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faadan
Joined: 06 Jul 2003
Posts: 2
Location: Grapevine, TX
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| Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 2:27 pm Post subject: Chigger infestation |
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| I purchased about three acres in Missouri on Table Rock Lake. While clearing the brush from a wooded area we found the area to be infested with chiggers. What is a good organic method for reducing the amount of chiggers in this large an area? Would beneficial nematodes help since the biting stage of a chigger is a larvae? HELP! :?: :?: :?: |
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Dchall_San_Antonio
Joined: 18 Mar 2003
Posts: 2001
Location: San Antonio,TEXAS
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| Posted: Sun Jul 06, 2003 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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Do chiggers live in the soil or in the bushes? Nematodes only work on insects in the soil.
One way to keep from getting bitten is to let goats or sheep do the clearing for you. If you could rent 150 goats per acre for 24 hours, you'll have absolutely nothing left for the chiggers to live in other than the soil. And that soil will look like the surface of the moon after the goats pull out.
Another way to keep from being bitten is to keep a little sulfur dusted in your shoes and socks.
There's a new organic insecticide from Green Light called Bioganic.
http://www.greenlightco.com/products/LiquidInsecticides.htm
If you get it on the bug, the bug will die in about an hour. Orange oil does the same thing. |
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faadan
Joined: 06 Jul 2003
Posts: 2
Location: Grapevine, TX
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| Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2003 1:49 pm Post subject: Reaearch |
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| That's a good question. I'll have to do a little more research to see if they actually spend a portion of their life in the soil. They are actually a mite not an insect. :D |
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northwesterner
Joined: 02 Jul 2003
Posts: 153
Location: Fort Worth,TEXAS
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| Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2003 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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They have a "mite-y" bite, whatever they are! I tangled with a bunch last weekend in Fort Worth as I cut brush and worked around tall grass.
There is a topical version of Benedryl that helps a lot with that terrific-sized itch the chiggar leaves behind. Never had luck with stuff like ChiggarRid--just nail polish to make the red spots look brighter, as far as I can tell! |
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Richard Shelburne
Joined: 16 Jul 2003
Posts: 4
Location: Midland, Texas
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| Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2003 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Sulfer will work well to drive off the chiggers - however, it will not kill them, only repel them. Avon skin-so-soft lotion and / or spray works well (on shoes and socks and on feet & legs) to keep the little buggers from eating you alive! or, sell the place and move to West Texas! It may be dry and flat, but NO chiggers! :D :roll: :P Good luck! :!: |
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northwesterner
Joined: 02 Jul 2003
Posts: 153
Location: Fort Worth,TEXAS
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| Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2003 9:04 am Post subject: |
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| In addition to Skin So Soft, if you don't have a handy Avon lady to purchase it from, Jean Nate (there's a diacritical accent somewhere in the 'Nate' part) is a brand of after-bath splash stuff that works. At least, these two were used in the Northwest to repel ticks and mosquitoes and such. I am guessing they both work on chiggars also. |
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