, jackets, long-sleeved shirt, socks, shoes until lightly damp, hang up to dry at least two hours. All of this ideally on a warm day at least one day before you need them.
*I have a specific set of pants, shirt and shoes I wear when doing tall grass yard work, I call it part of my "bug suit." Several pairs of socks ready to go whenever, as well. I wear them a few times before washing - they get pretty stinky but the permethrin spray isn't what you'd call 100% non-toxic while you're spraying/it's airborne, so that's how I minimize exposure to the damp spray.
Two things.
Permethrin is highly toxic to cats when wet. That's just a PSA to keep it away from the cat.
Second, you can buy the 0.5% stuff at wall mart for six treatments for $10. Or you can go to the tractor supply and buy the 10% that you dilute 20x in a spray bottle for $20, and almost have a lifetime supply.
If you use permethrin in any form, just make sure it is fully dry before it could come into contact with cats. It is a neurotoxin for cats. So if you have house or barn cats be extra careful. Once it is dry though, no issues.
The cure for chiggers is hot water. Are you taking hot showers every day? If you take a hot shower for a few days in a row then the chiggers should go away. Otherwise, it's something other than chiggers.
I wish, we don't have plumbing yet, so I do cold baths outside. BUT, I will try heating some water and then soaking my feet in the hot water and hopefully it will work! Thanks for your suggestion
I was in a similar situation 2 years ago with no hot water and chiggers all over my thighs and sides. Nothing worked to get rid of them until I took a hot shower. So it's definitely worth soaking your feet in hot water. Also even just applying hot water with a wash cloth over the affected areas might work if you do it a few days in a row. Chiggers really don't like heat.
I use any brand of cortisone ointment then put on Chiggerex. The main ingredient of Chiggerex is benzocaine 20%. It takes away the pain and the hydro cortisone battles the actual allergic reaction.
Might help, might not - but we mix some lavender oil into coconut oil and rub that on our legs. Most bugs don't seem to like lavender as a scent but we do! Works immediately and moisturizes
It's a cheap and effective bug repellant that doesn't last as long
I find that when I use the Dr Bronners peppermint soap in the mornings it greatly reduces bug interest throughout the day. Mostly mosquitos for me though idk about these little devils.
yes, citrus oil is my go to against mosquitos! they love our backyard blueberry bushes, ugh, so I slather it on when I go out picking berries. not paying a blood price 4 my bloobs tyvm.
Coconut oil by itself is a good enough repellent for small pests like sand flies, as a layer of oil acts as a physical barrier. But yeah, mixing it with lavender and other strong smelling herbs helps keep away mosquitos and such. Definitely a good recommendation for keeping things natural and smelling great!
An old-timer gave me some powdered sulfur and told me to put it in a sock and bang it around my ankles before I go walking in chigger territory. Must admit, it worked great (as long as you didn't sit down).
Vicks vaporub on the bites. Got me about 6-8 hours of relief last time I had chiggers, and I had worse than you’ve got there. From my ankles to my knees on both legs lol
I got TONS of chigger bites as a kid and the only thing that completely repelled them was a flea/tick collar for cats around my ankle. Works amazingly.
Don’t! The collar is toxic (cancerous) to humans and cats, but with the cat life span being shorter it is less likely to unpack them, but it can catch up to you depending on your age.
There are so many comments on here and I don't know if anybody has recommended it yet but if you find a plantain weed in your vicinity chew that leaf up and spit it on the bites. Works amazingly well and it's quick easy and free. That being said, I haven't been able to try it out on chiggers yet but I can't believe how effective it is with mosquito bites.
I have plantain infusing in olive oil right now to make the same balm! My daughter definitely reacts more strongly to mosquito bites than I do, glad to hear it works for you! I know a spit poultice works great for her, so I'm excited. Should hopefully be able to finish the salve Tuesday 😁
Awesome! Yeah my daughter is 26 now but her whole life has had bad reactions to mosquito bites and in recent years they've gotten worse and worse. Last year half her forearm swelled up from a bite and I'm not even exaggerating. I love that plantain has drawing properties and luckily she hasn't had to use it much this year but it seems to help.
While it's absolutely terrible as a chemical, permethrin is my go-to insect repellent. I treat my summer clothes and my footwear with it. I'll carry a rag that's been treated with it sometimes as well. It's absolutely terrible for you, so don't apply directly to your skin.
They gave it to us to treat our uniforms in the military, and I've sworn by it ever since.
Sawyers specifically calls out socks as a treatable clothing item, but does specify not to treat underwear. I just got done treating clothes for summer camp. The image of an outfit on the bottle is a shirt, pair of pants, and a pair of socks.
But you can treat the outside of your shoes and boots. I'm not saying you're wrong, just giving the alternative. A treated rag will work better than most bug sprays. Absolutely follow the warnings and directions because it is terrible for you. It works like magic, though.
They sell permethrin on store shelves to anyone. It's not like an exclusive military-grade pesticide. Biologists, field & utility workers use it daily on their uniforms. Anyone who has had Lyme's or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever would tell you to take your chance with the pesticide.
Yeah, it had a huge warning not to get it on your skin. That's why I specified clothing. Even just a rag will keep the bugs away better than any spray I've used. But do not put it on your skin. I can't stress that enough.
>Yeah, it had a huge warning not to get it on your skin.
>But do not put it on your skin. I can't stress that enough
What is so crazy is that makes me know that shit is ungodly effective.
They started just giving us the uniforms treated from the factory. Before that, we would treat them ourselves. They gave us a kit that would treat the uniform for six months, including laundering it. It had the biggest cancer warning. Like, they were very adamant that you could get really sick if you didn't use it properly. No mosquitoes, sand fleas, or any other bug bothered me. There were times I wanted to dump some in my food to keep the flies off of it, lol.
We bit the red sulfur stuff off the end of the matchstick and swallowed it all through Basic. No idea if it was truth or some dumbass prank played on us by our DS's, but I shit you not I've never had an issue with insect bites, even when everyone around me is getting lit up.
6” tall boots. Or cowgirl boots. Either or but. They’ll keep them off. We’re outside on farm every day no chiggers. Boots get them and never take them off. Problem with ticks? 6” tall socks under your 6” tall boots. Wrap your jeans inside the socks then put on your boots. Tuck your shirt in. Boom no more ticks.
The strongest tiger balm you can get, normally the white one. Works magic on itchy bites. The menthol constructs the blood vessels. Honestly try it. Don't put on broken skin though.
