Innocentx Posted July 3, 2018 Author Share Posted July 3, 2018 1 hour ago, Walt said: worst year for chiggers in over 3 decades Ah Ha This explains it. I am not alone. "Journey through a universe ablaze with changes" Phil Ochs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted July 3, 2018 Share Posted July 3, 2018 1 minute ago, Innocentx said: Ah Ha This explains it. I am not alone. Only took us 4 pages to get to that conclusion! But it sure was fun and I learned a lot 2 Everything is generated through your own will power ~ Ray Bradbury Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 On 6/29/2018 at 4:36 AM, caldigger said: I was watching a documentary a while back. The subjects were exploring parts of Borneo and were talking about how you had to tape up all loose exposures to your skin because the air is so warm and moist the the leeches are on land and will get you as you are walking along trails just like chiggers, ticks, and all the rest of the yucky critters we encounter on hikes. Really makes me want to vacation in Borneo. I'll be dropping that destination from my bucket list! That one never was on my bucket list. I heard/read something similar about Tasmania, but I don't know - they way it was told, it might be a tall tale or exaggerated... On 6/30/2018 at 3:56 AM, Monica said: Hey Doren! I've been to Borneo and your story is true - my friend and I had to check each other thoroughly after a nighttime hike through a forest - very creepy... But that wasn't the first time I encountered leeches on land... During my field course in Queensland, Australia we went for a daytime walk around the perimeter of a lake. Even though there was a path to follow, when we checked each other for leeches after the hike, we actually had to pluck MANY from one another!!! They were quite small and I remember pulling some that had gotten half of their bodies into my running shoes (they were squeezing between the shoe's tongue and the laces) - I still shudder at the memory... Monica Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocentx Posted July 10, 2018 Author Share Posted July 10, 2018 Something's going wrong with my ability to enlarge font size but here goes anyway. Unable to get above 8. "Some species of leeches are devoted parents. Parental brooding of egg clusters may take place in a external nest, on the parent's body or occur in a marsupial-like pouch. In addition, some genera are known to transfer nutrients across the body wall to the developing young in a manner reminiscent of a 'placenta'." Parks and Wildlife of Tasmania article: http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=17016 "Journey through a universe ablaze with changes" Phil Ochs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Paleontologist Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 On 7/2/2018 at 7:10 PM, Herb said: chiggers do not remain on the body, after they feed, they drop off. The itching is caused by a solution they inject into the bite to get the blood running freely I appreciate you mentioning this, as there are many misconceptions about just what chiggers are and what they do, ranging from burrowing inside of you and dying to laying their eggs under your skin. However, you are slightly off. They feed on skin (not blood) by piercing the outer layer with their chelicerae and injecting enzymes. Not only do these secretions break down the skin into an easily consumable slurpee, but they also cause the surrounding tissues to harden forming a sort of straw called a stylostome. Even after the mite is gone, the stylostome remains which gives your immune system a chance to really show off by forming very large, incredibly itchy, and long lasting welts. There are a number of home remedies that I have heard for the treatment of bites. My personal favorite involves covering all of the bites with nail polish. The polish supposedly covers up the hole through which the chigger breathes, suffocating it. In all actuality, the best treatment is a strong anti-itch cream such as Hydrocortisone. Also, as unpleasant as scratching the whole area clean off and pouring alcohol on it sounds, it does provide some temporary relief from the itching. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowboy Paleontologist Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 On 6/27/2018 at 10:32 AM, Innocentx said: I'm looking at the chigger map now and thinking about a chiggerless existence. Mmmm.... I lived in Michigan for a time and it was truly incredible to be able to roll around in the grass, crawl through bushes, etc. without getting a single chigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocentx Posted July 13, 2018 Author Share Posted July 13, 2018 20 minutes ago, Cowboy Paleontologist said: roll around in the grass Terrible dry times here is the downside. Upside is chiggers are G-O-N-E gone. "Journey through a universe ablaze with changes" Phil Ochs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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