Ode to the chigger:
There was a little chigger and he weren’t no bigger than the very tiny point of a pin,
But the bump that he raises just itches like the blazes and that’s when the scratching comes in.
I was taught this ditty so far back I can’t remember who taught it to me.
I bathed in poke root tea many times as a kid who couldn’t stay out of the poison oak and ivy.
—Jackie McClung
I’ve already been living the ode to the chigger this summer. It’s nothing new for me, the little suckers adore me.
If you’ve ever been eat up by chiggers you’ll now exactly what I’m talking about. If you’ve never experienced chiggers you can thank your lucky stars.
Last night’s video: Alex Stewart – Portrait of a Pioneer 4.
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I sure don’t like those little buggers! We always painted them with clear nail polish.
i had forgotten about chiggers!!! i was up in the holler over the weekend and was traipsing through an area and got eat up…i thought at first it was no see ums cause they were everywhere!!! but lordy the itching…. wasn’t sure what it was but hunted out the lye soap real quick..i don’t usually react to poison ivy and poison oak and i knew i been through a nettles patch but yep after this reminder about the chiggers i’d bet money thats what caused all those itchy little spots…
Ok, now I know what the itchy red bites I have right now are. I had forgotten about Chiggers since in my old age I am more a cement girl. I cut some small limbs the other afternoon & was outside for several hours before being able to take a shower. Took a shower but didn’t notice any bites, but the next morning I had several red itchy bites on my thighs & stomach (including the bellybutton). I couldn’t understand why mosquitoes bit me in those particular areas. Thought maybe a mosquito had gotten in the house & bit me while I slept. I put Hydrocortisone Cream on the bites & that helped the itching. Back then Mom used to put Campho Phenique on our
Chigger bites & my Grandmother would put Green Watkins Salve on them when we visited her out in the country. My friend’s Mom would put Epsom Salt in her bath water. Tipper, have you ever heard of these 3 remedies or if they still make Campho Phenique or Green Watkins Salve? Do any of your readers know? Again Tipper, thank you for jarring my memory of Chiggers. Now I know what these bites are.
Cheryl-I don’t know, but hopefully another reader will chime in with an answer 🙂
Try rubbing pure ammonia on them! Do not scratch them first or it’ll set you in fire! Do this 2-3 times a day. It’ll sure kill them out! I bet vinegar might work too. Make sure it’s ACV vinegar w/mother in it if possible. Good luck! I remember they used to eat us up as kids here in east central Ky. Seemed it would be worst during Bible school & right in our belly buttons too! Granny would snatch our hair cause we’d be itching during church! Also the orange tiger lilies are always covered w/them around here. We’d walk 10’ away from those lilies
As a boy, I spent every hour I could in the woods. The only time I recall getting chiggers then was when picking blackberries. While the cobbler and vanilla ice cream were delicious for a few moments;I suffered the chigger bites for a ten days.
We are ‘blessed’ with a type of chigger here in Texas that lives in our grass. I never got chiggers from mowing lawns in NC but I get eat up with them when I cut grass here. Have just recovered from about 20 bites. I used clear fingernail polish as a kid. We now have a product called ChiggaRid and another that my wife found that stops the itching, but it takes about a week to be rid of them and the welts to subside.
I agree that if they were as big as a June bug they’d kill you instantly.
Oh those tiny bad-nasties love to eat me alive! Between that and a bad reaction to the poison ivy/oak, I have a terrible time clearing out the edges of the property. Fortunately my husband is immune to both.
Bug spray works good too but nothing works except long sleeves and pants for poison ivy.
When I was a young girl when we could, we would all go fishing at some old fishing holes. Well, here in the area of NC where I live, we call them Red Bugs. Mama painted our spots with clear nail polish. I hated those things, but it does bring back memories. Have a blessed day all.
I grew up in Florida. We called them red bus too. We used Mercurochrome on them. Ouch.
I just had a thought! Insects are repelled by smoke, right? What if you had one of those puffer smokers like bee keepers use and smoked up your clothes before going out in the bushes and brambles? Reckon that might keep chiggers, ticks, ants, spiders and other critters off of you?