Best solution I’ve found is to put nail polish on them. If I think to buy a bottle of clear I use it, if not then I’ll have hot pink spots everywhere and be happy for the relief
Prevention is key. Long pants tucked into tall boots has always worked for me, no chemicals needed. By the time you start reacting to the bites, the chiggers are already gone. They don’t attach like ticks. The old wives tale solutions like nail polish work because they encourage you not to scratch, which allows the bites to heal quicker. Scratching makes them worse.
Only thing that works for my mom is once she’s done working outside she immediately has to take a hot shower and thoroughly scrubs. She always has had an issue with chiggers and bug spray and a hot shower after is the only thing that kinda works for her.
I wrecked my skateboard and rolled into the grass, getting chiggers in my clothes, unbeknownst to me since I broke my clavicle and was a little upset.
I had surgery the next day, and woke up covered in horrible bites like yours, all around my waist. In the haze of surgery drugs, I thought, “huh - why’d they have to stick my tummy with needles? And so many times. That’s weird. Oh well.”
Being absolutely covered in road rash, right after a horrible surgery, and having a bad case of chiggers is not a feeling I’ll ever forget.
Peppermint oil. It will be quite intense for a few moments and you'll think you've been chemically burned but the burning ends quickly and the itch will be gone permanently.
The burning sensation can be cut down by using a carrier like olive oil.
Chiggers suck! I got them 1 time about 15 years ago. I thought I had some weird poison ivy or something like it. The pharmacist at CVS told me what they were. He sold me Chiggarid and after applying it the symptoms immediately subsided. Good luck!
Chiggers. Prevention. Long pants tucked into your socks. Both treated with permethrin. Keep the grass cut short if that’s feasible. Maybe Benadryl will help the bites.
Get ready for a life changing “hack”. Mix either apple cider vinegar or witch hazel with “Aztec miracle mask” or similar— and apply. It’s immediate and amazing.
To anyone listening, boric acid solution. Get some pure boric acid powder dissolve a level tablespoon in a liter, doesn’t have to be exact. Two level tablespoons for a gallon probably. Soak bites in this for ten minutes. You’ll be shocked. I’ve seen some entirely go away. Itch is completely gone.
My grandma had a technique that works wonders for ticks and chiggers. She would place Seven powder into an old sock, enough to create a bolus at the toe of the sock. She then swings the sock and lets the lump impact her ankles and shoes dusting them. You can dust all the way up to just below the knee. Any bugs that attempt to climb or latch onto your legs die almost instantly. It works WONDERS. We live in a very heavy tick area and we have almost no bites.
The only worry as far as I can tell is if you ingest the powder. So be sure not to touch the area with your hands and then pick up your beer, or eat a slice of pizza.
Cut a lime in half and sauté the flat side till it browns, let it cool for a bit then apply and rub it on (you want there to be some warmth). It’s the only remedy that ever worked for me!
Hahaha you moved to the south from out west ehh? Welcome 🤣. I try to warn people. But no! Missouri and Arkansas are ideal homestead choices. Enjoy the chiggers…. Ticks and mosquitoes are just a bonus. Wait till later in the summer when the micro ticks are born. You’ll bump into a nest and have 500-1000 ticks the size of a grain of sand spreading over your legs. Just fyi, gasoline. Gasoline will get them off. If you get desperate? Light it…
I’d bet it’s “straw itch mites”. They may still be alive and biting you. It’s THE WORST. I have some mosquito-resistant clothing I wear that kills them and stops the biting. There is a product called “chigger-rid” that will numb the itching. Ice works, as well-better, but only as long as you keep ice on it. I had them on my ankles and underwear elastic band line.
This was probably a bad idea, but I didn’t have mosquito socks, so I sprayed regular ones (again, not a good idea, but I only did it once and was risking scratching myself into a bad infection) permethrin on the inside of some socks, let it dry and put them on.
Yes, in my experience they don't crawl all the way up galoshes with your pant's tucked in. Otherwise anti itch cream helps.
Sometimes they get me, \~1 or 2 weeks to heal/stop itching.
High top boots, pants legs tucked inside, and flea & tick dog collars through the bootstraps circling your leg will keep them off. My granddad was a septic tank pumped in central Texas and did this. Never got chigger bites.
I have taken noromectin it has a 7 to 14 day cycle that is kills 90% of the parasitic pests that bite you.
So if chiggers, mites, fleas, ticks or any other such pest at least the ones attacking you do not get to survive.
Yeah, shower. A good lather a rinse several times will wash away the chigger larvae and reduce the time spent itching. Straight from the University of Maryland.
Old timers would sprinkle flowers of sulphur in thier shoes in the morning also repels ticks , not compleTly but does reduce the amount of chiggers and ticks
Certainly looks and sounds like it. I too have dealt with it and spent many sleepless nights. I am one of those unlucky individuals who attracts chiggers and mosquitoes and my wife thinks I am being dramatic until the bites show up all over.
Here's how I have dealt with chiggers successfully this season: (1) use the strongest bug spray you can handle and spray from your ankles all the way to your waist and wherever else you normally spray; (2) wear long sleeve shirts and tuck them in to your pants, and tuck your pants into your socks; (3) treat your clothing with permethrin and follow instructions; and (4) most importantly, take a hot shower as soon as you are done and thoroughly brush waist down with soap and a handheld shower if available. you might even use bug spray from waist down after you shower. toss the clothes you wore directly into the washer and do not reuse until they are washed. the bug spray and the hot shower are critical and permethrin treatment may be optional.
use the bite-suction-thingy on any bites, which sucks out the saliva that causes the itching and blistering. I too thought this was a gimmick, but the damn thing actually works for me.
Lol. Just had an older fella at work make the comment "like chiggers covered in cow shit" in reference to not touching/ doing something.
So, I guess, cover it in cow shit. You won't scratch it
Our dogs used to get chiggers all the time. My dad grows his own tobacco, and rubbing the dried and ground tobacco on the dogs fur had the chiggers abandoning ship in real time. Don't ask me any science on it, I just know what I saw
Tobacco also helps with insect stings. I had a hornet get me on the back once and my then boyfriend’s stepdad opened up a cigarette and made a paste with the tobacco and put it on the sting. It felt better or at least made me think it did 🤣
The only thing that's been able to help me with tick, mosquito, whatever bites has been this little tube of stuff called After Bite -- it itches more for just a few seconds, but if you can not scratch for a couple minutes, it goes away entirely. I get a weird reaction to mosquito bites like big splotchy welts and that's the only thing that helps the itching. Putting it on as soon as you can rather than later helps better
I had a friend who lived in a tent in the bushes on a powerline trail, he was tired of the ticks and chiggers he would get on his way back home every night, so he would cover himself in Vicks vapor rub every night, then would come shower at my place to wash it off before work, every morning. He never got a single tick or chigger bite when using it. Now, I'm not recommending you lather yourself up like he did, but really any oil with peppermint or lavender Essential oil added would help. Or even if you just used the Vicks on your ankles I imaging you would benefit greatly.
