Lions, Tigers and CHIGGERS Oh My!

[MeanGreen7]

Playing airsoft is high energy at times and can be slow at times depending what your objective is. Durring the slow times when your waiting in a sweet spot for an OPFOR or even if your moving fast through a high shrubby area you can pick up a few hitch hickers smaller than your pinkiy fingernail.

Chiggers being one of the most annoying ones after a day or so when you are intching like crazy and have tiny or big red spots all over your legs, sock area, belt area and or even your groin area. The reason is they like the areas where clothing fits tight.

There are alot of misconceptions and questions that people have in general that hopefully this post will help define and answer for you. Please click and read the short online fact sheets on these little hitch hikers and then comment on this post with your after thoughts.

Cool sites on chiggers that will break any old wives or (airsofters) tales , http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/L-1223.html , http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2100.html

Enjoy, cause if you don't they will enjoy you.
The best defense here is just arming yourself with knowledge. :D

[Smokeater]

Thanks MG7.

[otang]

On my first Hunter's outing i got bit many times, but they weren't itchy. According to a reference article i had found this is a sympton of a chigger bite, but i got bit regardless of what little organism it was. Ironically, loose clothing can prevent those little suckers from getting you. I won't brave that notion, but I now greatly value OFF! from now on in my Airsoft adventures.

[Dirus]

Can someone point us into the right direction for chigger repelent? I used to use some military insect repelent that I picked up at Banana Bay, but it didn't appear to work against chiggers.

[MeanGreen7]

From reading the research about the Chiggers, before going into an area where chiggers may be present, protect yourself by using a repellent such as deet (Off MGK, Muskol, Detamide, Metadelphene, Repel, Diethy-toluamide) or permethrin available at many drugstores or hardware stores. Deet-based repellents are effective for only a few hours, whereas permethrin-based repellents are for use only on clothing and effective for several days.

:D

[sneakypete]

The Army has some stuff called 'Chig-Away'. It's a sulfur smelling lotion that usually does the trick. The bottle says its for prevention and treatment of chigger bites. I normally get the 100% deet and spray my clothes then a mixture of the 'Chig-Away' and the army bug lotion on the skin. Works wonders but my clothes always end up smelling a bit sulphery. You should be able to find all of the above at a camping or surplus store. Good luck and don't let the bugs bite.
-Dan

[MeanGreen7]

Thanks Dan :D, preciate the tip bro.

There you have it folks straight from ROK. Still open for other ideas to, just realize if you try some of them you mightnot get invited to dinner often, ha, ha, ha. :D

[Smokeater]

I learned to bring bug spray after about 40 chigger bites from waist down.