When Chiggers Bite: Itch, Itch and More Itch
 Courtesy of Missouri Dept. of Conservation |
The MyBugBites.com staff is seeing more and more stories about chiggers, their bites and their excruciating itch.
In South Carolina, Bryce Donovan of the Post and Courier details his encounters with chiggers and says that if you haven’t experienced chiggers, well, he hates you… because he wish he’d never experienced them either.
Chiggers are actually very tiny creatures even if they look huge and scary in this magnified pictured and measure 1/150th of an inch in diameter in real life – nearly invisible. Also, chiggers aren’t bugs or insects in the strict sense of the words all – they’re mites according to MDConline.com.
“Chiggers are the juvenile (or larval) form of a specific family of mites, the Trombiculidae. Mites are arachnids, like spider and scorpions, and are closely related to ticks.”
Ironically, chiggers are only a problem for humans in their childhood – known as the larval stage, when they like to bite our skin and inject a bit of their saliva which causes a chain reaction of events leading to an annoying itch.
MDC makes the following recommendations to avoid the mite-y itch of the chigger:
- A warm, soapy bath of water will remove the little devils.
- Use a towel or cloth to wipe your body clean of chiggers. Chiggers don’t stand up well to the lightest brushing.
- Do not use any strange chemicals like rubbing alcohol or gasoline or salt or dry cleaning fluid. Not only are they not necessary (use a warm bath!), they’re potentially dangerous.
So what if you do get bitten by chiggers.. then what?
- Certain lotions can help.
- Anesthetic products like enzocaine, camphor-phenol and ammonium hydroxide can provide some relief when applied to the affected area according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
In rare cases, people can have allergic reaction and should see a doctor about what medicine will be best to overcome the symptoms.
Hopefully, this information is useful to our readers – it comes too late for Mr. Donovan whose waistline “burned like a forest fire.” Yikes.
September 2, 2008 – 4:43 pm
8 Responses to “When Chiggers Bite: Itch, Itch and More Itch”
Can chigger bites on top and sides of feet cause swelling of the feet and ankle area?
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By Susann Pappas on Sep 13, 2008
can chiggas be past on to others even after you take a shower or soap bath.
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By steve on Sep 14, 2008
Same problem. While camping in Yellowstone, I was bitten around my ears and neck. It was cold so I kept my sleeping bag up tight around my neck. The following night was warmer. I then was bitten 18 times on one leg (under 2 pair of long johns!)
Today while at the doctor for an unrelated problem, I showed her my leg and she said “chiggers!” Great!!
Benedryl cream did help a bit. Thank goodness I had some with me on the trip. Notice I said “a bit”.
Now I need to figure out what to do with my beautiful, expensive down sleeping bag and down camping pad. Bummer.
The doctor suggest spraying them with RID, which is a product for head lice. Great.
She said that washing clothes in hot water and drying them in a hot dryer will kill the little buggers. Obviously that is not a possibility with a down sleeping bag.
Any ideas?
E
Yuck!!!
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By Ev on Oct 10, 2008
Put your down stuff in a deep freezer for a couple of days. That worked for me getting rid of lice from pillows and unwashable items.
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By Pacific Shepherdess on Jan 12, 2009
Paint Chiggers with Clear Fingernail polish it will kill them in minutes. It will burn a little but worth it! I grew up in the south and I PROMISE it works…..or you can just continue to itch. It’s up to you
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By renia on Apr 27, 2009
Hey, I have a cure for the bits, and it kills the chiggers. Go to Walmart and buy a bottle of Tea Tree oil, I promise it kills them in their tracks! I used a jewelers loop magnified by 10 times, they looks just like a tiny tick!! As soon as I put the tea tree oil on my huband they started dying, I was able to get them off with tweezers, he was covered all in the groin area and where his belt and pants fit tight. Some were already imbedded in his skin, so keep the oil on them, it will kill and large tick instantly also, I put it on one in a dog’s ear, it was the size of a nickel, and it dropped off in a minute or so. It works on all bites from any bug, instantly, and does not burn or sting.No kidding this is the best stuff since sliced bread, all of my grandchildren ask for Tea Tree Oil! Good Luck!!
Sandy
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By sandy on Aug 2, 2009
Also I might add, it kills infection, it is antibacterial!
I use a drop on my tooth brush from time to time, and also a drop to gargle with for sore throat, it is very good for a tooth ache,,,acually I have found it to work positively for everything I have tried.
Sandy
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By sandy on Aug 2, 2009
HELP! I am just sitting on my couch in the Caribbean and feel like bugs are constantly on me and in my hair. I have spent MONTHS w/ exterminators, sprays, bombs, you name it! I have dozens of red welts on my lower breast area and am itching like crazy! I eliminated the massive tick problem on my two dogs, but am wondering if the ticks are the ones that brought the problem? I’m wondering bed bugs, no see ums, sand fleas..is there a way to send a pic?
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By Lorraine on Aug 28, 2009