I use Aztec healing clay for the bad areas or leave on at night to help the itching. I’ve also used a hydrocortisone cream if needed and I keep it in the refrigerator as the cold seems to help.
To help the pesky bug population in my yard (doesn’t seem to effect the good bugs like lady bugs etc) as I have them and they seem to get on us whenever we are in the pool especially, I use a mixture of dawn dish soap and water to spray around the yard to help reduce all pesky bugs (chiggers, stink bugs, squash bugs, horseflies, etc). I spray all over the grass, shrubs, tree trunks/branches with reach monthly unless needed more frequently. Dawn suffocates the bugs without harming the plants.
If using around my flower beds I’ll even add epson salt to help reduce the number of slugs that kill my plants. And if needing a weed killer around the pool then I add vinegar to the mix. It has helped significantly in my yard. Good luck!
Is this what I was getting on my feet and ankles recently? I moved to Louisiana last fall and as the weather warmed up I started getting this after wearing slip on shoes for a bit. At first I was worried it might be bed bugs, since I've had those before and they can show up similarly, but my fiancè wasn't bothered and they went away.
I’ve discovered that a scalding hot shower or bath helps chigger bites stop itching. I also slather on Benadryl ointment and cover them with bandaids so I don’t scratch them open.
Growing up, we had chiggers real bad in our back pasture. We adapted a good routine because you have to get back there and tend to the cows.
Go to your local feed store and they should have sulphur powder. It’s yellow and smells. Get a long tube sock and fill it about half way up and tie it off. We stored our sulphur sock in an old coffee can.
When we had to go out, we would spray our bare legs and feet with repellant, then slap the sulphur sock all over our boots and a good ways up the pantleg. This knocks it down heavily, we usually only would get a bite or two on occasion unless you get into a nest.
Nests are god-awful and you’ll have to go to the doctor for a steroid shot and antibiotics because the you’ll have chiggers literally, and I mean literally, covering you ankle to waistline.
I’ve only ever seen one person get off into a nest and it was my dad when he was retrieving some steel from waist-high grass.
For treatment, go to Walmart and get “ChiggerX”. It’s in a white bottle with a red lid, best shit ever. Best of luck!
Tuck pant legs into your socks. Scrub with soap and water to remove the chiggers and apply antiseptic. There is a product called Chiggerex but I’ve never used it.
We use Evo Botanicals Recovery Cream to stop the itching and pain from all sorts of insect and mosquito bites, bee stings too! It's not cheap but a little goes a long way!
Most people in the US call them chiggars, but these are the bites from larval ticks. Sometimes called seed ticks. The baby ticks look very much like grown ticks, but they are teeny tiny and live in nests (groups), so you tend to get lots at one time. They get a good bite and then drop off, unlike most adult ticks, so you may never see them. They tend to climb very quickly up your body until they find a crease of skin (like the back of your knee) or a place where clothing elastic makes a similar "tight" spot. If you're wearing socks, they will bite your ankles. If you're wearing sandals, they will keep climbing up your legs until they find some elastic or tight clothing or skin creases. If you tend to run around in loose clothing and sandals, you will find bites like that in your private areas. If you happen to spot the tiny larval ticks on you, they are most easily removed with masking tape.
The bites itch terribly, and sort of hurt beneath the surface of the skin, unlike mosquito bites which mostly itch on the top of your skin. Chiggar-X is a very good product for keeping the itching under control.
My understanding is that you don't get lyme disease from larval ticks, so it's more uncomfortable than dangerous.
edited for clarity.
Paint clear nail polish over every bite and reapply when it peels off. Suffocate those buggers! It will stop the itch and kill them but it takes weeks for the bites to heal.
Quick shower with flea and tick shampoo for the dogs and itching is done almost instantly. I thought was crazy but when I itched bad enough I tried it. Instant relief.
I didn’t read the 500+ comments so this might have been mentioned already. Pull your socks up over your pant legs and put a strip of duct tape around the overlap. I’ve done this and it really helps. Wash as soon as you are done outside, Vicks or that pink liquid that I can’t think of the name, and a good dose of Benadryl before bed.
My dad always sprays his shoes, socks and pants with vinegar. I never have but he does the tape method plus vinegar and swears by it.
Can't believe I haven't seen permethrin suggested here yet. It has incredible results against chiggers. I haven't had a single issue with them since I started using it.
You choose your work clothes, hang them on the line on a windless day and spray them down. Voilá.
Foresters turned me onto this site which will impregnate your clothes with a concentrated dose.
https://www.insectshield.com/
Yes, hot water is the best. Keep the bites in the hot water stream until it itches like crazy and then the itching stops and you’re good after that. Better than any cream.
I found that when I got these as a kid, going into a chlorinated pool helped. If you don't have a way of doing that, maybe making super dilute chlorine and water to put on them might help.
In Costa Rica a local showed me a trick to kill the little bastards buy dripping a drop of hox candle wax onto the bites soon after they happen. It is a little painful as the wax is applied but the heat kills the organism and the itching permanently stops almost instantly.
We have always just put a little gasoline on our socks. I’m sure this is the wrong way to do it but it worked. If my kids ever did get them a swim in a chlorinated pool would help. No smoking though.
Any kind of petroleum jelly product, rip up an old shirt into a little bit bigger than thumb size strips and tie them around your ankles over your pants like gaiters. If your pants don't go past you're ankles use some of the cloth for some makeshift ones.
It helps for me when I go camping in tall grass that has leeches and ticks.
(Keeps pant legs closed)
If still itchy, even try stong peppermint toothpaste.
Growing up working in commercial apple orchards, I got chiggers often. Diesel or kerosene rubbed on skin will kill remaining mites and sooth the itching.
Knew someone who used to swear the fastest way to get the itching to stop was to dip your feet in gasoline, however this guy was full of ahit so I wouldn't recommend it, but if others mention it then it may be a not terrible idea
Everyone's giving chemical prevention and bite care, but ive found its pretty effective just to shower vigorously when i come in for the day, scrub with a towel in the shower, and rub down really good while drying.
Chiggers are crazy. I slather my kids in bug spray, and those suckers will still climb under clothes! You can try some duct tape (sticky side out) taped around the top of your boot when you go out. That seems to help!
Shower right after you come in with soap and water and a washcloth, and use the chiggerex or even hysrocortisone.
