I am SOOOOO sorry; I am well aware of how miserable chiggers can make your life.

Have you tried slathering on some kind of OIL, such as baby oil, olive oil (or other vegetable oil), or similiar? We used to swear by Avon's Skin-So-Soft bath oil when I lived along the coast of SC. It repelled sand gnats and did a good job of keeping the chiggers from crawling up your legs, too. Avon representatives sold it by the CASE to landscapers, golfers, anyone who worked outside. It worked well for mosquitoes, too. ;-)

Anyway, the oils have worked for me.

Be sure to wear appropriate clothing...socks, long pants, etc. Tuck the pants into the socks! If you can tolerate DEET (I cannot), spray your clothing well before entering chigger-land.

Wash your chigger infested clothing separately from the rest of the laundry and get into a hot shower as soon as possible.

I really don't know of a single thing that can be sprayed over the entire yard....so sorry. It's one of those things that we just have to do the best we can to create personal barriers....and be strict about it. No summer shorts, sandals, sleeveless tops, etc.

We used to get those picking berries (in OH) and my Mom would paint clear fingernail polish on the bites, which is supposed to smother or suffocate them. Hope that gives you some small measure of relief although I know it does nothing to help you get rid of those things in your yard.

Actually, the bestest way to get rid of the darned things on your body is to get into a nice shower. Chiggers can be brushed or washed away very easily. They don't burrow into your skin and require suffocating. Thank GOODness!

Thank you all for your replies.

Yes, I would very much like to try anything, whatever oil that is to prevent them climb on me. I have not talked to the county extension office. Hm.. good point, but what is the next I or they will do, if I talk to them. Will they come out and spray stuff to my yard, or they would just give me suggestions?

I have always covered myself with long sleeves and pants with boots. That's why I don't understand how they get into my skin. I told my husband that the next thing I need to try is the diving suit or astronaut suit, if regular clothes are enough to protect me.

mosquitoes can easily poke into skin through clothes, but I did not know chiggers can do that too. I don't have the knowledge that they any pointy beaks they are able to do that... Anyway, regular clothes are not enough...

Your extension office will only give you advice on how to protect yourself and what to do to relieve the discomfort. Besides, there really isn't anything you can spray all over your yard.

I would try applying oil to your skin before getting dressed and apply a repellent to your clothes. Toss your clothes in the laundry and yourself into the shower.

Wonder what it is was were calling chiggers? We were victims of an old wives' (grandma) tale?

purple, it is a myth that chiggers bury themselves in our skin. It's pretty easy to believe that, considering the itching, redness, etc. associated with one of their bites! I used to believe that about these evil beasties, too, and have used nail polish on my own skin more than a few times.

All of that itching is an allergic reaction to the powerful digestive juices they inject into us so that they can siphon out (ick) liquified human (or whatever is on the menu). The chigger itself falls off, if allowed to remain on long enough for a good meal, or is easily wiped or washed off.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's some good chigger information

rhizo_1, by the way, these "oils" you were talking about... how do you apply them on your skin. Do you spray it... don't you drip the oil all over the floor, hahahaha.... I am sorry.. but I cannot imagine how I can apply oils on my skin.

Also, how much do you apply it; do you rub it in or leave it glossy and slippery looking?? Thanks

Apply it liberally...just pour a little in your hand and rub it in. If you use the Avon's Skin So Soft, you can put it in a spray bottle with a little water since it forms an emulsion when mixed with water.

Very comprehensive link, thanks for sharing it!

This sentence caught my attention although my gramma didn't live in the south until a few years ago...

This widespread myth has its origin in the Southern states, where pests with similar names such as jigger flea or the chigoe do attack by burrowing under skin.

I hope I don't run into any of these! Sorry, chueh!

My legs and arms are covered in Chigger bites and the itch is unbearable. I am going nuts. I came across two or three sites where people had mentioned, yet another, itch relief remedy: campho-penique. Used for cold sores. Well, knowing I have a tube of Campho-phenique and Abreva I thought I would give it a shot. I've tried everything else why not try this one too! Come to my surprise the Abreva stopped my itching immediately. I dabbed Abreva and rubbed it in too on every, single, little, tiny, bite. About 40 bites on me right now. It worked. If you have any Abreva at home in the medicine cabinet by all means try it. It worked for me.

Has anyone ever tried this product?
Supposed to be used by the military.

Here is a link that might be useful: CHIGG-AWAY®

For the past four or five years I will get chiggers on me by simply walking to my workshop next to the creek and all over me when I mow the yard unless I apply Deet to my socks and legs. When I moved here 60 years ago, the only way chiggers got on you was by walking through the bushes on the creek bank. Back then everyone's dog ran loose and the kids played in the creek and on the bank with their BB guns. (No AC and no dog leash laws.) We didn't see any squirrels, deer, coons, opossums or groundhogs. As the country changed from woods and farms to houses, condos, ect. And shopping centers the animals came to the edges of the city, now we see groundhogs, ect. In the yard regularly. I believe they bring the chiggers from the creekside bushes to the grasses in the yards. If diazinon was still available, the chiggers could be controlled.

lemon grass bug repellent helps...spray shoes and lower pant legs etc...usually walmart carries it...spray around your shirt before putting on and arms etc...for flying insects...walmart usually carries it or can make your own from lemon grass oil...if all else fails, lightly dust your yard with sulphur, runs off ticks and fleas also...you can buy garlic spray mix which is professional way...