I met a man that took sulfur tablets. It made his sweat smell bad but it helped.
I used to put fingernail polish on chigger bites but I found a product called New-Skin that works better for me. It covers the bite like the nail polish but is more flexible. Fingernail polish tends to crack and come off in no time especially around joints. New-Skin stays on longer.
I’m feeding cats at the rescue so I’m late posting. Wow I guess we could trade chigger stories all day long! When I get done outside, I run to the shower. The old nail polish trick on a chigger bite to smother him is what I’ve used. I love the chigger dirty poem. It’s adorable and Murray laughed a good one on that. BTW, Murr Man (like a mermaid but my sweetie) made bamboo tripods, constructed bamboo bean trellises and placed them ( 6 total) and strung tomatoes all on his own. Mr MANUEL Labor has showed up without prodding. I’m still in shock watching him work all day in the garden… may be one of my happiest days ever!!! I cannot believe my eyes. It’s because of you, Tipper and this blog right here!!!! Thank you for making my man hillbilly cool!!!
ITS SUPPOSED TO BE DITTY NOT DIRTY. Google makes me look embecilic and dumber than a post.
Chiggers don’t bother me like they used to. I think the ticks are scaring them away!
When I was a child, my mother would put me in the bathtub of water with salt in it. The salt killed the chiggers but there was always plenty of chiggers that did their worst before she could get me into the salt bath. They are just terrible little critters!
A few years ago I was driving back to SD to see my folks and I stopped in a rest area to use the facilities when I overheard 2 young women talking about their mosquito bites that wouldn’t go away. I apologized for eavesdropping and told them that they probably had chigger bites. I told them what a chigger was and to put clear fingernail polish over the bites and they’d be gone in a jiffy. They looked at me like I had 3 heads! I think of those girls every time that I get out my clear nail polish to put on a chigger bite. I wonder if they ever tried the remedy?
Oh yes — we sbscribe to the nail polish cure, as well. Once we couldn’t find the clear nail polish and went around with red spots all over us for awhile —
One time, 38 years ago, I went blackberry picking before work, since I worked 2nd shift at my job. I forgot to let the soap dry on my skin when I was taking my shower, so I was ate up with chiggers from the picking. Boy was I miserable. Needless to say, I didn’t forget to let the soap dry after that episode.
I may have told this before, no sure, One year while the wife and I picked blackberries I brought along a bottle of alcohol and when we had quit picking berries I stripped off in the woods and bathed in the alcohol. My good wife thought that was silly and laughed at me. I don’t exactly remember but I ended up with none or maybe a couple of chiggers. She had 70 some on one leg and almost as many on the other. She was miserable!
I remember reading how miserable the confederate troops were from sleeping on the ground with chiggers. I believe this was in Mississippi.
Jewel weed, wild touch me not, really works for taking the itch away from chigger bites.
Ain’t that the truth. What a scary-looking, misery causing beast for being so teensy!
I’ve given – or rather have had taken – more than .y fair share to them chiggers and all their other biting friends. Growing up I just ignored them, no time to.fuss about’em. Then Rocky Mt spotted fever, then Lyme disease, then the lone star tick business, and west Nile virus etc etc. The world is spot more dangerous place now than it used to be. I can’t hardly do anything around here without getting fire ant bit. They are yet another non-native invasive. Be thankful if you don’t know what they are and hope you never do.
The worst chigger attacks were when we were picking blackberries.I haven’t had any in years here in Middle TN and I sure haven’t missed them. I’m not sure anything except time truly stops the itching.
Tipper, I’m with you 100%! They love me too!
I would rather have a hundred chiggers than one tick. I think the mini vampires would travel across the country just to taste my blood.
I’ve been eaten alive by chiggers many times. Picking blackberries has usually been a risky activity for me as I must be a chigger magnet!
Don’t think I ever had the sorry experience. But, these gnats outside now are most miserable, itching for days. I have to cover myself and wear a net over my head. They just love my ears. I guess we better light a fire, as long as the wind stays down. Have a sweet day everyone.