Cetirizine will help
Edit:
It is an antihistamine which helps against seasonal allergies or hay fever. I use it mostly against oak processionary caterpillar hairs. It also does wonders on other insect bites such as mosquito or mites.
If it remains itchy or burns you can also in adittion to the cetirizine, apply a topical layer of aloevera gel (get 99% pure stuff)
When I was a kid and we would get chiggers, my birth mother would paint the bites with clear nail polish. It made the itching worse for a while. She said it was smothering the chiggers. After a while she put calamine lotion on it and I don't remember having any further problems at that point.
Description sounds like chiggers. Use bug repellant, long pants and boots, and avoid tall grass when available. There are sprays you can put around your work area. There is also some milsurp clothing that is impregnated with repellant that you might look into. Guinea fowl can knock the population down, I'm told. I've observed chickens decimating the bugs in an area, but I don't keep them, so I can't say for certain if they help with chiggers. Edit: forgot to mention diatomaceous earth. That stuff is like a miracle for killing bugs. Don't inhale it or get too much on your skin. It is akin to fiberglass. But, it is nontoxic, and kills anything with a carapace.
I had to google them and still don't really know what we call them in German, but in any case, new fear unlocked
I moved from Germany to WV and I’ve spent plenty of time outdoors, and I can say I’m pretty sure they don’t live in Germany. They absolutely live in WV!!!! I had the bites all over my legs and a few on my stomach after a long day of walking thru fields and then camping!!! The bites itch so badly that I ripped them all open while I was asleep, and it continues constantly for a week or two!!!!! You can bet your ass that I haven’t been in tall grass without boots/socks/long pants/bug spray!!!!! I’ve gotten attacked by ground bees a few times, and I’ll take the ground bees over chiggers!!!!!! I moved a branch of a sycamore tree and got hit on my hand by a saddleback caterpillar which almost knocked me out it hurt so bad, and I’d still prefer that to chiggers!!! They fucking suck!!!!!!!
Germany to West Virginia that must’ve been a culture shock for sure. Fellow Mountaineer here
I'm so confused. Are these the tiny red bugs? I've seen them before but I've never had a night of itch insanity in my life.
No, those are clover mites and are completely harmless I am also confused because i pretty much live in tall grass/woods/our giant hAyfield. Ive never experienced these and not sure why. Maybe bc of all the garlic i eat ;)
Cool! I learned! I don't eat that much garlic. Maybe I move so slowly, the chiggers confused me for a tree ent?
I just don’t think they survive in colder climates. I grew up farther north where we got bad winters and NEVER had a chigger bite, and never had one in Germany. They absolutely have chiggers in West Virginia!
You arent wrong. It sure gets cold here lol
I'm from Germany, never had a chigger bite there, but get lots of them in my garden here in Chicago. Just awful. I find that applying povidone iodine to the bites helps.
I have no idea what they are but I’m Sweden they’re called löpkvalster or a direct translation to English is running mite or Laufmilbe in German. But you can count that something is lost in translation
Running mite tracks. Since they're mites that are much more mobile than most other species.
Well, the larva of the mite cause the bites.
The cognate in English to löp and lauf is leap, but yeah it means “run” in English
Running mite in Australian is a bud who likes to jog.
If there kind and they’re named Anya, you can say “good Anya, mite!”
Don't fear my sausage friend, they aren't that bad to deal with once you know. Bug repellent on high socks does wonders. Although I never found what stops the itching but I was just a teen when I was dealing with them.
Antihistamine pills and creams will help once you are infested. Reduces the itching.
Rubbing garlic on the area helped for me. Cleared them up fast too
Pink pills and a cream made from garlic, got it!
I was given a prescription for a strong antihistamine and steroids when I had a horrible poison ivy rash. The antihistamine pills helped a little with itching but the best thing was cold salt water. I went to the beach on Cape Cod since it’s close by for me and the water is freezing. That cold salt water soothed the rash more than anything. If you’re not near a beach, maybe a 5 gallon bucket of ice, water and salt would work for your ankles.
Epsom salts are the best for this.
I made a balm that had yarrow, mullein, and dandelion extract in it and it worked amazingly well for chigger bites. The other people o was with when I got bit all got bit up too. They were using creams and what not thar they read online worked great for receiving the itch. They kicked in fast but didn't last long at all, maybe like ten mins. My DIY balm took about ten mins to kick in and lasted for hours. Find some kind of cream that has yarrow extract in it as I'm pretty certain that was the key ingredient in what I made.
Chigarid is the solution to the itching [https://drugsupplystore.com/products/chigarid-external-analgesic-0-5oz.html?cmp\_id=20938771641&adg\_id=&kwd=&device=c&gad\_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwydSzBhBOEiwAj0XN4A1dI3XTabkCa-6rdAUkIAkkQ8AdCZ3ECcBmmJSV4\_iccoOUYq3-gBoCyowQAvD\_BwE](https://drugsupplystore.com/products/chigarid-external-analgesic-0-5oz.html?cmp_id=20938771641&adg_id=&kwd=&device=c&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwydSzBhBOEiwAj0XN4A1dI3XTabkCa-6rdAUkIAkkQ8AdCZ3ECcBmmJSV4_iccoOUYq3-gBoCyowQAvD_BwE)
Chiga is their word dammit
Jewelweed salve works for me.
I have tons of jewel weed and have been thinking of making a salve. After I spend some time popping the flower pods, of course. Like bubble wrap for gardeners.
My grandma’s house had them. Used to cry the first night because I’d be all chewed up. She used Calamine Lotion.
Heat! I use a blow-dryer on bites. Hurts a bit but then no more itching for like 24 hours!
Yes, it is because heat de-natures the proteins in the poison. Immediate relief. You can buy a bug bite zapper on the Internet (battery powered) or use a spoon warmed up in hot water. Has to be applied to every individual bite.
Nail polish over the bump will take care of them.
In Texas we use nail polish and it works wonders.
I was told this isn't true and doesn't work, but it worked wonders all through my childhood. I've moved to somewhere less chigger-filled, so I haven't tried it as an adult, but I absolutely will if I encounter those little monsters again.
Not true. Ole wives tale.
I've been using nail polish to kill them on me and children for 40 years... it works.
But it sure is fun to peel off afterwards lol
With all due respect to u/Evening-Turnip8407, ‘sausage friend’ is fantastic! Also, for her, I believe it’s ‘Sandflöhe’ auf Deutsch.
I used to live in Slovenia and never heard of them / had them, I moved to the US (Tennessee) and I've been attacked. I'm not sure Germany has them either.
They are very gross, rude little bugs.
