Oak Mites

[ollie]

Yep, had them before and it definitely felt like chiggers. I thought that was what it was, but no, it was those mites. I have only encounter them once or twice, but not sure which is worse, the mites or the chiggers. I didn't have it spread like you did, but they sure itched!

[Ryan Miloshewski]

Be careful brushing duck blinds with oak limbs. Learned what oak mites were the hard way years ago while doing that. Head to toe covered. Misery

[Terrierman]

And those bites have staying power.  I'm still itching.

[ColdWaterFshr]

12 hours ago, Phil Lilley said:

The article doesn't say but I wonder if deet or something keeps them from biting...

Had a physical yesterday.    I didn't even bring it up, but Dr. noticed I had a lot of skeeter bites on my legs.  He warned that Oak Mites are terrible this year due to the cicada hatches -- they eat cicada eggs.  In areas where there are oak trees, they are especially concentrated.  He said that no known bug spray works at keeping them off.

[BilletHead]

15 hours ago, Phil Lilley said:

The article doesn't say but I wonder if deet or something keeps them from biting...

  I'm sure anything will help. Do a test for us Phil.   One side use deet, other side nothing. Give us a report :).   Seriously I treat a set of pants with permethrin when getting into dicey places. Compared to Pat I get off pretty easy. 

[Linhardt]

15 hours ago, Phil Lilley said:

The article doesn't say but I wonder if deet or something keeps them from biting...

You might try permethrin.  It is fairly safe product that works well with ticks and chiggers.  Basically can wash or spray your clothes with it and let it dry.  Lasts for a long time on clothes.  They say even when washed.  But I use on my hunting clothes and do not wash them at all during hunting season.  But I wash and reapply each year. 

Not safe for spraying on skin like OFF type products.  Sawyer's is a good name brand ready to spray.  But you can just by a concentrate online or on Amazon and mix your own for a lot cheaper. 

Works really good for spraying around the house indoors and out.  It does have an odor to it but it goes away after a few days or week.  I use it on the garage floor and it kills bugs almost instantly.  Always finding dead beetles, etc. laying on the floor.  I sprayed 6 months ago and I am still finding dead insects that get in there as of today. 

I also experimented with it during the cicada hatch.  They were always crawling all over my front porch concrete pad by the hundreds.  So I sprayed about 10 inches in all around the porch.  The cicadas that crossed that area to crawl on the porch eventually died before getting somewhere to morph.  But after I did that I thought about the birds, etc that might eat those cicadas.  So probably was not a very ethical thing to do.  So I won't be doing that next time.  But I did not see many birds eating dead ones.  Only picking the live ones out in the yard. 

But it is poisonous to cats if you have cats.  I do not have cats, only dog.  It is safe for dogs and domestic livestock and can be used on animals as well.

As always do your due diligence and research it's uses, precautions, etc. thoroughly.

[BilletHead]

4 hours ago, Linhardt said:

You might try permethrin.  It is fairly safe product that works well with ticks and chiggers.  Basically can wash or spray your clothes with it and let it dry.  Lasts for a long time on clothes.  They say even when washed.  But I use on my hunting clothes and do not wash them at all during hunting season.  But I wash and reapply each year. 

Not safe for spraying on skin like OFF type products.  Sawyer's is a good name brand ready to spray.  But you can just by a concentrate online or on Amazon and mix your own for a lot cheaper. 

Works really good for spraying around the house indoors and out.  It does have an odor to it but it goes away after a few days or week.  I use it on the garage floor and it kills bugs almost instantly.  Always finding dead beetles, etc. laying on the floor.  I sprayed 6 months ago and I am still finding dead insects that get in there as of today. 

I also experimented with it during the cicada hatch.  They were always crawling all over my front porch concrete pad by the hundreds.  So I sprayed about 10 inches in all around the porch.  The cicadas that crossed that area to crawl on the porch eventually died before getting somewhere to morph.  But after I did that I thought about the birds, etc that might eat those cicadas.  So probably was not a very ethical thing to do.  So I won't be doing that next time.  But I did not see many birds eating dead ones.  Only picking the live ones out in the yard. 

But it is poisonous to cats if you have cats.  I do not have cats, only dog.  It is safe for dogs and domestic livestock and can be used on animals as well.

As always do your due diligence and research it's uses, precautions, etc. thoroughly.

              Yes, that permethrin is amazing stuff Anthony. I do the same during hunting season. Have watched ticks start crawling across treated clothing . They would start making circles and just flat die. My cousin used to spray a rag and wipe down his horse. It would kill the biggest meanest black horse flies. He read the percentage on that bottle then bought full strength and started mixing his own for the horse and his clothes. Said it was cheaper. It in fact was stronger than what is sold and recommended to use like you, and I do.  Cousin Mike found out he had bladder cancer that had went all over his body. I can't say it was this product, but he did tinker with the mixture.  He was a long-time chain smoker like in 55 years also. Who knows but I believe in this product used as recommended. 

[jdmidwest]

I use Permethrin as a treatment for hive beetles around bee hives.  Spray it on the ground under the hives to kill the larva that drops out to morph into adults.  But, it is toxic to bees, have to keep it off them and the hive.

[Phil Lilley]

Test out repellents?  I'm not going to do anything of the kind... once is enough.

 

Got to get some permethrin.

[tjm]

Simply applying an oil to the ankles and shins goes a long way towards keeping small crawlies off. hey can't wade in oil very well and it seems to suffocate them too.  Baby oil, mineral oil, banana oil etc. have all worked for me.  It requires cleaning off  afterwards, but I'm usually ready for a bath/shower after exposure to those environments anyway. Not sure that I've ever had 'oak mites', so can't speak for them,  but I haven't had chiggers  nor seed ticks when well oiled.