Chiggers, ticks and mosquitos

Willemjm

Willem
Corporate Member
Six acres, mostly heavily wooded and while we love the woods, we get eaten alive when leaving the lawn areas this time of the year.

So, I am looking at a thermal Fogger and some substance to fog with, but I don’t know where to start.

Any experience here appreciated.
 

Bill Clemmons

Bill
Corporate Member
A couple of suggestions: Contact your county Cooperative Extension office. They should be able to give you some suggestions on products to use. Try a Lawn and Garden center, but not the big box stores like Lowes and Home Depot. Some of them are knowledgeable in pest control and management. Find a farm supply store (e.g. Southern States). Someone there should be knowledgeable in pesticides for home and garden use.
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
Willem, sounds like you have quite the problem where you live. Chiggers and ticks can be repelled by some of the Bug repellants like Off. You may find the clothes or socks treated with permethrin help. We wear rubber boots outside the keep them away, which helps but isn't 100% effective. The mosquitoes are another problem that I can't offer any suggestions except try to keep all water sources drained and get mosquito dunks if you have some decorative pools.

Roy G
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
You won't eliminate chiggers, ticks, and mosquitoes in your yard-it's a losing battle that you won't win.

Use spray on insect repellents containing at least 25% DEET on your bare skin and clothing. Spray it on your shoes and socks around your ankles for chiggers and ticks.
 

DSWalker

David
Corporate Member
Chemicals can drift especially if fogging.

What kills ticks, chiggers and mosquitos likely would also kill our honey bees.

Have to agree with Jeff that it would likely be a losing battle, especially if you are talking about going into the woods.
 

Willemjm

Willem
Corporate Member
You won't eliminate chiggers, ticks, and mosquitoes in your yard-it's a losing battle that you won't win.

Use spray on insect repellents containing at least 25% DEET on your bare skin and clothing. Spray it on your shoes and socks around your ankles for chiggers and ticks.
Not giving up just yet. I must have chigger candy in my blood, they find me and attack me all over.
 

junquecol

Bruce
Senior User
Not giving up just yet. I must have chigger candy in my blood, they find me and attack me all over.
Exactly what is a chigger? Never have been bothered by them. When my FIL was living, he was the best thing you could take with you for mosquitoes. With him along, no one else was bothered by mosquitoes. For ticks, if you have a dog, make sure EVERY 30 days, you treat them with a treatment that also repels mosquitoes and ticks. This way, they don't bring them home to lay eggs
 

Willemjm

Willem
Corporate Member
Exactly what is a chigger? Never have been bothered by them. When my FIL was living, he was the best thing you could take with you for mosquitoes. With him along, no one else was bothered by mosquitoes. For ticks, if you have a dog, make sure EVERY 30 days, you treat them with a treatment that also repels mosquitoes and ticks. This way, they don't bring them home to lay eggs
 

marinosr

Richard
Corporate Member
I will strongly vouch for permethrin on clothing. It is incredibly effective against chiggers, ticks and mosquitos alike. Both my wife and I (mostly her) did a lot of field work at Ft. Bragg during our Ph.D.s, where the chiggers are absolutely SAVAGE. Clothes treated with permethrin always kept them away, whereas one day in the field without always led to an itchy and painful week with dozens to hundreds of bites. I still have socks labeled with "P" to indicate my field socks. xcellent tick and mosquito control is a bonus, but those critters really pale in comparison to the exquisite torture of chiggers. When applying, be sure to focus on socks, underwear, waistbands, and anywhere that generally gets hot and sweaty and is close to your skin. It will get expensive (and result in unnecessary exposure) to treat all your clothes so I'd pick a few field outfits. The permethrin will last six or seven washes. If you are cheap and daring, you can buy agricultural grade permethrin, but we always stuck to the stuff approved for use on clothing... There has to be a reason for the large price difference.

Between all of the chiggers and the lush, green fields of poison ivy, I really have a lot of sympathy for anybody who has to train at Ft. Bragg.
 
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Jeff

New User
Jeff
There has to be a reason for the large price difference.

The agricultural grade of permethrin is a technical grade so the standards are probably lower than what is required by the EPA and FDA for the higher grade permethrin approved for use on clothing.

 

Willemjm

Willem
Corporate Member
The agricultural grade of permethrin is a technical grade so the standards are probably lower than what is required by the EPA and FDA for the higher grade permethrin approved for use on clothing.

What would be the difference if buying a quart of permethrin close to 40% content and diluting it to 0.5% at a fraction of the cost? What is the difference between grades of permethrin? Link below.

 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
Your link says it is 36.8% permethrin and the balance is a petroleum distillate (proprietary). Dilute it to 0.5% with water?

Try it if you think that it will work and then spray it on.
 

Joe Scharle

New User
Joe
Some people here (on the wooded side) swear by this mix. I haven't tried it because those of us on the water side can't seem to find 'stale' beer!

Mosquito Yard Spray

1 big bottle blue mouthwash

3 Cups Epson salt

3 stale 12oz beer

Mix until salt is dissolved

Spray yard (last about 80 days)
 

sawman101

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
The Black Flag Insect/mosquito fogger is about the same price at Tractor Supply, Lowes, Northern Tool, and Southern States; it should do the job for you. Check out the pesticides for use in it. Although the sprays are people safe, I wouldn't want to breathe it in. Many years ago I had a farm supply and I sold quite a number of expensive thermal foggers for use in the barns. Farmers would buy 5, 15, and 55 gallon drums of the spray of their choice--it was all safe to be used in the milking environment, unless you were in the Country Of California.
www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/black-flag-propane-insect-fogger
 

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