Had the chiggers also. Itching drove me crazy. Called doctor who recommended Benydril. Helped some, but can't think of anything that will take away the terrible itch. In 50 years of gardening, never had them till last year. Prevention is the key. Spray on clothes, tuck in jeans, wear socks, take shower and throw clothes in machine. Live outside in the summer and just can't give up my flowers etc. Why don't others in the family who work the yard, get them??? Mary

When I moved here I was told not to touch Spanish moss because it was full of chiggers. Do you have Spanish moss growing in your trees?

Wear rubber boots with your pants legs tuck in when outside. Wash clothes including underwear, shower and wash hair as soon as feasible. If you do get bites try soaking the bite areas in as hot of water you can stand without scalding yourself. The stuff that makes you itch is heat labile and will break down using the hot water method. It works for us. Also sulfur powder on your shoes and socks work as a deterrent. Good luck.

I suffer from chiggers to can't even walk a minute in the grass or I get bit what I do may not be the best thing but it relieves the itching I give them one really good scratch so the skin is open cleans the area with soap apply a clay facial mask and let it dry it helps to pull out the fluid that the bugs put in the skin to digest the cells the bumps are now flat after a shower I put alcohol on them it stings like hell but relieves the itch when that dries I put a mixture of tea tree oil lavender oil and peppermint oil to help heal and keep the skin from getting dry. I also use the oil mixture for a repellent

We use Coleman's Botanical Spray with Lemon Eucalyptus (spray on your arms, legs, etc.) - works great on mosquitoes, gnats, and no-seeums. Reviews on Amazon say it works for chiggers - it would not surprise me if it did. `

We buy it at Academy Sports ($3 cheaper than Amazon).

Coleman's Botanicals at Academy Sports

Chiggers are everywhere in my area. They live on the peaks of grass blades, in leaves, etc. keep grass cut as low as you can, and otherwise keep a neat yard. Sulfer is one of your best weapon, dust your socks with it and put it on your pant legs, ALL the way around! I would dust all the way to the height of plants. To conserve it or not make a mess, put it in a sock as a powder ball. In all my years of putting up with the demons out in the back woods of Texas, nothing works better than sulfer! Just get yourself a big 50Lb bag of 90% agricultural sulfur and dust away!

These beggars can infest your mattress too! Every mattress at the Puloa rifle range base in Hawaii was infested with them (until they finally got replaced)! Your boots can get infested to! Sulfur is your friend along with washing ASAP as soon as you come inside!

I'm too cheap for essential oils and itch reliving sprays, so I take a bottle cap and scrap it across the most offending bites until I take the top layer of skin off, the sting is MUCH better than the itch and it just heals over later. I'll have anywhere from 12-30+ bites just on my legs and I wake up itching a lot and can't sleep until I scrap them up. This is only because I ran out of sulfur and haven't got around to getting more. Rubbing alcohol is a great alternative to scraping them up but it sorta requires you to constantly rub the wet rag on the bites.

I grew up in the North, there we called them chiggers. I've lived all my adult life in the Deep South. And in the woods or at least rurally. Here they are called red bugs.The only way I know of control in the yard is consistent mowing. I'm organic, no sprays for me. The cure for itching is a strong bleach bath. Use the real stuff, nothing cheap. Fill tub above your waistline or deeper. Put at least 2 cups of bleach in. And stay in bath for at least 20 minutes. THis works for me. I do rinse off after 20 minutes. I have a hunter/ friend who puts sulfer powder in his socks. He says it works. THe bleach DOES work. Poor thing...hope it works.

I don't know how to get rid of chiggers in the yard but I wholeheartedly agree with bshughes21, pouring a cup or two of bleach in your bathwater will keep them from getting a toe hold on YOU! Just make sure you do this immediately after coming in from yard work.

You must be my twin because these chiggers eat me up every time I go outside. For over 30 years I have been trying to figure out how to get rid of them. What I am going to do IS TO SPRAY MY CLOTHES. I wrote some things that I have tried. I don't think we can get rid of the chiggers. Link: How To Make Bug Spray CHEAP (ticks & chiggers) I purchased Search Results Permethrin Insect Repellent for Clothing Gear and Tents is my latest purchase. Link: Permethrin-Treated Shirts Tested | Consumer Reports

The directions for the Permethrin says to water your lawn and then spray. So, these chigger mites are born in the ground we need to put out poison in the fall. Permethrin can affect insects if they eat it or touch it. Permethrin affects the nervous system in insects, causing muscle spasms, paralysis and death.

I have tried, sulphur, Bug-Be-Gone, Cutter Spray bottle you hook up to the hose, (that did work a bit). My blood type is B- and I was wondering if that was why I got bit so much. My children also get bit and they have B blood type too. I have been trying to figure this out. Just start spraying up with Deep Woods Off when you get out of the bathtub and let me know if it helps.

Off works well and ibuprofen dulls the itch.

Dust your yard with diatomaceous earth....

I use a sulfur filled sock to dust myself. I swear by it and the sulfur deters ticks as well. Dusting your yard with sulfur might help. I make and sell my SulfurSox to help spread the word about how well they work. Good luck!