Was working at my East Texas farm, using the tractor etc. Had sprayed myself with deep woods OFF, but to my shagrin, two days later I had the red blotches and substantial itching that accompanys chigger bites.

I grew up in KY where chiggers and poison ivy were just a seasonal nuisance (like hot, sticky weather).

As I recall, dabbing fingernail polish on the areas was the home remedy used when I was growing up.


BH63

Fingernail polish, preferably clear, will kill them but it does nothing for the flesh they have already dissolved. So the itch will continue for a while.

By the way, considering today's politically correct environment, you might want to start referring to them as chigroes.

By the time you itch from a chigger bite they are gone, they leave some type of discharge that causes the itch which will leave a red spot for weeks/months, itch and you may cause an infection not from the bite but from your fingers/nails contaminates. I recently stumbled on a remedy for the itch is to dissolve an aspirin and place that paste on the bite. best remedy keep out of high grass/weeds or use some form of deet. I have some property in Southern Ill that is infested with chiggers also called mites, I spent several hundred dollars a year with insecticide, once in the early summer and then late summer, I am still losing the battle. I will try burning the field when the conditions are right

RAAMW,
From internet research your comment on those little buggers is correct. The old addage that nail polish will kill the critters that burrow under the skin is a myth.
This is the first year in several where the chiggers are abundant. Perhaps from the repeated rains we had in the spring.
Luckily I have seen very few tics this year.

Hydrocortisone cream will take care of the itch. I've used a lot of it this year.

Growing up on a ranch my granny would make us take a bath with warm water and she would put some bleach in it. I used to scratch them till they bled and made sores on me.

I've mentioned this several times over the years, but it absolutely works IF you pay attention when you've been in an area where you might have gotten red bugs (chiggers). The first sign is kind of very slight itchy feeling, not really itching but an unusual feeling in an area, typically lower legs, ankles, under socks, behind knees, or groin. At the very first sign, rub whole area generously with rubbing alcohol (I suppose good drinking whisky would work but it would be a waste, although I'd rather lose some whisky than have red bugs). This kills them and that red bug infestation is over with. The bath and bleach idea probably works, but you may not be near a bathtub and rubbing alcohol is cheap and easily carried.

I find the best prevention is to lightly spray outside of lower pants legs, and boots with something like Real Kill, or some permethrin based insecticide. Red bugs can be anywhere but most of the time they will be concentrated around water, such as pond, creek edges, lower wet areas.

Sevin powder on pants and boots works great

Hey Bob, or anyone else concerned about chigger bites. Just forget the bug sprays and dribble some diesel #2 on your shoes and pant legs. I learned that first trip in '67 when trucking.
Worked like majic many a time after that. No reason it shouldn't yet.

George

Clorox wipes do wonders to reduce the itching once you get bit.

.

Ammonia is good on all insect bites.

quote:

Originally posted by OLBIKER:
Ammonia is good on all insect bites.

+1

In fact that's really all they use in the commercial "insect pens" that are daubed on bites and stings.

Plantian, yes the weed, works on the itch. Break the leaves and rub generously. Or jewel weed. Jewel weed also works on poison ivy and stinking nettles.

By the way, considering today's politically correct environment, you might want to start referring to them as chigroes.[/QUOTE]


Chigger PLEASE....



sorry, couldn't resist

Political correctness run amok...

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
Fingernail polish, preferably clear, will kill them but it does nothing for the flesh they have already dissolved. So the itch will continue for a while.

By the way, considering today's politically correct environment, you might want to start referring to them as chigroes.

I have taken to calling them Chigrican Americans. The wife loves it. She is also not politically correct.

The only remedy I found to relieve the itching is Benadryl Itch Relief Gel, Extra Strength, 3.5 Ounce. Amazon has them for $5
It comes as a gel and really stops the itching as I have used it for several days since I went out to train my dogs in shorts and forgot to put deet on, Boy they had their way with me.

Plantain is an old cure along with jewelweed.
Aloe Vera should do well also.

Having lived in the south all my life, Chiggers are a way of life during warm weather. Over many years of building duck blinds in low, wet areas, picking Blackberries, hunting Turkey, looking for arrowheads and metal detecting for civil war relics, I have discovered many preventative, healing and kill methods for dealing with the little bastids. When Chig's bite you, they drink your blood and then break away from their beak, leaving it behind which causes the infection which causes the itch. Scratching will open the wound and promote the infection. Many comments posted here are noteworthy; alcohol, bleach, Permanone products, diesel fuel etc., but there are several that are outstanding.

#1: Prevent/kill Chig's: Coulston's Duranon Permanone or Sawyer (Sawyer owns Coulston now). Spray only your boots, pants/shirt. Kills any biting insect, include Ticks. Other brands seem to either piss them off or get them drunk at best. I never go to Africa without it. Kills Ticks within minutes of contacting your boots/pants.

#2: If you think you've been exposed without Permanone, rub yourself off as mentioned with alcohol. It will kill them before they can attach themselves and inject their beak. I've never tried Clorox wipes but they may have enough bleach to kill.

#3: If you haven't sprayed or have no alcohol handy, get home and fill your bathtub with approximately 6-8 inches of water. Pour in 1 cup of bleach (Clorox etc). Using only a white wash cloth, rub yourself all over, especially from the waste down. Another kill plan. Do this for 10 minutes, then drain and take a shower. Scented soap will help cover the mild bleach odor.

#4: Powdered sulfur. You can get sulfur powder by ordering from your pharmacy or online. Take an old sock and put a couple of tablespoons in it and dust your lower body, boots and pant legs. If Mosquito's are a concern, dust all clothes. Biting insects dislike the scent of sulfur. Taking vitamin B-1 everyday will begin to have a repelling affect in a couple of weeks. Good thing before trips to Africa etc.

#5: Once bitten. If you get Chig bites, try plantain first aid salve. It stops the itch of bites, stings & minor scrapes. I've seen this product do amazing things. Last July while in Africa, it was so dry my lips and skin were as dry and the rocks. I used their lip balm and first aid salve and reversed the effects within 24 hours. I will not go without it in my travel kit.

I once had 98 Chigger bites and for two weeks I nearly lost my mind. I can assure you, I no longer have a problem with them. Here's the link if you want to check out the Plantain salve and other things they make in the USA.
http://www.godsgreenearthanp.com/

We used to get them picking blackberries when I was a kid.

Be happy, the treatment then was to apply a rag soaked with Turpentine to the little red bump each evening...

I assume that Permanone is or related to Permethren ?
Will Non-chlorine bleach work as wellas the chlorine type ?

Yes mete, Permanone/Permethren is a compound derived from the Chrysanthemum flower. Can't say about the non-chlorine bleach, I've only used Clorox in the bath. This was long before the Coulston days. I'd have zero bites and my friends would be eaten up by those little monsters.

Go to your doctor and get a prescription for triamcinolone acetonide cream. It's a very mild steroid.

The only thing that will stop the itching, at least for me, is taking a shower with water as hot as I can possibly stand. If it's only a couple of bites, try putting a mug of water in the microwave and then touch the bite with the hot mug; it helps.

The triamcinolone acetonide cream doesn't stop the itching, but it shortens the duration from 7-10 days (for me) to about 2.5 days. It's nothing short of miraculous if you're a prime insect target, as I am.

As far as prevention goes, liberal use of permethrin and deet has been helpful.

Informative article on Chiggers

http://www.wikihow.com/Treat-C...ter&utm_medium=email