Hurry up, hard frost!
- Thread starter Ben Ruset
- Start date
The little buggers haven't been to bad, but I have been appreciating the cool temperatures. I only have a few dozen bites on my ankles and on my belt line, lower than the usual hundred I carry around on my body. There is one odd bite in my ear. I don't know how a chigger managed to climb that high. I may have been goofing off and had my head to the ground listening for the pale faces approaching. Who knows?
I've only had about 5 bites this season, but I've only been out in the woods twice since they started coming out. I am pretty religious about checking my shoes and when I see them crawling on there I douse them with spray.
Realistically I should just purchase a pair of knee high boots and stop worrying so much. I really hope to eventually move back closer to the pines. It's not as bad for me to get to the woods as when I lived in Princeton, but it's still a hike from Asbury.
Realistically I should just purchase a pair of knee high boots and stop worrying so much. I really hope to eventually move back closer to the pines. It's not as bad for me to get to the woods as when I lived in Princeton, but it's still a hike from Asbury.
I have over an hour drive from where I live and I sometimes visit the Barrens three times a week. The trip can be tough, but knowing how much I will enjoy being out motivates me to turn the ignition key every time!
I don't think you need boots that high. I have been using eight inch high boots with no problems. Most of the bites are from the chiggers clinging to my clothing and taking up residence in my car. My socks and boots, along with some of my clothing, are treated so I think that I am getting bitten during the week when I am casually dressed. I can see the bite marks, but I have been bitten so many times that they no longer itch or burn.
I don't think you need boots that high. I have been using eight inch high boots with no problems. Most of the bites are from the chiggers clinging to my clothing and taking up residence in my car. My socks and boots, along with some of my clothing, are treated so I think that I am getting bitten during the week when I am casually dressed. I can see the bite marks, but I have been bitten so many times that they no longer itch or burn.
I wouldn't even want to count the number of bites this year - both chiggers and mosquitoes. But I probably spend more time outside than most people. One to two hours in the woods plus two or more hours on the front porch every day. Unfortunately it looks like we may have to wait awhile for frost of any sort... temperatures are headed back up through the week with nights around 60.
Remember 2011?
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/mosquitoes.7568/
Remember 2011?
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/mosquitoes.7568/
Yeah, I should probably do that. But since I'm out every day, not sure if I want to expose myself to that much DEET.
I don't use Off/perm/or any chemicals. Chigs don't bother me, my family says its because even chiggers won't bite my sour skin. Honestly I think the chiggers are pretty blown out of proportion in the core barrens. You want bad chiggers go down to cape may and cumberland county.
The flies combo with high humidity will start to drive me nuts but on those days I'll just drive sand roads in the core barrens. I hate winter in the barrens though, its a whole different place once it gets cold out for me.
Deer flies are the spawn of the devil! Chiggers are out of sight, out of mind. You only know they have payed you visit by their bites. Deer flies on the other hand...They fly into your eyes, mouth, ears and nose during their kamikazes. They gnaw through clothing just to bite you. My personal favorite is when they sit on top of my head and chew holes into my scalp. I don't understand why they haven't gone extinct. What purpose do they serve besides spiking your blood pressure?
I still love the Barrens though!
I still love the Barrens though!
I thought I was the only one that thought we had worse chiggers then the core barrens
I love winter in the barrens.In the summer I try to hang close to swamps.Bushwacking in the heat through waterless terrain is hell.I've done it but their were times I thought I was really going to die in there.In the winter I can go wherever I want with no discomfort,especially if the swamps are frozen hard.main worry in winter is falling into a creek which doesn't bother me in the least in the summer
I once was swimming in a Blue Hole in Dividing Creek when i was about ten.I remember a Greenhead biting me in top of my head so I figured I'd just swim under water and he's let loose,He held on,I surfaced three times to breathe and he was still biting me.I finally got fed up and smashed him and then fed him to a Sunny. I have been driven mad by flies on several occasions and have taken off running for shade and thrashing a branch about my head wildly.Flies hate shade and if you can manage to be still (the thrashing just makes them worse) They will go away. Once chigged though you are chigged,I think I'd rather deal with fliesDeer flies are the spawn of the devil! Chiggers are out of sight, out of mind. You only know they have payed you visit by their bites. Deer flies on the other hand...They fly into your eyes, mouth, ears and nose during their kamikazes. They gnaw through clothing just to bite you. My personal favorite is when they sit on top of my head and chew holes into my scalp. I don't understand why they haven't gone extinct. What purpose do they serve besides spiking your blood pressure?
I still love the Barrens though!
I was watching A Praying Mantis this Morning was moving very slow.Also had a brown tint.I don't think he wants the Frost
I am in the woods almost every day between work and running the dogs after work where I live and I honestly don't think the chiggers were that bad this year.
When I am going into a suspect area I saturate the top of my socks and leather work boots and then spray my pant legs from the knees down.
I use anything with at least 25% deet.
These cool mornings are a big help. I had a job yesterday in Waterford where I knew we would be out of the woods before it warmed up. I didn't spray and had no problems.
When I am going into a suspect area I saturate the top of my socks and leather work boots and then spray my pant legs from the knees down.
I use anything with at least 25% deet.
These cool mornings are a big help. I had a job yesterday in Waterford where I knew we would be out of the woods before it warmed up. I didn't spray and had no problems.