Posted on 08/15/2007 9:54:02 AM PDT by 1 spark
The mystery nibblers have interrupted a pool party in Bolingbrook and picnics at Ravinia. They've been blamed for itchy splotches from western Kane County to Michigan vacation grounds. They've attacked in Willow Springs, Chicago Heights and La Grange.
Nobody knows exactly what's causing the rash of rashes, but authorities think they've got a good idea of what they're dealing with, anyway—and they warn that it's likely something small, invasive and really annoying.
Biting mites.
"We don't have positive identification on the type of mite that it is. We do know that it is a mite," said Kitty Loewy, spokeswoman for the Cook County Department of Public Health.
Scientists haven't been able to catch one yet—they are incredibly small—but the belief that mites have invaded Illinois is based on the telltale rash that develops after the bites.
Experts say the suspected mite probably is new to the area, joining a rogues' gallery of gnawing, invasive bugs that include the Asian tiger mosquito and the Asian ladybird beetle, all recent and probably permanent residents thanks to an increasingly interconnected world of shipping and transportation.
It will take at least another day to be sure, however. On Tuesday, authorities peered at dozens of sticky traps left overnight in forest preserves, golf courses and private wooded land, but had no luck at catching and identifying the exact mite in question. More traps were set out Tuesday night.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-web_itchmiteaug15,1,1584611.story?coll=chi_tab01_layout&ctrack=2&cset=true
This might be a fun thread.
chiggers?
*****
Got my vote... Mercat
That’s not a PC term...it’s chegroes.
There ain't no bugs on me,
There might be bugs on some of you lugs but there ain't no bugs on me......
I don't care who you are, that's funny.
that’s such an old old joke. But some good friends of ours have a terrible infestation of chiggers in their backyard (eastern Kansas) and we were telling our European houseguest about them and explaining that it was not a racist word. Chris said she had told some east coast friends about it and they really did think it was a racist term. LOL
Not even that is PC. Try Arachno-Americans.
scabies? You’re not going to like what you find if you google Scabies.
Really, really, really small crabs. ComesfFrom really, really, really big......
The possibility of “President Hillary” makes me itch more....
Called red bugs here. I itch for a month after a stroll in the pinestraw.
Cooties, Inc.
I've never been tore up by chiggers like I was during three years at Ft. Riley.
To: 1 spark
chiggers?
To: Mercat
That’s not a PC term...it’s chegroes.
This caused one of those “cube-based personal emissions” they used to warn us about. WAY funny.
Clear nail polish works pretty good for chiggers. Paint a couple of layers over the red itchy area.
Of course chiggers like warm moist areas, so you know that you will itch in the places you are least likely to want to scratch in public.
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