Chiggers (Fort Worth, Decatur: work, house, university)

[trail rider]

We are considering moving to the Decatur area. We don't have chiggers in northern ca. Are they a problem or simply a nuisance? Do they really itch for 2 weeks? Do they bother horses or other animals? Can cats or dogs bring them into the house? Only 2 things worry me about moving - chiggers and fire ants.

[momof2dfw]

Ahh, Decatur. My mom's hometown. The mayor is a relative. Shh, don't know if that is a good thing or not.

Chiggers, NO, they do NOT itch for two weeks. If you get them just put some rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and wipe the chigger. There is also a product called "After Bite" that is a stick that is AWESOME for all kinds of insect bites and gets rid of the itch. Pretty easy to take care of. They like to bite around areas that have clothing that fits tightly like around yours socks, waistband, etc. Lovely spots to have an itch. You can treat your yard w/ some of the products on the market to help get rid of them. It does work. The only place we tend to get them down at our lake property is in the garden since that does not get all of the regular yard treatment.

My dogs have never been bothered by chiggers. My dogs are better at staying out of the fireants than I am. I've been known to get them on me while planting flowers and jump in the pool. If you follow the Texas A&M guidelines for treating fire ants you can almost get them completely gone out of your yard.

[Steel Man]

Here is Texas A&M University web site on Fire Ants. Also, another web site on other Texas critters.

http://fireant.tamu.edu/

http://www.texasento.net/prob.htm

[kamykamellya]

I live in Missouri and I am considering Fort Worth as a great place to begin a new career and life and the bugs in Texas sound a little overwelming but chiggers, if that was all that was there, I would love them.

We have tons of chiggers in Missouri. They can't be seen so they don't repulse with their looks, like a spider does, and when they bite you don't even know it, unlike mosquitos, ouch! They leave red bumps, sort of like a mosquito bite mark, that does itch for a few days but it isn't bad at all. They are just inconveniently located usually. Like everyone else has said, around sock bands and especially underwear bands.

Now fire ants, that's a whole different story. I know someone alergic to ant bites, maybe they were fire ants in Oklahoma, but the poor girl swelled up and complained of pain for days. Of course this person is allergic to bee stings too, so that might be something to look out for.

Good luck! Too bad California is so expensive! I want to work in entertainment and have a bug free life! It sounds like heaven there.

[KewGee]

Chiggers are not insects; they are the larval stage of mites which are arachnids, like spiders and scorpions, and are closely related to ticks.

When I read these posts, I thought, "Wow! People really don't itch for weeks and the itch isn't bad with chigger bites." I beg to differ and therefore, referred to the internet for information.

The only ultimate cure is time with chigger bites unless you're able to use the best precaution against them. It is simply taking a warm soapy bath with plenty of scrubbing as soon as possible after exposure. If you bathe at once, while the chiggers are still running over your body, you can wash them off before they bite. A bath will also remove any attached and feeding chiggers before you start to feel the itch.

Warm soapy water is all that is necessary to remove and kill chiggers. There is no need, and it is rather dangerous, to apply household products such as kerosene, turpentine, ammonia, alcohol, gasoline, salt or dry cleaning fluid. Don't do it.

In the meantime, local anesthetics such as benzocaine, camphor-phenol and ammonium hydroxide may provide you with several hours of comfort at a stretch. Over-the-counter creams can also help. Nothing is completely effective, but they do allow some relief.

Chigger bites can cause terrible itching and weeping, red welts that can continue long after the mites have died. The itching may last up to 2 or 3 weeks and can be especially miserable if the person is suffering from numerous bites. Scratching and secondary bacterial infection can make it more difficult for bites to heal. Be sure to keep the bite wound clean and dry, and apply an antibacterial lotion if necessary.

It's very hard to avoid chiggers in Texas, but with fire ants, one can see them and avoid them. That isn't to say I've never been bitten; I have and they burn and itch, but there is nothing more that itches like the chigger; it can literally drive one just short of insanity.

You can check out whether an area is infested with chiggers by using a simple technique. Six-inch squares of black paper placed vertically in the grass will become covered with chiggers if they are present. Because several hours elapse before chiggers settle down to bite, bathing soon after exposure to chigger-infested areas may wash chiggers off your body and prevent feeding. Clothing also should be washed to prevent reinfestation.

So there you have it. I dread every summer with the possibility of chigger bites and this summer, I was attacked terribly. Did the itching last for weeks? You bet it did!

[TraciK]

I'm from Louisiana and we used to put a drop of clear fingernail polish on the chigger/red bug bites.

[KewGee]

Originally Posted by TraciK

I'm from Louisiana and we used to put a drop of clear fingernail polish on the chigger/red bug bites.

Yes, I've heard that too, but here is what Wikipedia has to say.........

The application of a small drop of finger nail polish (usually clear nail polish) is one of the most popular remedies and is claimed to reduce itching and dry the itchy sores in the fewest number of days; however, this practice may be based on the fact that people sometimes mistake the red dot in the middle of the bite as the chigger itself (the chigger is long gone), and the misconception that it has burrowed into the skin, and are attempting to "suffocate" the chigger by coating their bites with Vaseline or nail polish, or some other air-inhibiting seal. Rubbing alcohol is not recommended and it is very painful and no more effective than other measures.

Actually, I use rubbing alcohol and it does burn like crazy, but the burning feels better than the itching if that even makes any bit of sense.

[drjones96]

When I was a kid I went fishing at a small pond. Around said pond was a bunch of weeds. In said weeds was a whole mess of chiggers and Ticks. We picked the ticks off pretty easily when we got back to the house. I wish I could say the same for the chiggers. We both took showers and washed ourselves off really well. But apparently not well enough. I had chigger bites all over my groin area......and I mean ALL OVER IT! (If you're a guy what's the worst possible place you can think of to have and itching insect bite....now multiply that by about 10 insects) I tried applying every ointment, solution, concauction anybody would suggest too me. The itching was painful and intense like no mesquito bite I've ever seen. And it did last about 2 weeks. The last few days it kinda just faded away though.

Since then I've had a few chiggers but not that bad. Just stay out of the weeds and you've got nothing to worry about.

[Philip T]

Any DEET based spray will completely repel chiggers. Off, or any other "deep woods" type spray will do. Spray it around your ankles, boots, etc., when in high grass, and no problems.

What to do about the brame-damnage from the DEET is another matter.

[seahawksweetie]

hmmm, makes the idea of a no grass lawn very appealing in some ways. Not practical or pretty, just convenient in regards to avoiding the chiggers.

Do chiggers grow in any particular kind of grass or just wherever?