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Thread: Chiggers and such.

  1. #1
    Live simple-Live free
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    Default Chiggers and such.

    This is not a natural or herbal remedy, but it I consider it bushcraft medicine because it's for bushcrafters and it's medicine.
    Chiggers can be a %$ * @ ! ... I hate them. So what to do about them and other bugs too? What I do to keep biting insect to a minimum is first, avoid tall grass and weeds if possible. Especially those weeds around a lake or stream, as those seem to be highly infested at least here in the southeast. Secondly, I treat my bush clothing (pants-top half of socks-and shirts) with permethrin. you can find video's on youtube! Third, I use a headnet if needed to keep bugs out of my face and ears. And lastly, I don't like to use deet but I will when it's necessary.
    So you have bites already? Well, what I use is 2% hydrocortizone cream if I can get it. 1% if not. Also, a product called chiggerex does a great job at stopping the itch as does orajel toothache medicine. For an herbal anti itch medicine I use jewelweed when available.
    I get the minimum amount of bites and oftentimes none since I started using permethrin on my cloths. The military has started this treatment on their clothing i'm told so give it a try.


  2. #2

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    I use full-strength Listerine in a spray bottle. Spray on shoes, socks, lower legs. Don't know why it works but it does.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pete lynch View Post
    I use full-strength Listerine in a spray bottle. Spray on shoes, socks, lower legs. Don't know why it works but it does.
    I have to agree, as I have been using this lately as well.....we had a thread a while back, and Listerine was brought up.....and either there aren't any around, or it works....no bites yet, and have been mowing, weed whacking and cutting brush for about a week.
    Out here at "The Place" at the end of June.....and the chiggers about ate me up....gnats in the sun, mosquitoes in the shade.
    A pain in the privates....

    On the bites, the best thing I have found is Preparation H Cool Gel .......really helps.
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    Deet, followed by Deet and then generally more Deet. If that fails a lot of crying and scratching. I do know Orajel works on mosquito bites so no reason they wouldn't work on chiggers. Good post.
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    There are reasons there is a great big body of water between me and USA, this is just one of them, I think I'll start that list now.
    Last edited by Winnie; 09-18-2013 at 04:29 AM. Reason: grammar
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    What? no chiggers in England. Winnie,That's such a shame. you haven't lived untill you've had a mess of chigger bites on your unmentionables.
    Last edited by Rick; 09-18-2013 at 11:10 PM. Reason: Let's keep it PG-13 Please

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    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Oh gads no! I'm so glad we don't have them up here. Yea they are attracted to the bra area as well.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

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  8. #8

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    Insect Repellant - All Natural

    1/2 -3/4 oz Crushed mint leaves
    1 ounce rubbing alcohol or 80 proof vodka
    1 ml tea tree oil ( 20 drops from an eye dropper )
    8 ounces of water.

    Bruise and Crush the mint, cover with alcohol over night in a sealed container.
    Strain into small spray bottle, add tea tree oil (Walgreens, Walmart)
    add water, shake shake shake.
    Last edited by zeroed4x; 09-18-2013 at 11:34 PM.

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    Senior Member Winnie's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nomad View Post
    What? no chiggers in England. Winnie,That's such a shame. you haven't lived untill you've had a mess of chigger bites on your unmentionables.
    Thankfully England is Chigger free. We do however have Midges the size of Vulcan Bombers who laugh in the face of Deet.
    Recession; A period when you go without something your Grandparents never heard of.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by zeroed4x View Post
    Insect Repellant - All Natural

    1/2 -3/4 oz Crushed mint leaves
    1 ounce rubbing alcohol or 80 proof vodka
    1 ml tea tree oil ( 20 drops from an eye dropper )
    8 ounces of water.


    Bruise and Crush the mint, cover with alcohol over night in a sealed container.
    Strain into small spray bottle, add tea tree oil (Walgreens, Walmart)
    add water, shake shake shake.
    Or buy a jug of Listerine.
    Wilderness Survival:
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    Senior Member wholsomback's Avatar
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    The old way that works is sulfer in a sock and an all over treatment before you go out.

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    My dad use to rub kerosene on our boots, socks, and pant legs before we went hunting, and we rarely ever got chiggers ot tick! Just don't smoke until it dries Yeah it smells and is not the best repellant in the world, but it's cheap and it works!

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Rubbing kerosene on my self or clothes is not gonna happen ..on purpose.
    I just think that the possible problems would far out weigh any benefit.....remember just because something was done in the past, doesn't mean that it worked or was safe.

    They used to "bleed" patients, to get rid of the poisons, as well.....not so popular these days.
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    I can see you ploppin' down in front of the fire and extending your feet to warm them. POOF! Flaming appendages. LOL.
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    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hunter63 View Post
    Rubbing kerosene on my self or clothes is not gonna happen ..on purpose.
    I just think that the possible problems would far out weigh any benefit.....remember just because something was done in the past, doesn't mean that it worked or was safe.

    They used to "bleed" patients, to get rid of the poisons, as well.....not so popular these days.
    Once it dries on cotton jeans, it is no more flammable than the cotton itself. But hey, when you are poor you use what you can get!

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    I remember using coal oil soaked rags tied around our ankles. But that stuff killed grass everywhere you walked so it was bound to be good....................
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

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    Chiggers are crazy-makers, f'sure! What helps keep me from losing my mind is to treat the bites with a good quality Tea Tree Oil (not the cheap kind found at Walmart). Don't slather the stuff on (it's too potent and expensive for that kind of treatment). Dab a drop onto the bite, wait a minute or two, then apply a second dab. I don't know why it seems to work best that way (maybe the skin pores open or something?).

    Blessed relief for many hours. The stuff works on any kind of insect stings and other itchamacallits.

    The best quality Tea Tree Oil I have ever found without spending a fortune is the Swanson brand (www.swansonvitamins.com). Two other potent ones are the NOW brand and Desert Essence. There are a lot of weak-acting brands out there, so be warned.
    Last edited by Grizzlyette Adams; 08-29-2015 at 04:33 AM.
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    If I am in a situation where I cannot shower within a few hours of exposure to chiggers, the next best thing is to "dry wash" them off with a cloth as soon as you can. Although you can't see them easily, they are easily crushed or removed in the process.

    I second the recommendation for powdered sulfur. The cheap kind you find in a farm supply store works as a fantastic repellant when dusted onto your pants legs, socks and whatever else the chiggers find to hitch a ride on. It can be dusted around the camp/homesite too.

    Unfortunately it repels me too. Gaaahh. That stuff stinks. But it works better than anything else I have tried.
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    Most species of chiggers seem to like warm humid weather the one good thing about fire ants is that they have been known to reduce chigger populations at least a little bit.

    I agree with most of what was written in comment #1 except that DEET if used especially on your footwear and lower pant legs can help a lot. You don't need to get it on your skin if you have issues with that. Use up to 99 or 100% DEET on your boots and lower jeans or whatever AND avoid tall vegetation and almost 99% of your chigger problems will be over until it gets cooler. You can dust with sulphur dust but that just makes you smell like you visited geysers in Yellowstone.
    http://www.motherearthnews.com/natur...z05jjzsel.aspx


    Now how can we introduce chiggers to the UK? Finally got snakes back in Ireland, Canada has West Nile Virus, but the UK needs chiggers... the English are spending far to much time on the park lawns in the summer. And in Munich, Germany they run around naked in the public parks, clearly they need chiggers there.

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TXyakr View Post
    Most species of chiggers seem to like warm humid weather the one good thing about fire ants is that they have been known to reduce chigger populations at least a little bit.
    There is no "good thing about fire ants"..............
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