Chiggers are the worse bugs ever! They are much smaller than any other bugs that bite. It’s hard to see them to slap at them or knock them off. I don’t get bit by them now days like I did as a child running through the tall grass. I try to keep the grass cut short in my yard and my garden weeded well as I can, so I don’t worry about them as much. However, all the other biting bugs outside seem to love attacking me as soon as I step outside. I’m usually covered up good with long pants, long sleeves and a hat when I’m in the garden, but some how I still get bitten even through all my cover up.
On our first trip to the Ozarks we were eaten up by chiggers, despite using bug spray with deet. I’ve heard that Castile soap mixed with peppermint helps to prevent chigger bites. What preventative measures do people in your area use? Or what do you use to relieve the insane itching?
Diane- people wear long pants and tuck their pants in their socks, bug spray, and I’ve heard of folks using kerosene and sulphur around the edge of their clothing. I’m sure there are other ways of protection. Once you get bit jewel weed helps. Lots of folks swear by using clear fingernail polish.
Diane, I had a lot of chigger bites at camp- sheer misery. When I got home I sprayed my legs with Benedryl spray to knock out the itching and covered with nail polish. Incredible relief.
When I was a child, chiggers were the bain of my existence in summer; especially when they got in my belly-button! Although I still take walks in the woods and pastures, I am never bothered by the little redbugs any more. Maybe I’m so old, I’m just too tough to eat.
Donna- the belly button bite is the worst 🙂
Several years ago I read where a professional hiker/blogger used a pricey prescription cream containing triamcinolone because those little creatures from hell really affected him. I thought the ingredient sounded familar and sure enough, it was in the nasal spray I had to use at the time. Chigger bites on me swell up to the size of a quarter and itch for a months. I soaked a ball of cotton with the nasal spray and frequently dabbed it on the bites. To my everlasting joy, it relieved the itching and the bite was gone in about a week. I’ve since learned that Capsaicin ointment or applying a dab of betamethasone, fluocinonide or triamcinolone at the very first sign of a bite may prevent that terrible inflammatory reaction.
That is so useful to know! I react the same way, they puff up, get hot and itch for the longest time.
Oh my goodness! This reminds me of my childhood. My grandmother lived out in the country and whenever us grandkids went outside to play, she would cover us in sulphur to keep the chiggers off. She kept an old sock filled with sulphur by the back door and she used it like a powder puff. We must of looked funny covered in the yellow powder! It might of kept the majority off but I still remember itching.
Summer and chiggers just went hand in hand when I was a boy. Mom would try every concoction under the sun to try and kill or smother those little devils out. Her favorite was clear finger nail polish. The blackberry patch was a sure way to get them. My dad use to say if those things were as big as a June bug they would kill you.
Chiggers LOVE blueberry bushes !!! One of my favorite things to pick in summer are blueberries but ” oh my goodness do I pay for it” if I don’t spray down with Off .I use so much insect repellent you can see the fumes coming off me. But the joy of picking berries is worth it. ❤
I can’t think of any reason God made chiggers other than to keep us humble…chiggers and fire ants. Fire ants are the worst.
Just plain “eat up” with chiggers many times. Just like everything else in Appalachia, we had remedies for everything. We applied clear nail polish to each and every bite to smother out the chigger. I have not had chigger bites since google began, so now will check to see if any validity to our old home method of taking care of chigger bites. I have no clue if they have to breathe, or if the creator made them able to burrow in the skin and live. I am about to find out in about five minutes, just in case I get into another bed of chiggers after all these years.
Thank goodness I haven’t had a run in do far this year. Ee called them ted bugs when I was a child. My coudin and I loved to climb this big hickory tree in her yard, it was full of Spanish moss the moss was full of red bugs. We would get covered
Sorry for the typos only seem to see after I hit post
Oh my yes. I have experienced the joy of chigger bites. Here in eastern NC, we call them Red Bugs. It is something you won’t forget. Thanks Tipper for the memory.
