Chiggered Again

[bobpbx]

I was out with Jeff yesterday and got chiggered 4 times in 150 yards of brush. I thought I got em all but wound up with 12 bites. I was wearing those convertable pants and to get away from the deet real quick they went in the small gap by the zipper. Bit me on the back of the knee.

I figure there were about 500 chiggers in all, on my pants, from walking 150 yards, which is 450 feet, or about 2.2 acres (if an acre were a straight line only). Now, if men were walking side by side over 2.2 acres (assuming every 4 feet you have a man), that is 26,125 chiggers per 2.2 acres or about 12,000 chiggers per acre. And I assume that is conservative. Now, there are what, 990,000 acres in the pines? Throw out 5% for houses, water, and roads, and you have 940,500 X 12,000 equals over 11 Billion chiggers if my math is right. You could fill up a couple box cars with that amount. Imagine that sight.

I have a solution for the next time I go out before the first frost. I'll figure out the patch of woods I want to visit and contract with the army to fly helicopters over the patch of woods. They will dangle cow carcasses from long ropes about 2 feet above the ground. The chiggers will hop on and I'll be chigger free for the whole exploring time. Only cost me about $35,000 a copter. Sound like a plan?

 

[BEHR655]

.... equals over 11 Billion chiggers if my math is right. You could fill up a couple box cars with that amount.

We could ship them to Osama

 

[woodjin]

Hey Bob,
The back of the knee is a rough spot, I hate that. Believe it or not I came through chigger free (except for maybe one on the front of my knee that hasn't manifested completley yet). Anyway, maybe the best defense, short of your cow plan, is to follow closely behind someone else and let them take the brunt of it, Ha, ha. Sorry, I do feel bad you got bitten.

Jeff

 

[onehand]

they must love you bob, i was in the woods early last week and only got about three

the wife and i just came back from our last camping trip to tioga co pa, she finaly saw three live porcupines and even chased one down for a real close look and we saw slow moving bobcat up close....they do not have ticks and chiggers up there

 

[NJSnakeMan]

Go to belleplain state forest, i've personally been there, read and know from experience that is one BAD chigger spot. Clumps and clumps of them, couldn't even herp, let alone hike. Ruined my damn camping trip!

 

[Gerania]

I grew up in NE PA and have camped and hiked all over the place up there. I still visit family there and hike once in a while, usually in state parks. I didn't know what a chigger was till I moved out of the area. I have read that I should spray up because there are ticks up there but I have never seen any, ever.

Gillian

they must love you bob, i was in the woods early last week and only got about three

the wife and i just came back from our last camping trip to tioga co pa, she finaly saw three live porcupines and even chased one down for a real close look and we saw slow moving bobcat up close....they do not have ticks and chiggers up there

 

[uuglypher]

We could ship them to Osama

Calls t'mind an old Bedouin curse which, paraphrased, could be:

May all the chiggers of the Pine Barrens (or "...lice of a thousand camels ..." if y'be a Bedouin) infest your crotch and may your arms be too short to scratch them !

Cool weather's comin'. This, too, shall pass.

Best t'y'all.
Dave

 

[wis bang]

I grew up in NE PA and have camped and hiked all over the place up there. I still visit family there and hike once in a while, usually in state parks. I didn't know what a chigger was till I moved out of the area. I have read that I should spray up because there are ticks up there but I have never seen any, ever.

Gillian

I had my first Pocono tick at age 5.

I was 50 when I found my next one! Late May; during Spring Gobbler Season, just warm enough to not have the polypro bottoms tucked into my socks...you sit on the ground against a rock or tree and close to all that new spring growth and you find ticks, lots of them!

Thankfully I felt 'em to pick 'em off & the rest were still on the camo pants...Going out before dawn and sitting in the brush; the heat of your body mass must reall stand out to them. I already bought repellant for next spring...

 

[Piney Boy]

Chiggers and ticks are what make the Pines so very tough to explore during the warm seasons. If I venture out into the heat of summer I swear by deet. I know its a chemical compound, but it sure keeps every variety of bug off of you. It is also okayed by food and drug, so you know its at least sort of safe for you.

 

[Teegate]

Chiggers and ticks are what make the Pines so very tough to explore during the warm seasons. If I venture out into the heat of summer I swear by deet. I know its a chemical compound, but it sure keeps every variety of bug off of you. It is also okayed by food and drug, so you know its at least sort of safe for you.

Chiggers die by just smelling deet. The sprayer on my container was faulty and I was only able to do parts of my pants, but it killed them all, even the ones it did not touch.

Good stuff when needed, and with chiggers you have to use it or pay.

Guy

 

[foofoo]

just some tips. i like to spray my cloths with permanone and let them dry the night before a trip into the pines. i will use 29% deet deep woods off on my skin and hat. walmart sells steel toe rubber work boots for 15$ that are almost knee high. there a bit hot but worth it. i also change my cloths at the vehicle and put the chigger cloths in a plastic bag to be washed or thrown out immediately when i get home! another wonderful use of duct tape is to make a nice big ball of it and apply it to my arms and hands. it will pull those suckers off.