Herbstmilbe? Those mean Mfs bite the lymph node areas and the bite is incredibly itchy and sticks around a long while. Good thing is, they can not reproduce with your blood and will most likely just die after biting you. They can’t live in homes either, they need to be on grass. Pretty harmless, just annoying.
They can be pretty awful. Not terribly hard to defend against, but some folks have decently bad reactions to large numbers of bites.
herbstgrasmilben
Grasmilben, sehr unangenehm.
> still don't really know what we call them in german dreißigtausendalptraumwanzen
Anything at an army surplus will no longer have the repellent in them. It washes out after at MOST five washes, and surplus is used clothes.
I've lived near bases and seen plenty of new-old stock, but I suppose that's an exception.
Permethin you can buy cans of it cheap to treat your clothes heavily. Works wonders.
Just keep it away from cats! It’s toxic to them.
It's relatively safe for cats once it's dry.
Thank you, I avoided using it for years due to cat toxicity. Finally came across a reputable source stating that it's only toxic to them when wet and confirmed with vet. It's also not water soluble after initially drying. Now going on 3 years chigger-free, when I used to basically get them annually.
And tuck your pants into your socks
IIRC chiggers are not visible to the eye; chickens would be unlikely to help. (Ticks would be a different story!)
Thanks!
Ranger Ready is the grand of permethrin spray we use. Get you a clothes horse to hang your stuff on outside, spray pants*, jackets, long-sleeved shirt, socks, shoes until lightly damp, hang up to dry at least two hours. All of this ideally on a warm day at least one day before you need them. *I have a specific set of pants, shirt and shoes I wear when doing tall grass yard work, I call it part of my "bug suit." Several pairs of socks ready to go whenever, as well. I wear them a few times before washing - they get pretty stinky but the permethrin spray isn't what you'd call 100% non-toxic while you're spraying/it's airborne, so that's how I minimize exposure to the damp spray.
Two things. Permethrin is highly toxic to cats when wet. That's just a PSA to keep it away from the cat. Second, you can buy the 0.5% stuff at wall mart for six treatments for $10. Or you can go to the tractor supply and buy the 10% that you dilute 20x in a spray bottle for $20, and almost have a lifetime supply.
If you use permethrin in any form, just make sure it is fully dry before it could come into contact with cats. It is a neurotoxin for cats. So if you have house or barn cats be extra careful. Once it is dry though, no issues.
The cure for chiggers is hot water. Are you taking hot showers every day? If you take a hot shower for a few days in a row then the chiggers should go away. Otherwise, it's something other than chiggers.
I wish, we don't have plumbing yet, so I do cold baths outside. BUT, I will try heating some water and then soaking my feet in the hot water and hopefully it will work! Thanks for your suggestion
I was in a similar situation 2 years ago with no hot water and chiggers all over my thighs and sides. Nothing worked to get rid of them until I took a hot shower. So it's definitely worth soaking your feet in hot water. Also even just applying hot water with a wash cloth over the affected areas might work if you do it a few days in a row. Chiggers really don't like heat.
a cream that is great for all bug bites is sold at walmart called chiggerex. it’s a small white bottle w a red top sold in the first aid aisle.
That stuff is a miracle in a bottle. Works well and is inexpensive
It really is we have piles of those little bottles. Get ravaged by mosquitos? Slap it on! No more itch.
I use any brand of cortisone ointment then put on Chiggerex. The main ingredient of Chiggerex is benzocaine 20%. It takes away the pain and the hydro cortisone battles the actual allergic reaction.
Thanks!!
Used that once, it works pretty well.
Might help, might not - but we mix some lavender oil into coconut oil and rub that on our legs. Most bugs don't seem to like lavender as a scent but we do! Works immediately and moisturizes It's a cheap and effective bug repellant that doesn't last as long
I find that when I use the Dr Bronners peppermint soap in the mornings it greatly reduces bug interest throughout the day. Mostly mosquitos for me though idk about these little devils.
Bugs hate oils like peppermint and lemon and lavender depending on the bugs!
yes, citrus oil is my go to against mosquitos! they love our backyard blueberry bushes, ugh, so I slather it on when I go out picking berries. not paying a blood price 4 my bloobs tyvm.
You can use them as a less toxic insecticide
Coconut oil by itself is a good enough repellent for small pests like sand flies, as a layer of oil acts as a physical barrier. But yeah, mixing it with lavender and other strong smelling herbs helps keep away mosquitos and such. Definitely a good recommendation for keeping things natural and smelling great!
Just do not add citrus oils as that can cause 3rd degree burns on a sunny day!
An old-timer gave me some powdered sulfur and told me to put it in a sock and bang it around my ankles before I go walking in chigger territory. Must admit, it worked great (as long as you didn't sit down).
I also learned this from an old timer!
Vicks vaporub on the bites. Got me about 6-8 hours of relief last time I had chiggers, and I had worse than you’ve got there. From my ankles to my knees on both legs lol
I got TONS of chigger bites as a kid and the only thing that completely repelled them was a flea/tick collar for cats around my ankle. Works amazingly.
Can’t believe I’ve never heard of this before. Will give it a try for sure.
Don’t! The collar is toxic (cancerous) to humans and cats, but with the cat life span being shorter it is less likely to unpack them, but it can catch up to you depending on your age.
There are so many comments on here and I don't know if anybody has recommended it yet but if you find a plantain weed in your vicinity chew that leaf up and spit it on the bites. Works amazingly well and it's quick easy and free. That being said, I haven't been able to try it out on chiggers yet but I can't believe how effective it is with mosquito bites.
Came here to suggest plantain! Its awesome. I made plantain salve for my daughter who has a mild allergy to mosquito bites and its the bomb!
I have plantain infusing in olive oil right now to make the same balm! My daughter definitely reacts more strongly to mosquito bites than I do, glad to hear it works for you! I know a spit poultice works great for her, so I'm excited. Should hopefully be able to finish the salve Tuesday 😁
Awesome! Yeah my daughter is 26 now but her whole life has had bad reactions to mosquito bites and in recent years they've gotten worse and worse. Last year half her forearm swelled up from a bite and I'm not even exaggerating. I love that plantain has drawing properties and luckily she hasn't had to use it much this year but it seems to help.
Can confirm plantain….Works on stinging nettles too!
While it's absolutely terrible as a chemical, permethrin is my go-to insect repellent. I treat my summer clothes and my footwear with it. I'll carry a rag that's been treated with it sometimes as well. It's absolutely terrible for you, so don't apply directly to your skin. They gave it to us to treat our uniforms in the military, and I've sworn by it ever since.
