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How extensively are chiggers found on the AT? I can deal with black flies and mosquitoes, but I HATE chiggers. Their bites drive me crazy. I know I got a few chigger bites on the AT in NJ one year. Are they in NY too? Are they worse in some areas than others? Do they vary from year to year depending on weather?
Hikerhead
02-19-2004, 23:33
For some reason they don't like me....I've never had a problem with them. The heavy grass area's are where you would most likely find them, or them you. You shouldn't have any problem in the woods.
Whatever you use for ticks should keep these off too.
As far as wetter or drier years causing them to be less or more, I don't know.
Dan Morris
02-20-2004, 00:18
What are chiggers??? never heard of them.
deb,
when i was in the military stationed at ft campbell ky i got my first case of chiggers around my ankles, i used clear nail polish to suffocate them and it worked. as far as the AT is concerned the farther south the more likely you will encounter them. although i never got them on the AT in northern jersey i did get them in southern jersey in the bass river state forest car camping, infact almost everytime i went camping i got them untill i treated my clothing with permithum. i also used a bugspray with 29% deet but i think it was the permithum that did the trick. clothing treated with permithum will last atleast 2 weeks and multiple washings. i think what saved me was treating my socks. southern jersey has alot of white sand and pigmy pine trees. i suffered from sand fleas to and the permithum stopped that to.
permithum is the best prevention but the deet helped to. i use the treated clothing first and if i have problems getting bit i use the deet also, i prefere not to use bug spray if possible because it is applied to the skin and who knows, mabe in 10 years they will discover it causes cancer? and it just adds to that sweaty smelly film you get when hiking, gets into the sleeping bag to.
mike
Uncle Wayne
02-20-2004, 03:18
I have never had a problem with them on the AT but they are very bad during the summer months in the Sipsey Wilderness of Alabama. While I was an active scoutmaster our troop got eat up by them on several camping trips. I asked 3 people who worked for the forest service how they dealt with them and all of them said "Avon Skin So Soft". It's a sweet smelling bath oil for those not familar with it. In the warmer months, before leaving home, we rub down our entire body with the oil and have never had a problem with mosquitos, ticks or chiggers since we started doing that. The ranger told me to be sure and "cover every thing, even the family jewels."
Chigger bites on the ankles are a bad thing, but they are much worse on the jewels!
Our troop did a 50 mile hike one year through the Sipsey Wilderness and I advised the boys to buy some Skin So Soft for the hike. The only person who got a tick bite, 3 of them actually, was the boy who didn't use the Skin So Soft. YMMV but it works for me.
Will permithum effect nylon material the way deet does? :-?
no - no problem treating nylon with permithum - it will not "melt" the plastics
How extensively are chiggers found on the AT? I can deal with black flies and mosquitoes, but I HATE chiggers. Their bites drive me crazy. I know I got a few chigger bites on the AT in NJ one year. Are they in NY too? Are they worse in some areas than others? Do they vary from year to year depending on weather?
CHIGGERS:
A skin infestation, common in the southern United States, caused by the larva of the red mite (harvest mite). Features include an itchy red rash to the waist, ankle and skin folds. No specific treatment is necessary as the rash will resolve spontaneously. Antihistamines can be used to control itching.
STAY AWAY FROM THE BLACKBERRY BUSHES ALONG THE TRAIL ;)
seeya UP the trail
I have never had a problem with them on the AT but they are very bad during the summer months in the Sipsey Wilderness of Alabama. While I was an active scoutmaster our troop got eat up by them on several camping trips. I asked 3 people who worked for the forest service how they dealt with them and all of them said "Avon Skin So Soft". It's a sweet smelling bath oil for those not familar with it. In the warmer months, before leaving home, we rub down our entire body with the oil and have never had a problem with mosquitos, ticks or chiggers since we started doing that. The ranger told me to be sure and "cover every thing, even the family jewels."
Chigger bites on the ankles are a bad thing, but they are much worse on the jewels!
Our troop did a 50 mile hike one year through the Sipsey Wilderness and I advised the boys to buy some Skin So Soft for the hike. The only person who got a tick bite, 3 of them actually, was the boy who didn't use the Skin So Soft. YMMV but it works for me.
Yeah, it's where they bite you that's the problem. They seem to like it under tight-fitting clothing, ie. socks, waistband, and other places you don't want to scratch in public. You're probably right, Hikerhead, they can be avoided if you stay on the trail, but sometimes you have to "visit the woods".
As far as I know, I never ran into chigger one on my whole hike.
Wood ticks were another matter. I always used to scoff at woodticks, but I took a beating from them in 2001.
Saluki Dave
02-22-2004, 21:02
Chiggers can be found pretty much throughout the continental U.S., but as stated above are most common to wet grassy or brushy areas and tend to get "under clothing". DEET will keep them off (don't know about permethrin)and cortisone creams will dampen the itch, but it can be maddening otherwise.
Yeah, it's where they bite you that's the problem. They seem to like it under tight-fitting clothing, ie. socks, waistband, and other places you don't want to scratch in public. You're probably right, Hikerhead, they can be avoided if you stay on the trail, but sometimes you have to "visit the woods".
i believe "visiting the woods" is where i got most of my chiggers. after camping trips where i purposely stayed away from woods and shrubs and grass i didnt get chiggers, but it is hard to avoid when you bushwack.