for several years now I was thinking I was getting attacked in summer time by chiggers.
but after getting attacked pretty bad the other day on my legs I peeled a couple of these tiny white/opaque critters off my skin and with close examination under magnifier and extensive google searching of pictures. they just might be fur mites that have been causing itchy and scratchy biting on my skin in summer.
is this possible? they seem to attack and bite the most right about sunset.
ive also found that even 90% isopropyl alcohol has no effect on them but they stop biting when I use high neem content mosquito stuff, but I really dislike putting that stuff on my skin.
calamine lotion has also seemed to work pretty good. I just got some new tee tree oil to try and was thinking peppermint and lavender oils might be a good try too.
does anyone else have problems with itchy scratchy stuff biting them?
Not sure what fur mites are, but they sound unpleasant!
At this time of year the Scottish midges are a bit of a nuisance. Teeny tiny biting flies that can make working in the garden almost impossible. Like you I don't like synthetic chemical repellents and I find 'midge magic' very effective. It uses citronella as it's main active ingredient, so you smell a bit lemony, but it does work pretty well.
Michael said, " Grow Pennyroyal intensively to keep away many types of parasites, I would add to that growing Lavender and Pyrethium too in the yard would be a good thing.
Michael said, "If the bites are persistently painful, remember you can use Clove Oil that does double duty as a light topical anesthetic and is also a classic insect repellent, so save it for your bites.
Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner
My initial weapon of choice is a very hot shower with Lava soap. The first time, it was an act of desperation. ...it never did get much better. That was followed by any repellant available. The cure seemed worse than the cause at first. But it did work.
At my age, Happy Hour is a nap.
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A rocket mass heater heats your home with one tenth the wood of a conventional wood stove