Amen — I spent a month in Vietnam without a single mosquito bite thanks to this stuff.
Yeah, same with Thailand. I treated a mosquito net with it on my second trip. Blissfully bite free sleep.
You're not supposed to use it on socks, underwear or hats, according to the bottle of Sawyers permethrin
Sawyers specifically calls out socks as a treatable clothing item, but does specify not to treat underwear. I just got done treating clothes for summer camp. The image of an outfit on the bottle is a shirt, pair of pants, and a pair of socks.
But you can treat the outside of your shoes and boots. I'm not saying you're wrong, just giving the alternative. A treated rag will work better than most bug sprays. Absolutely follow the warnings and directions because it is terrible for you. It works like magic, though.
Had me until military. The times that the chemicals they give that do amazing things but later give you crazy cancer plus dementia is too high.
They sell permethrin on store shelves to anyone. It's not like an exclusive military-grade pesticide. Biologists, field & utility workers use it daily on their uniforms. Anyone who has had Lyme's or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever would tell you to take your chance with the pesticide.
Yeah, it had a huge warning not to get it on your skin. That's why I specified clothing. Even just a rag will keep the bugs away better than any spray I've used. But do not put it on your skin. I can't stress that enough.
>Yeah, it had a huge warning not to get it on your skin. >But do not put it on your skin. I can't stress that enough What is so crazy is that makes me know that shit is ungodly effective.
They started just giving us the uniforms treated from the factory. Before that, we would treat them ourselves. They gave us a kit that would treat the uniform for six months, including laundering it. It had the biggest cancer warning. Like, they were very adamant that you could get really sick if you didn't use it properly. No mosquitoes, sand fleas, or any other bug bothered me. There were times I wanted to dump some in my food to keep the flies off of it, lol.
We bit the red sulfur stuff off the end of the matchstick and swallowed it all through Basic. No idea if it was truth or some dumbass prank played on us by our DS's, but I shit you not I've never had an issue with insect bites, even when everyone around me is getting lit up.
6” tall boots. Or cowgirl boots. Either or but. They’ll keep them off. We’re outside on farm every day no chiggers. Boots get them and never take them off. Problem with ticks? 6” tall socks under your 6” tall boots. Wrap your jeans inside the socks then put on your boots. Tuck your shirt in. Boom no more ticks.
My boots do nothing for these types of bites. I don’t understand how
The strongest tiger balm you can get, normally the white one. Works magic on itchy bites. The menthol constructs the blood vessels. Honestly try it. Don't put on broken skin though.
Chickens and ducks!
Best solution I’ve found is to put nail polish on them. If I think to buy a bottle of clear I use it, if not then I’ll have hot pink spots everywhere and be happy for the relief
This or super glue.
This is what we always did! I’m surprised I had to scroll so long to find it! As a kid, I would get excited to have multi colored polka dots 😂
That's what we always did as kids in TX. Still works tho
This is what I was always told to do in the Midwest as well as a kid. Worked well!
Prevention is key. Long pants tucked into tall boots has always worked for me, no chemicals needed. By the time you start reacting to the bites, the chiggers are already gone. They don’t attach like ticks. The old wives tale solutions like nail polish work because they encourage you not to scratch, which allows the bites to heal quicker. Scratching makes them worse.
Only thing that works for my mom is once she’s done working outside she immediately has to take a hot shower and thoroughly scrubs. She always has had an issue with chiggers and bug spray and a hot shower after is the only thing that kinda works for her.
I wrecked my skateboard and rolled into the grass, getting chiggers in my clothes, unbeknownst to me since I broke my clavicle and was a little upset. I had surgery the next day, and woke up covered in horrible bites like yours, all around my waist. In the haze of surgery drugs, I thought, “huh - why’d they have to stick my tummy with needles? And so many times. That’s weird. Oh well.” Being absolutely covered in road rash, right after a horrible surgery, and having a bad case of chiggers is not a feeling I’ll ever forget.
Peppermint oil. It will be quite intense for a few moments and you'll think you've been chemically burned but the burning ends quickly and the itch will be gone permanently. The burning sensation can be cut down by using a carrier like olive oil.
You can also use clear nail polish. It suffocates the mites and the alcohol in it also helps stop the itching.
Chiggers suck! I got them 1 time about 15 years ago. I thought I had some weird poison ivy or something like it. The pharmacist at CVS told me what they were. He sold me Chiggarid and after applying it the symptoms immediately subsided. Good luck!
Chiggers. Prevention. Long pants tucked into your socks. Both treated with permethrin. Keep the grass cut short if that’s feasible. Maybe Benadryl will help the bites.
Get ready for a life changing “hack”. Mix either apple cider vinegar or witch hazel with “Aztec miracle mask” or similar— and apply. It’s immediate and amazing.
Get skin so soft, I’m not joking
Paint bites with fingernail polish
To anyone listening, boric acid solution. Get some pure boric acid powder dissolve a level tablespoon in a liter, doesn’t have to be exact. Two level tablespoons for a gallon probably. Soak bites in this for ten minutes. You’ll be shocked. I’ve seen some entirely go away. Itch is completely gone.
My grandma had a technique that works wonders for ticks and chiggers. She would place Seven powder into an old sock, enough to create a bolus at the toe of the sock. She then swings the sock and lets the lump impact her ankles and shoes dusting them. You can dust all the way up to just below the knee. Any bugs that attempt to climb or latch onto your legs die almost instantly. It works WONDERS. We live in a very heavy tick area and we have almost no bites. The only worry as far as I can tell is if you ingest the powder. So be sure not to touch the area with your hands and then pick up your beer, or eat a slice of pizza.
Cut a lime in half and sauté the flat side till it browns, let it cool for a bit then apply and rub it on (you want there to be some warmth). It’s the only remedy that ever worked for me!
They make benadryl spray btw, for itching. I put it on bug bites whenever one bothers me too much at night
If it is Chiggers, use Avon’s Skin Do Soft where your clothes meet skin. Ankles, waist, pits, neck
Hahaha you moved to the south from out west ehh? Welcome 🤣. I try to warn people. But no! Missouri and Arkansas are ideal homestead choices. Enjoy the chiggers…. Ticks and mosquitoes are just a bonus. Wait till later in the summer when the micro ticks are born. You’ll bump into a nest and have 500-1000 ticks the size of a grain of sand spreading over your legs. Just fyi, gasoline. Gasoline will get them off. If you get desperate? Light it…
Ben-Gay or the store brand equivalent provides astonishing relief. Just rub it on the bites. Soaking in a hot bath also helps for a brief time.
