Chiggers and Ticks

[theoilman]

Will Deet repel chiggers and ticks?

[hikerboy57]

yes.....................................

[jlb2012]

but not as well as permethrin on your clothing

[Buffalo Skipper]

+1 on the Permethrin treated clothing. Very effective. :D

[GoldenBear]

http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/avoid-outdoor-pests/chiggers

"Regular mosquitoes repellents will repel chiggers. All brands are equally effective. Applying these products to exposed skin and around the edge of openings in your clothes, such as cuffs, waistbands, shirt fronts and boot tops, will force chiggers to cross the treated line to get inside your clothes. Unfortunately these repellents are only potent for two to three hours and must be reapplied frequently."

A good article on "DEET vs permethrin"

http://www.lymeneteurope.org/info/deet-versus-permethrin-as-a-tick-repellent

Note in particular that permethrin MUST be applied to clothing ONLY -- do not, under ANY circumstances, apply it to bare skin. If you like to hike in shorts and short-sleeved shirts, you may have already made your choice.

[WingedMonkey]

Someone explain to me, from real life experience how do you treat clothes with permethrin and not get it on your skin when you are drenching in sweat?
I see permethrin cream as a treatment for scabies (no I don't have them) so it must be OK at some rates for skin contact.

[jlb2012]

Someone explain to me, from real life experience how do you treat clothes with permethrin and not get it on your skin when you are drenching in sweat?
I see permethrin cream as a treatment for scabies (no I don't have them) so it must be OK at some rates for skin contact.

you treat the clothing while it is NOT on your body, let the stuff dry before wearing the clothing

[theoilman]

Thanks all. Looks like I need to find some permethrin. Last Saturday I day hiked the front 7 mile loop trail at Torreya State Park (Northern Florida), and didn't think about the dry weather we have been having here - only about 1/2 the annual average total, about 20" behind normal for the year. With the dry, all the little critters are really active. I picked up 6 ticks and 50 (yes I counted) chiggers, and would much rather avoid them in the future.

Torreya is probably the steepest trail in Florida with 250' climbs, some steep, up and down the bluffs at the Apalachacola River.

[WingedMonkey]

50 (yes I counted) chiggers, and would much rather avoid them in the future.

Chiggers LOVE Spanish moss.

[royalusa]

Someone explain to me, from real life experience how do you treat clothes with permethrin and not get it on your skin when you are drenching in sweat?


We buy the Hi-Yield (brand name) Lawn, Garden, Pet & Livestock Insect Control 16 fluid ounces bottle from Ace Hardware. It has 10% permethrin. We then mix 1 part of it with 3-4 parts water and spray on the outside of our pants and shirts. We've been happy with the results - ie, not ticks. Not sure if that totally answers your question, though.

[Panzer1]

I treated my hiking pants with permethrin then went hiking. After hiking for a bit I started to get hot, so I zipped off my legs. Then I got bit on the legs by chiggers. I think Deet would have protected my legs better and cheaper.

Panzer

[Blissful]

I was at a DR office up in NY yesterday and told the dr my folks had chigger bites on them. He looked at me and said, "What are chiggers?."
(!!?)

[hikergurl]

What dr doesn't know what chiggers are? wow...at any rate, permethrin on clothes and deet on skin is a very effective combination against mosquitoes, ticks, and chiggers. Do know that unless the bottle otherwise specifies, highly concentrated deet can eat through plastic (lost many good watches this way). Also, you can use the spray on-permethrin (e.g.- permanon at Walmart), pretty foolproof and has decent coverage for many items of clothing. Lasts for 3-10 washings in my experience. Or you can use the above mentioned method of diluting the stuff from hardware stores. This supposedly can last up to 50 washings, though I've never tried this method before. Basically, the longer it soaks into the clothing, and the longer it dries/cures, the longer it will last. One last thing I discovered in coastal GA...spray your pack, too, especially if it's a darker color. The critters may not land on you specifically, but I found that the mosquitoes liked to hover around my pack until I shooed them off.

[lilricky]

Yeah, Chiggers are present in every part of the world with the exception of the poles and strangely enough central Africa, so its strange that a doctor wouldn't know what a chigger was. Perhaps they know it as Redbugs. Speaking of chiggers, everytime the subject comes up, I keep hearing people say to use nail polish on bites, or that the chigger burrows into their skin. Do people really still believe that stuff?

[Wise Old Owl]

Yea - it looks real cute with nail polish around your pecker.... People really believe the crap they read on the internet. I finally found a usable expression....

Finding information on the Internet is like being thirsty and sticking your head into Niagara Falls, you never know the outcome!

[Wise Old Owl]

IF you are not laughing right now - there's something wrong with you.

[Theosus]

We buy the Hi-Yield (brand name) Lawn, Garden, Pet & Livestock Insect Control 16 fluid ounces bottle from Ace Hardware. It has 10% permethrin. We then mix 1 part of it with 3-4 parts water and spray on the outside of our pants and shirts. We've been happy with the results - ie, not ticks. Not sure if that totally answers your question, though.I get 38% permethrin from a farm store for treating outside of the house (keeping ants out). I never thought about treating my clothes with the stuff. Never had chiggers but I hear they're rather unpleasant. Just getting started backpacking... Learning a lot about crawlies.

[hikerboy57]

I was at a DR office up in NY yesterday and told the dr my folks had chigger bites on them. He looked at me and said, "What are chiggers?."
(!!?)must be one of them city doctors

[Wise Old Owl]

Turns out most of you don't have a funny bone.... Just saying....

[Sailing_Faith]

Turns out most of you don't have a funny bone.... Just saying....

WOO,

we are all laughing on the inside. :)

[Candy Korn]

If the bottle says good for 3-7 washes, does that mean when treated with detergent? Does permethrin wash away in heavy rains?

[jimmyjam]

I've been section hiking on and off since April with my clothes treated with the Sawyer permethrin. Great stuff, I have had zero ticks and the only time I got chiggers was when I zipped off my pants bottoms. Now I leave them on until just before I get in my shelter for the night. I've probably washed my clothes 6 or 7 times. I treated my shoes, socks, pants, shirt, and ground sheet.

[gunner76]

Nasty things those Chiggers are.

[Wise Old Owl]

love this old thread... enough said...

I have sat down at U of D and learned so much more on this topic over the years... great reminder.

[Drybones]

must be one of them city doctors

Got his degree on line...no chiggers in cyber space.

[Gonecampn]

Got his degree on line...no chiggers in cyber space.

<3


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