I think what I thought was deer fly bites all over my finger tips was really chiggers. Week and a half later and their still wanting to be scratched. I didn't know we had them this far down in Florida. How do you guys keep them off you? I know if you sit on the ground in NC you'll get them but in a tree stand in central FL?
Sulphur dust Get it at a feed store or organic garden supply. It is yellow and chalky in appearance, no smell. We put it in an old gym sock, and dust around our pant legs and waistline. Store the sock in a coffee can and keep it in the truck. There are some chemical treatments as well. Permethrin is one I've seen mentioned. If you have any spanish moss or anything like that near your stand, I'm told chiggers like that stuff (it doesn't grow where I hunt, no firsthand experience) All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure - Mark Twain
Thanks Gummi. Spanish Moss! We got a ton of it and I was pulling it down the morning of my outbreak I didn't know. Wow thanks and thanks for the sulfur tip again. This time ill use it. Always iffy about using the deet because of the smell but ill give the sulfur sock idea a shot. Whatever it takes to stay in the woods. Thanks again. Ps. I got most of the bits on my fingers tips because I cut the tips of my gloves off. Put the sulphur on my hands as well?
yeah, dont live down south! that'll make sure you dont get them.. no but in all honesty like gummi said, spanish moss is infested with them. me being from up north i was completely oblivious to chiggers, then i went to SC and decided to lay down on the ground. worst idea of my life. and i was shirtless. my whole back was an ichy mess. thats when i learned that spanish moss+skin really sucks!!!!!!!
I never new we had them in FL. We don't have them as far down south as I am but we get sea lice sometime and that almost as bad. This property in Central FL is full of old oak trees full of Spanish Moss.
They are possible the worst Bug Bite Going, we went Camping 1 year and it was in Ky, and the whole Family was covered with them, Being from the North I had know Idea what these were, I had them so Bad I went to town and at some store A guy told me, since I had them to get some clear Finger nail Polish,and have your wife paint it on the Bite area worked well. There is also some med called Chigger Rid, same concept as nail polish
I got them once when I was like 3 or 4 from sitting on a dead tree stump. Hasn't happened since! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk www.skyangler.com
^Exhibit A? You'll sometimes also find them in gardinia and magnolia flowers. One of my kids learned the hard way with Spanish Moss. 2 Benedryl at night will help tremendously and you get a good nights sleep...
Thanks guys. I just can't believe its been almost a month and even rub where I was bit they will start itching like crazy again. Unreal
VA is ate up with chiggers. I get hit by them at least once a year. I'll have to try that sulphur dust. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Wow! A month later? That is unreal. You really are "Afflicted", arent you? Chigger bites I get usually itch for a week or two at most. Tick bites, on the other had, have itched for months. There's only one 100% effective method for avoiding chigger bites and that's to stay in the house 24/7. That's not gonna happen, of course. Permethrin spray is the hands-down best way to avoid them. There are two major brands that I know of - Sawyers, which is available at Bass Pro Shops among other locations and Repel, which is available all over the place. I've had better results with the Repel, but it's more expensive. Before I start hunting in early season I hang everything I'm going to wear out side and spray it down with permethrin spray. I mean everything. Shoes, boots, socks, skivvies, pants, shirts, jacket, gloves and my ASAT 3D suit. I let it dry and I'm good to go. I can wade through the nastiest underbrush and come out at the end of the day without a single tick or chigger bite. Permethrin helps with mosquitoes too. I've watched the little buggers bounce all around me trying to find a place that they can stand to land. For my exposed eye area I use unscented off. On another note, there are some people are still convinced that you need to kill a chigger after you start itching or that it's imbedded. That's not how it works at all. Here's an exerpt from Wikipedia regarding Trombiculid/Harvest Mite larvae (chiggers): Some folks think that putting nail polish over the bite will suffocate them, but in reality they're almost always gone by the time you itch and they're most definitely gone when you scratch, but the damage is already done.
You're having an allergic reaction to the bite. Benadryl along with some hydrocortisone cream is about as good a remedy there is at this point. sent from my samsung note 2
That's for all the info. Yes I am ver Afflicted It's easing up now and yeah I'm a big fan of Sawyers Permethrin. Spray in on everything but my skivvies. Even my climber and hang on seats.
I'm going with something different this year. I've got a 32 ounce bottle of permethrin concentrate (38.6 %) that I'm going to dilute and use. I paid a whopping $32.00 for it and if my math is right it should make around 18 gallons of .5% spray. I also intend to use a 1 gallon pump up sprayer instead of working my fingers to death.
Yeah. I buy the concentrate myself and mix it. Not a bottle that big though. Where'd you get it? You guys ever do the permethrin soak they sell?
I use the premixed spray. 1 large spray (~24 oz) is enough for my early fall deer gear and my spring turkey gear.
I got mine on Amazon. Don't know about everyone else but I've never tried the soak. I know it's supposed to be harmless when dry but I don't want to push my luck, especially considering how bad my luck has been this past year.
be sure not to inhale the sulfer dust if you use the sock thing i have just resently taken coal mining classes and if you inhale to much of that sulfer its worse than "black lung". i always spray down with OFF if im gonna be in tall grass but i dont worry too much in a tree. to bad a thermacell wont repel chigars. oh and i also use chigarid once i get the bites works pretty good