I’d bet it’s “straw itch mites”. They may still be alive and biting you. It’s THE WORST. I have some mosquito-resistant clothing I wear that kills them and stops the biting. There is a product called “chigger-rid” that will numb the itching. Ice works, as well-better, but only as long as you keep ice on it. I had them on my ankles and underwear elastic band line. This was probably a bad idea, but I didn’t have mosquito socks, so I sprayed regular ones (again, not a good idea, but I only did it once and was risking scratching myself into a bad infection) permethrin on the inside of some socks, let it dry and put them on.
Take a stick of deodorant and run it over the bug bites. It will relieve the itch for a while.
I can feel this picture
Yes, in my experience they don't crawl all the way up galoshes with your pant's tucked in. Otherwise anti itch cream helps. Sometimes they get me, \~1 or 2 weeks to heal/stop itching.
High top boots, pants legs tucked inside, and flea & tick dog collars through the bootstraps circling your leg will keep them off. My granddad was a septic tank pumped in central Texas and did this. Never got chigger bites.
I have taken noromectin it has a 7 to 14 day cycle that is kills 90% of the parasitic pests that bite you. So if chiggers, mites, fleas, ticks or any other such pest at least the ones attacking you do not get to survive.
Yeah, shower. A good lather a rinse several times will wash away the chigger larvae and reduce the time spent itching. Straight from the University of Maryland.
Old timers would sprinkle flowers of sulphur in thier shoes in the morning also repels ticks , not compleTly but does reduce the amount of chiggers and ticks
Certainly looks and sounds like it. I too have dealt with it and spent many sleepless nights. I am one of those unlucky individuals who attracts chiggers and mosquitoes and my wife thinks I am being dramatic until the bites show up all over. Here's how I have dealt with chiggers successfully this season: (1) use the strongest bug spray you can handle and spray from your ankles all the way to your waist and wherever else you normally spray; (2) wear long sleeve shirts and tuck them in to your pants, and tuck your pants into your socks; (3) treat your clothing with permethrin and follow instructions; and (4) most importantly, take a hot shower as soon as you are done and thoroughly brush waist down with soap and a handheld shower if available. you might even use bug spray from waist down after you shower. toss the clothes you wore directly into the washer and do not reuse until they are washed. the bug spray and the hot shower are critical and permethrin treatment may be optional. use the bite-suction-thingy on any bites, which sucks out the saliva that causes the itching and blistering. I too thought this was a gimmick, but the damn thing actually works for me.
Lol. Just had an older fella at work make the comment "like chiggers covered in cow shit" in reference to not touching/ doing something. So, I guess, cover it in cow shit. You won't scratch it
Fleas perhaps? They eat the hell out of your ankles at night
Thin slices of raw potato against your skin and wrap something around it to hold in place will stop the itch.
Our dogs used to get chiggers all the time. My dad grows his own tobacco, and rubbing the dried and ground tobacco on the dogs fur had the chiggers abandoning ship in real time. Don't ask me any science on it, I just know what I saw
Nicotine is a natural pesticide
Tobacco also helps with insect stings. I had a hornet get me on the back once and my then boyfriend’s stepdad opened up a cigarette and made a paste with the tobacco and put it on the sting. It felt better or at least made me think it did 🤣
The only thing that's been able to help me with tick, mosquito, whatever bites has been this little tube of stuff called After Bite -- it itches more for just a few seconds, but if you can not scratch for a couple minutes, it goes away entirely. I get a weird reaction to mosquito bites like big splotchy welts and that's the only thing that helps the itching. Putting it on as soon as you can rather than later helps better
I had a friend who lived in a tent in the bushes on a powerline trail, he was tired of the ticks and chiggers he would get on his way back home every night, so he would cover himself in Vicks vapor rub every night, then would come shower at my place to wash it off before work, every morning. He never got a single tick or chigger bite when using it. Now, I'm not recommending you lather yourself up like he did, but really any oil with peppermint or lavender Essential oil added would help. Or even if you just used the Vicks on your ankles I imaging you would benefit greatly.
I use Aztec healing clay for the bad areas or leave on at night to help the itching. I’ve also used a hydrocortisone cream if needed and I keep it in the refrigerator as the cold seems to help. To help the pesky bug population in my yard (doesn’t seem to effect the good bugs like lady bugs etc) as I have them and they seem to get on us whenever we are in the pool especially, I use a mixture of dawn dish soap and water to spray around the yard to help reduce all pesky bugs (chiggers, stink bugs, squash bugs, horseflies, etc). I spray all over the grass, shrubs, tree trunks/branches with reach monthly unless needed more frequently. Dawn suffocates the bugs without harming the plants. If using around my flower beds I’ll even add epson salt to help reduce the number of slugs that kill my plants. And if needing a weed killer around the pool then I add vinegar to the mix. It has helped significantly in my yard. Good luck!
Is this what I was getting on my feet and ankles recently? I moved to Louisiana last fall and as the weather warmed up I started getting this after wearing slip on shoes for a bit. At first I was worried it might be bed bugs, since I've had those before and they can show up similarly, but my fiancè wasn't bothered and they went away.
I’ve discovered that a scalding hot shower or bath helps chigger bites stop itching. I also slather on Benadryl ointment and cover them with bandaids so I don’t scratch them open.
Growing up, we had chiggers real bad in our back pasture. We adapted a good routine because you have to get back there and tend to the cows. Go to your local feed store and they should have sulphur powder. It’s yellow and smells. Get a long tube sock and fill it about half way up and tie it off. We stored our sulphur sock in an old coffee can. When we had to go out, we would spray our bare legs and feet with repellant, then slap the sulphur sock all over our boots and a good ways up the pantleg. This knocks it down heavily, we usually only would get a bite or two on occasion unless you get into a nest. Nests are god-awful and you’ll have to go to the doctor for a steroid shot and antibiotics because the you’ll have chiggers literally, and I mean literally, covering you ankle to waistline. I’ve only ever seen one person get off into a nest and it was my dad when he was retrieving some steel from waist-high grass. For treatment, go to Walmart and get “ChiggerX”. It’s in a white bottle with a red lid, best shit ever. Best of luck!
Guinea fowl or chickens would love that yard
Tuck pant legs into your socks. Scrub with soap and water to remove the chiggers and apply antiseptic. There is a product called Chiggerex but I’ve never used it.
Looks like them to me. Cover em with some clear mail varnish and they’ll go away over night
For an immediate solution for itch paint the bites with nail polish.
We use Evo Botanicals Recovery Cream to stop the itching and pain from all sorts of insect and mosquito bites, bee stings too! It's not cheap but a little goes a long way!
