UKC

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question488.htm

Id never heard of them but the day after we had been to Kilnsey - we all had the bites under our waistbands and groins. Unlike midgies, there was no indication that we were being bit at all. Now im doing my best at work to not get a sexual harrassment case, as I wander around rubbing my groin - great.

does anyone else think its chiggers?

In reply to mark237:
It sounds very like it. Nasty little blighters and itch like the devil and seem to love limestone soil.

In reply to mark237:

From my experience - Blue Scar is even worse for them!
'Chiggers' is probably the wrong name, as it could refer specifically to a similar creature in the US & Canada - its proper UK name is probably 'harvest mites' - of which the bracken on Lundy is a favourite home - before moving to a poor climber's nether regions!

PP.

In reply to mark237: thankyou! I had never heard of chiggers until now, but have suffered especially badly this summer. In fact since the start of the Cumbrian monsoon in early july this year, it's been doing my head in! Red, insanely itchy lumps around ankles, back of knees, and delicate groinal areas. The latter being on an insane level of itchiness i nearly scratched IT off my groin. We thought the dog was the problem so have chemically "dipped" her nothing will touch her now. Cheers for the link, may you itch in the free joy it won't kill you!

In reply to mark237:
I know the little blighters as pigeon mites (no idea why, it's just what I was told) but Blue and Kilnsey are definitely the worst places I know for them. Never, ever sit down at either!

In reply to mark237: Yep, harvest mites - either the same or very similar to chiggers in the US. Only way to reduce chance of getting them is if you're in an area where they're common (limestone crags in late summer/autumn), have a hot soapy shower as soon as you get home. Don't leave clothes lying round on the ground and don't sit down.

The red lumps aren't bites, they're where the larvae have attached to your skin, injected their saliva which liquifies your tissues and they then insert a small tube to feed. Hot soapy shower dislodges them.

Limestone areas seem to be worse, where there is long grass or dead leaves on the ground - they don't like bright sunlight so hide under the shade of these.

In reply to mark237:

Seasick Steve's got all the advice you need:

youtube.com/watch?v=p4XPXRTsPpI&

In reply to 205Chris: thats the best link response iv ever seen! well done!

In reply to mark237: Very interesting. We seem to go through a spell about this time of year when we both get these itchy "bites". There never seems to be anything to see. We must take them to bed with us, as we wake up in the morning with the bites. Antihistamine cream seems to reduce the itching. Are they called harvest mites because they are most active at this time of year, I wonder?

In reply to mark237:

Banging. I thought I had crabs.

In reply to Franco C: you could have both, the itchyness caused by the constant inner thigh gang wars between crabs n chiggers

In reply to mark237:
I hated him on swapshop, dont know what maggie philbin saw in him!!! lol

In reply to HATTSTER: That is a joke that will have less laughs as time goes on, unfortunatly. Its already a 30+ joke