(totally off topic, but I am so happy today! My daughter is having her grad party. I have homeschooled her for 8 yrs. & she got the official paperwork that they gave her a diploma!!!! I am proud of her, but also a teeny bit for myself – a lot of work) I am a lucky one, with chiggers. Don’t think we have them where I live. But I will tell you whats worse; bed bugs. One daughter’s little girlfriend ‘gifted’ us with them years ago. If it ever happens again, I will burn my house down. I don’t know how people dealt with them in the past. It cost us thousands of dollars & about 4 months living out of trash bags. We burned most household goods that could not be treated & my kids lost a lot of their stuff. We isolated ourselves so that we wouldn’t give them to anyone else & even the thought of them brings chills to my spine. It was one of the most miserable times for us. My great aunts, who are 92 &93, say that when they were girls there was a house down the road/relatives that their mom would take them to visit. They were warned every time to never sit down on anything, because the house had bed bugs – so the visited standing up! My FIL said his relatives actually had to rent my house because their house was infested with them. Every day, his grandmother would go in and pour kerosene all along the window frames & baseboards. Ever heard of that? And they burned up the furniture that was left behind. They could not move in until they were gone. What did old timers down your way do to prevent or get rid of these vermin? Weird topic, but might be interesting to know!
Patty- congratulations to your daughter!!
Thank you so much, Tipper! Now I know how you felt when your lovely daughters graduated. We had gorgeous weather for her party yesterday & she had a nice time. I have so much food leftover – anyone want to travel up to NY, we’ll have party #2!
I would encourage anyone that can, to homeschool. You will have such a feeling of personal accomplishment – child & parent! I have learned & relearned so much. I feel 10xs smarter than I was, when I was in school. I am so proud of her. Next year she goes to cosmetology school, which has been her dream since she could smear lip gloss all over her face & give herself her first haircut, at 3 years old! Free Haircuts for Mom for Life – that’s the teacher discount. : )
Patty, I heard a professional exterminator say they now use extreme heat to kill them in homes I think @150-175 degrees. He said they hide in walls and cracks and the heat will get in these places. He also said that when staying in motels he keeps all of their clothes in middle of room never close to the edges and brings all of the clothes home in trash bags and takes the clothes out outside of his house.
They treated our house with pesticides & yes they love to live in cracks. Well, guess what, in a house built in the late 1700s, my house is nothing BUT cracks – stone foundation, wide plank flooring, no baseboards in some rooms. For what ever reason, they apparently love your electrical outlet boxes, get behind them & ‘travel’ up & down your house. And it doesn’t matter where you keep your stuff, they will get into it. We had to bag everything we owned up into clear trash bags for months. I would wash & dry clothes & immediately- into a new trash bag. We only kept like 3 outfits a piece, to wear because it was so much work. We opened the upstairs windows & threw everything we could live w/out down onto to the lawn. My husband started a fire that didn’t stop burning for about 4-5 days. We burned all of the mattresses, etc.. My kids lost everything, but their most dear possessions. The pesticide co. couldn’t believe how tough they were to get rid of in our house & I was infuriated because I keep/love a clean house. If you miss just 1, it can linger, go asexual, & reproduce on its own in about 9 months(is what they said). Luckily, it finally did get resolved & they didn’t return. But I am very wary about taking things from people, and I won’t stay in a hotel/motel. We tried that once after. We found evidence of them, before we brought our stuff into the room. My husband went and raised holy hell & we went to a different place…Maybe this sounds stupid, but it was a very traumatizing time for our family, sort of like you lost your house to a fire. We call it the ‘incident’, and talk about ‘before the incident’ & ‘after the incident”. There is such a social stigma to it, that there are some people that never even knew it happened to us.
I had soooo forgotten that little ditty…Thanks
I have experienced chiggers! I think their main goal in life is to drive us crazy! When I was little, and it was chigger season my mother used to put me in a bath with a cup or two salt in the water. The salt killed the chiggers. It really worked. I did the same thing to the Deer Hunter when he was little.