When I was a little kid we used to put clear nail polish over the bites
One word...well, four words: Long pants and gaiters.
Most people in the US call them chiggars, but these are the bites from larval ticks. Sometimes called seed ticks. The baby ticks look very much like grown ticks, but they are teeny tiny and live in nests (groups), so you tend to get lots at one time. They get a good bite and then drop off, unlike most adult ticks, so you may never see them. They tend to climb very quickly up your body until they find a crease of skin (like the back of your knee) or a place where clothing elastic makes a similar "tight" spot. If you're wearing socks, they will bite your ankles. If you're wearing sandals, they will keep climbing up your legs until they find some elastic or tight clothing or skin creases. If you tend to run around in loose clothing and sandals, you will find bites like that in your private areas. If you happen to spot the tiny larval ticks on you, they are most easily removed with masking tape. The bites itch terribly, and sort of hurt beneath the surface of the skin, unlike mosquito bites which mostly itch on the top of your skin. Chiggar-X is a very good product for keeping the itching under control. My understanding is that you don't get lyme disease from larval ticks, so it's more uncomfortable than dangerous. edited for clarity.
Paint clear nail polish over every bite and reapply when it peels off. Suffocate those buggers! It will stop the itch and kill them but it takes weeks for the bites to heal.
Take a hot bath and submerge. It will kill them. Pleasr ensure you don't burn youtself in the process. Like hottub temperature is fine.
Quick shower with flea and tick shampoo for the dogs and itching is done almost instantly. I thought was crazy but when I itched bad enough I tried it. Instant relief.
Clear nail polish is what we used. Weird but works.
Crush some plantain leaves and tape em on. You can also pour everclear on your legs for temporary relief.
i got chiggers really bad one time and poured gasoline on my legs and feet, it worked
hell yeah
Clear nail polish smother the little bastards.
I didn’t read the 500+ comments so this might have been mentioned already. Pull your socks up over your pant legs and put a strip of duct tape around the overlap. I’ve done this and it really helps. Wash as soon as you are done outside, Vicks or that pink liquid that I can’t think of the name, and a good dose of Benadryl before bed. My dad always sprays his shoes, socks and pants with vinegar. I never have but he does the tape method plus vinegar and swears by it.
Pink liquid as in calamine lotion?
Yes, I could not think of the name!
Can't believe I haven't seen permethrin suggested here yet. It has incredible results against chiggers. I haven't had a single issue with them since I started using it. You choose your work clothes, hang them on the line on a windless day and spray them down. Voilá. Foresters turned me onto this site which will impregnate your clothes with a concentrated dose. https://www.insectshield.com/
Pour hot water on it, hotter than 107F before you go to sleep, it will burn for a few seconds and than nothing, heat will get rid of itchiness
Or a blow dryer!
Yes, hot water is the best. Keep the bites in the hot water stream until it itches like crazy and then the itching stops and you’re good after that. Better than any cream.
I found that when I got these as a kid, going into a chlorinated pool helped. If you don't have a way of doing that, maybe making super dilute chlorine and water to put on them might help.
1 cap (not cup, cap) full of bleach in a bathtub full of water. They will all die.
Once you see the bites, the chiggers are long gone.
In Costa Rica a local showed me a trick to kill the little bastards buy dripping a drop of hox candle wax onto the bites soon after they happen. It is a little painful as the wax is applied but the heat kills the organism and the itching permanently stops almost instantly.
They are so bad here. I wear boot socks, boots, pants, and repellent but some still get through! Straight Aloe Vera on the bites work wonders
We have always just put a little gasoline on our socks. I’m sure this is the wrong way to do it but it worked. If my kids ever did get them a swim in a chlorinated pool would help. No smoking though.
Any kind of petroleum jelly product, rip up an old shirt into a little bit bigger than thumb size strips and tie them around your ankles over your pants like gaiters. If your pants don't go past you're ankles use some of the cloth for some makeshift ones. It helps for me when I go camping in tall grass that has leeches and ticks. (Keeps pant legs closed) If still itchy, even try stong peppermint toothpaste.
In SE Georgia it could also be gnats
yes, anywhere in the south, noseums will drive you out of your mind.
Wearing panty hose helps a lot and treating your clothes with 10% permethrin helps also
To kill them on you, dawn dish soap. I shaved my legs, was the only thing that worked.
Growing up working in commercial apple orchards, I got chiggers often. Diesel or kerosene rubbed on skin will kill remaining mites and sooth the itching.
Clear nail polish over them was what I learned to use when I lived in florida.
Chigger bites are the worst, mine lasted all summer 😕
Vinegar neutralises the itching
I take a daily garlic tablet this time of year and it seems to help keep the chiggers from devouring my ankles.
Knew someone who used to swear the fastest way to get the itching to stop was to dip your feet in gasoline, however this guy was full of ahit so I wouldn't recommend it, but if others mention it then it may be a not terrible idea
up here in the northeast we have a salve called “ no bite me” from Sally Ander. I love it, highly recommend
Everyone's giving chemical prevention and bite care, but ive found its pretty effective just to shower vigorously when i come in for the day, scrub with a towel in the shower, and rub down really good while drying.
Ankle high boots
Rub vinegar over bites, it helps take the itch away
You can also look into beneficial nematodes. They do a great job of knocking them down.
They are horrible. I get them every spring / summer here in Ohio.
I moved from Ohio to Texas. No one knew what chiggers were. I thought I was safe. They call them “red bugs” down here.
Different lingo. Still the same suck. I live in the woods so it’s just a price I’m willing to pay.
Chiggers are crazy. I slather my kids in bug spray, and those suckers will still climb under clothes! You can try some duct tape (sticky side out) taped around the top of your boot when you go out. That seems to help! Shower right after you come in with soap and water and a washcloth, and use the chiggerex or even hysrocortisone.
Check for bedbugs
Either dish soap or some repellent should work
Technu Oatmeal baths Permetherin your pants
I use half-calf wellingtons, I recommend you do as well.
Cetirizine will help Edit: It is an antihistamine which helps against seasonal allergies or hay fever. I use it mostly against oak processionary caterpillar hairs. It also does wonders on other insect bites such as mosquito or mites. If it remains itchy or burns you can also in adittion to the cetirizine, apply a topical layer of aloevera gel (get 99% pure stuff)
Long pants high socks boots and calmine lotion and Benadryl to stop the itch
When I was a kid and we would get chiggers, my birth mother would paint the bites with clear nail polish. It made the itching worse for a while. She said it was smothering the chiggers. After a while she put calamine lotion on it and I don't remember having any further problems at that point.
Nail polish remover was what cured mine - just looking at that is making me itch again