Chiggers and Ticks?? (Austin, Leander, Happy: new home, live in, vs.)

[happyhorseranch]

We have heard folklore of ticks and chiggers. Does anyone know what the worst areas are in Texas for these horrible creatures?
Thanks!
The HappyHorseRanch

[Poltracker]

Anywhere there is high weeds and tall grass. My experience has been confined to the eastern parts of Texas though.

[loves2read]

chiggers are from the ground/grass--but ticks can be in trees--my husband's nephew lived in Leander, north of Austin, years ago and we went to visit them---our kids were playing outside and when they came in they were covered in ticks--his wife said they even dropped from the trees onto the kids's heads and shoulders---

why she did not tell me that BEFORE they went outside, I have no clue and why they were not spraying to kill them at least fairly close around the house I have no clue...
my daughter had ticks in her hair--it was AWFUL

so ticks can be anyplace because they really crawl...

[blueskies49]

Originally Posted by happyhorseranch

We have heard folklore of ticks and chiggers. Does anyone know what the worst areas are in Texas for these horrible creatures?
Thanks!
The HappyHorseRanch

Folklore? Actually, it's quite true! They're here in the DFW area, too, and down in the Hill Country where I once lived.

[lonestar2007]

Another reason I don't like black land. Chiggers are more in the black vs. ticks in sand. Neither one is good believe you me, but I think I rather deal with the ticks, of course I've never heard of them getting in trees. A good dousing of the yard with plain old yellow sulpher in the spring generally keeps them at bay. When we lived in black land, Mother would dust our shoes and socks (all around the ankles) when we went out to play, to keep the chiggers off. Keep your pets protected from the little critters, too.

[loves2read]

there there is flooding/lots of rain, ticks can ride that out and not drown--climb off the limb or leaf they used as a raft and just relocate to their new home--
really extremely adaptable to any environment--and they are so very tiny when they are newly hatched--almost transparent and smaller than the head of a pin--so they can get on you and be terrifically difficult to find--
they can live through a washing machine cycle--cause after I wasked my kids' clothing I found them alive on the wet clothes--
just threw them away...
could not understand how those people could live in that area w/o doing something to stop that infestation...double ugh...

[tstone]

My problem with chiggers and ticks have been solely in the hill country, like around Inks and Buchanan lakes, and on the Devil's Backbone. Out there I also had a problem with a giant ant on my neck that clamped HARD with its jaws and wouldn't let go! I thought it was a tick. I smeared it with vaseline and waited for it to suffocate before it would let go.

[blueskies49]

Ew, tstone! I once got a tick from being in the woods in the Hill Country and a friend lit a match, blew it out and tapped with it on the tick lodged in my lower shoulder until it freed itself. Yuck!

[tstone]

^^ Yeah, the cherry of a burning cigarette or cigar will make them back out as well. Carefully placed of course!! You don't want to yank a tick out of your skin -- its head may stay in your skin and get infected!

[lonestar2007]

OMG! I guess I just didn't think about ticks latching onto people. I know we've had to get them off the dogs before, so yuck! I know chiggers will crawl up in you and die! Another big yuck!