Which States Have the Most Chiggers and How to Treat Bites?

When I was kid, my family went camping at a campground in Symrna, Tennessee. My friends and I decided that it would be fun to play hide and seek and I thought it would be a really good idea to hide in the super tall grass that hadn't been mowed. As it turns out, that may have been the worst idea EVER! My friends didn't find me, but something else did. Those weeds were infested with chiggers and I got bites everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE! If you know anything about chiggers, you know they can make their way into virtually every uncomfortable crevice you have. On that trip, that's certainly what they did to me. I spent that entire week uncontrollably scratching my legs, arms and my crotch. That was 40 years ago and I still remember it. That trip sucked.

WHAT ARE CHIGGERS?

Chiggers are members of the arachnid family and are basically mites. Yes, the word "mite" is disgusting and I suppose that's appropriate. I have about ten bites on me at this very moment and I feel really disgusting too. I cannot quit scratching the sores on my legs, feet and behind.

WHICH STATES HAVE THE MOST CHIGGERS?

Wouldn't you know? Chiggers are found all around the world, but they actually prefer living in areas with a lot of heat and humidity. If you know anything about the Ohio Valley, that's certainly not the best news because humidity is rampant here. It can be THICK! During the summer months, Kentucky and Indiana can be incredibly humid and that means we're two of the states with the most chiggers in the U.S.

I am pretty sure I know exactly where I picked up chiggers last week. It took me a bit to retrace my steps, but I have put the pieces of the puzzle together. I know exactly where I was and it's my own fault I got bitten. Pro tip. If you see a flower garden framed by weeds, don't traipse through the weeds to get to the flowers- especially if you're wearing shorts and ankle socks. I clearly wasn't thinking. Consequently, I have about ten bites total. The majority of them are on my legs, but I have one on my left hip and one on my right cheek. And, no! I don't mean the right cheek next to the right side of my nose. A chigger bit me on the butt. It's red. It's gross. It itches.

HOW DO YOU TREAT CHIGGER BITES?

Now here's the good news. Though it may feel like it, chiggers don't actually burrow underneath your skin and they're typically gone from your body by the time you get that nasty rash and start to itch.

Now, here's the bad news. A chigger bite and the rash and itchiness it can cause could last up to two weeks. I am currently treating my bites with an anti-itch cream, though it's not working nearly as well as I had hoped.

Now, if you think you have chiggers in your yard, garden or property, what can you do to get rid of them?