Friday, July 21, 2006

Chiggers

I've been asked by a few fortunate folks about chiggers and what they are. How lucky for those who don't know their acquaintance!!

Chiggers are wee insects that pierce the skin and inject an enzyme to dissolve the skin tissue for ingestion and nourishment. The body's response is to send some sort of enzyme to the area that causes intense itching. While I (and others) used to think that the chigger had 'gotten under the skin' and required suffocation, this article (http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/agguides/pests/g07398.htm) dismisses the 'under the skin' myth. Chiggers like to get into the most 'sensitive' areas like the panty waist lines and legs .. nasty nasty things!!

Folks in these parts cover the chigger spot with nail polish or something similar. I used a product called "Chigger-Rid" -- a nail-polish type of coating with an anti-itch ingredient -- it helped -- but had to be applied every few hours since the itching would return, I'd scratch it off and have to reapply the stuff. During this spell of chiggers (I get them constantly with my fieldwork!) I was coated with shiny bits of 'plastic' from head to toe! Yep, quite a site -- even though the Chigger-Rid is clear -- I sort of 'glittered!!!' LOL

As Laura suggested -- the Farmers Market for blueberries!! LOL

4 comments:

Tami said...

EEEKKK Chiggers are an unfortunate memory from visiting family in the Ozarks! The fireflies were GREAT the chiggers STUNK!

"Maggie & Kevin" said...

Nasty things and I got the creepy crawlies just reading your post. Are chiggers the same as ticks?

Your journaling is really coming along so nicely. Love the plant series!

Linda said...

ACK! Chiggers! I haven't gotten them in a long time, but remember the itch well! So sorry!

Felicity Grace said...

I'm glad I didn't know what chiggers were too!