Crime and Punishment

Since my wife and I began building our house in North Carolina about 4 years ago, we have become re-acquainted with an old friend ... the CHIGGER! Also known as harvest mites or red-bugs, these little critters have the ability to drive a human being to the brink of insanity. Once you come into contact with them, you will surely seek all the info and help you can find to avoid any further reinfestation. I thought that I could help anyone who reads this blog by giving this info before you are attacked. So here is my first public-service blog!

Chiggers come out to play in warm weather (spring and summer) and they love to live in high-grassy areas. Unlike the bites of mosquitos or other varmits, one doesn't even realize one is bitten until 12 to 24 hours later when the maddening itch begins. They really don't bite in the normal sense ... they attach themselves to your skin, inject saliva with digestive enzymes that help to break down your skin cells which then becomes a palatable drink for them. These enzymes cause the itch and you won't realize it for a while. Chiggers look around for a good feeding place, which is usually a thin layer of skin ... they begin to feed if they reach a barrier such as a waistband, an armpit, behind a knee or the groin area.

Although chiggers can stay attached to your skin and continue eating for days, there is hope. They are easily brushed off by wiping with a towel, scratching or taking a shower or bath.

MYTHS: Chiggers don't burrow under the skin and drink your blood so there is no need to cover the bites with clear nail polish. Also, chiggers don't carry disease.

Chiggers provide a perfect example of the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure! If you plan to be in a "wild area" you might follow this advice. Pretreat yourself with an insect repellant with D.E.E.T (ask your pharmacist) and wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants with a tight weave (such as jeans). Do not wear flip-flops or sandals with shorts, but wear high boots if possible and tuck your pants leg into the top of the boot. As soon as you finish your yard work or hike or whatever outside activities you enjoy ... take a hot shower with lots of soap (shampoo) and use a soft scrub brush if available. As I stated earlier, they are easily washed away before they do their damage.

After taking all these precautions one might still find himself with those horrible red itchy bumps and if so, here's some more advice from your Calvinist pharmacist: When the itching wakes you in the middle of the night, get up and take a hot shower and immediately after drying, apply a prescription strength steroid cream to each bite. Other anti-itch remedies such as calamine, oatmeal baths or OTC benzocaine creams are helpful, but not as good. Most reputable medical practitioners would not suggest keeping a hair brush handy for a couple of strokes of instant relief, but I have found it quite helpful; however, I would suggest using your spouse's brush instead of your own.

If you have ever experienced "CHIGGERS", then you are aware of the agony they can cause. I have often stated that in states where the death penalty is not legal, the chigger penalty should be instituted. These states could simply go to death row, gather the inmates, strip them naked and march them through the grassy hills of the North Carolina mountains in the summer. They would not be allowed to shower for about 5 days after. Once the itching and scratching starts, these murderers and other criminals would be reduced to stubble. The sheer possibility of having to go through this ordeal again would be ample reason to walk the straight and narrow. I would wager that most of these criminals would volunteer to go to the Congo for mission work ... just keep those chiggers awaw from me.