Pain And Itching

Thanks to a few comments on this thread I have revised the post to be more accurate:

Would like to take a moment to remind everyone to be aware of small insects called chiggers or red bugs. They are very, very small and you can easily stomp into a nest of them without even realizing it. Was out ploughing a few fields and picking blackberries at the hunting club this weekend and the next day I woke up with 40+ chigger bites all over my legs. The next night I only slept for about three hours, waking up scratching.. They like hanging out in berry patches, tall grass and weeds, etc.

This is only the second time I've ever gotten chiggers, and while I don't believe they are 100% avoidable, there are precautions you can take. You can tuck your pants into your boots and your shirt into your pants to make it a little more difficult for them to bypass clothing.
I've never used permethrin so I cannot attest to the ability of the product but I have heard that it works very well. If you do use permethrin, ensure it doesn't get on your skin and allow it to dry into your clothes for at least 24 hours before wearing.
I've also read about certain companies that make clothing laced with insect repellents.
I have read that regular tick and mosquito repellents work as well.


How can you treat chigger bites?
For one thing you can prevent them by immediately showering once indoors after time spent in the woods. This should remove any chiggers on your skin although it is possible that they've already bitten you.
Calamine lotion and hydrocortisone cream or some other type of anti-itch gel/ointment will help lessen the constant itching.
Definitely not recommended to scratch them although it isn't easy to quell the urge.

You will not feel them crawl on you or bite you, like I said I didn't even realize I had bites until the next morning. Keep in mind that I do live in Alabama, a hot and humid environment where chiggers and other pesty insects thrive, like fire ants, mosquitoes, ticks, hornets/wasps, etc. Around here sleeping on the ground isn't really an option in the spring and summer unless you like waking up to things crawling in your sleeping bag.

 

Man, I don’t miss chiggers. I’m surprised I have cancer yet from all the bug juice that I would apply on my clothes and legs. Fortunately, chiggers and ticks are absent on my mountain, but we make up for that with mosquitos!

Fingernail polish and calamine where how I treated them back in the day. Since then I’ve discovered the amazing healing power of virgin coconut oil on wounds and insect bites. Maybe try virgin coconut oil to see if it’s better than the calamine.

 

This reminds me of the time my new bride and I were taking a secluded hike through the woods , when we saw a nice big pile of pine straw . What happened next was both good and bad . That straw was full of chiggers . We paid for that mistake .

 

We have them here as well, and I would concur with the opinion they are a royal pain in the ass. Contrary to popular belief they do not burrow into your skin. Here are some details, and methods for treatment.

https://www.medicinenet.com/chiggers_bites/article.htm

 

Chiggers bite and feed, then fall off.
They don't "imbed into your skin".
The itching is an allergic reaction to their saliva.

https://www.healthline.com/health/chigger-bites

Taking a good hot bath or shower ASAP after being exposed will prevent most of them from biting to begin with.

Permithrin sprays on clothing can kill them before the get to your skin.
I like this one:
http://duranon.com/

 

Southern Appalachian mountains, summer, varying altitudes but let's say average 3000ft / 1000 meters (1300 ft to 6500 ft overall range of altitudes; 300 meters to 2000 meters): got bug bites forming circular holes/spots on my lower legs; count 10 - 15 on one specific occasion (working adjacent to a forestry road, cleaning up some trash; got stung by a hornet also at that time); lesions red in color; 1/4", 5.5 mm, diameter; had on high-top boots, yet got bitten both beneath and above top of boot lines; not wearing DEET nor any other bug spray. These perfectly circular skin lesions on second day "fell in", my skin sank one or two millimeters. It took weeks for these to go away. I remember no itching. I don't know what those bites were. I've never looked up information on the topic. Maybe (?), I guess maybe I've talked about this, but I've never come out and asked for info, nor has anyone ever volunteered any insight.

Just past week; bitten by something while clearing brush / working garden and surrounding area; get back in house to bathe; on arm red area, circular, looks like defined area of hemorrhage under skin. No pain, no itching. Micro amount of venom from something(?) may have caused very localized area of hemorrhage. Not a spider bite. Some venoms cause blood to not clot; they have anti-prothrombin activity. I have no idea what this bite is, but know that it occurred sometime within a 3-hour time span.
.

 

A real good article, Morgan.

Thank you.

Sure is good news that chiggers and mosquitoes us the share-bear doctrine: territorial spheres of influence and annoyance on the body.

 

I assume you meant you don't have cancer? haha

 

Sounds like an awesome time for sure.

 

I was incorrect about them imbedding. My apologies. I did however mention the permethrin although I said I cannot attest to the reliability of the product due to me never having used it. I didn't take a shower until the next day so that could've played a part in it as well.

 

That plays a huge part.

It takes them a while to find a spot and settle down before they try to feed, so taking a bath and changing clothes ASAP will remove them before they can do that

 

Yes I will ensure I do that after every trip to the woods now. This is one brutal insect. Besides wasting my water supply, do you have any suggestions for when out camping for a few days and a shower isn't optional?

 

Change clothes ASAP and wash what you can.

You can also apply body/moisturizer lotion mixed with some alcohol to kill them.

Most of them will usually be on the lower half of the body.

I always tuck my pants into my boots or inside my socks and use Duranon on all my clothing.

Avoid tall weeds and you won't pick up too many.

 

Appreciate the advice!