Bitten while caching?

[The_Brownies]

Haven't posted in a while. Recently went out to find a cache in a local park. Grabbed a plastic underground sprinkler cover and I got nailed by a swarm of ground wasps. My hand and most of my arm swelled up like a ballon and that pretty much ended my day of caching.

 

So here's the question - Who has been bitten looking for a cache? I.e. Snake Bite, Dog Bite, Bug Bite, etc?

Edited August 17, 2007 by The_Brownies

[+stepshep]

Was in a swamp the other day and got eaten ALIVE by mosquitoes.

[+Cache_advance]

with each cache that I find, I am always bitten... by the caching bug! It's like a SERIOUS addiction!

[+DArR]

This cache has reported bites by multiple goecachers ; "SC3" (GC149YY)

Edited August 18, 2007 by DARR

[R/GBOTS]

I got about a dozen stings when I thumped a hollow stump that turned out to be occupied.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...a9-d1b044200ea1

[+Thrak]

A fairly local cacher just spent a week in the hospital after a particularly nasty rattler bite... He was in intensive care for days.

[+admo1972]

Bit by numerous ticks. Came down with Lyme and did the whole 3-week anti-biotic routine and am 100% better. Was also stung by a yellow jacket last weekend, while reading a log by previous cacher who got stung at the same cache.

[+simpjkee]

I've been bitten by mosquitoes, ants, and the geocaching bug while caching.

[+LostPuppy]

I got to do a rabies series after being bit by a stray dog. Rather ironic.

[+Dgwphotos]

I got stung once recently. I avoided being stung more than once by running down the hill from the nest.

[+Dolfy]

The worst I've been bitten by so far is chiggers. I HATE those things!

[+Mad Fiddler]

The worst I've been bitten by so far is chiggers. I HATE those things!

 

It's now a week and a half since my last chigger attack -- picked up caching in a city park -- over 100 bites, with about thirty on my feet. Still some itching, but I'm able to function

 

Here's how I've been managing it:

 

Two days of benadryl gel. This knocked the itching down a slight amount -- at least I wasn't hopping around. For two nights slept an hour at a time sitting up to keep pressure off of as many bites as possible.

 

Then four days of benadryl tablets, with caladryl clear on the bites. Helped with the itching, and the bites turned into small hard blisters.

 

The next step is a very bad idea, unless you're very careful doing it. I sterilized a needle, and broke all the blisters, then washed thoroughly with soap and warm water, then applied 1% hydrocortisone cream.

 

Within an hour the itching had decreased dramatically. Left all the blisters uncovered, sat still in a comfortable chair, and (this gets graphic) let them ooze for several hours, until they were empty.

 

Continued with Benadryl tablets as needed, soaks in colloidal oatmeal, and hydrocortisone cream. But at this point it was more putting out scattered fires, rather than constant itching everywhere.

 

Now, a week and a half later, the bites are still visible -- and scary looking -- but only a few are still active.

 

They really are the worst bugs out there that that won't actually kill you.

[+Ladybuilder]

I've been bitten by mosquito's, chiggers, wasps & carpenter ants. Thankfully, I've avoided getting snakebit.... so far!

[+Dolfy]

It's now a week and a half since my last chigger attack -- picked up caching in a city park -- over 100 bites, with about thirty on my feet. Still some itching, but I'm able to function

 

I've got about 35-40 just on my left foot alone. Got them about a week and a half ago too. I'm finally able to have shoes on without starting an itch fire. Thank god I don't have to be on my feet at work. Now just gotta get rid of these blisters. Ugh....

 

They really are the worst bugs out there that that won't actually kill you.

 

You are not kidding! I've definitely learned my lesson when I'm out in the woods!

[R/GBOTS]

Just reading this thread makes me itch.

[+team moxiepup]

I got stung by a ground wasp a couple of weeks ago. We had been walking along a trail by a disused RR track. I stopped to get a pebble out of my sandal, using the track to rest my foot. Evidently I picked the wrong spot to do that, as a couple of wasps came flying out from below and one zapped me on the top of the foot! I applied some crushed plantain to the sting & carried on.

 

The worst pain seemed to come over the next few days. The whole top of my foot was swollen and very itchy. It felt like a bad sunburn over poison ivy. What seemed to work best for pain relief, was soaking my foot in the hottest water I could tolerate, filled w/ epsom salt. Hot water breaks down the proteins in the venom, and I was hoping the salt might cause some fluid to be lost via osmosis. It certainly made a big help!

 

We're going to be caching in NC in a few weeks. I've never encountered chiggers before. What kinds of areas are they usually found in, and how are they best avoided?

[+Mad Fiddler]

 

We're going to be caching in NC in a few weeks. I've never encountered chiggers before. What kinds of areas are they usually found in, and how are they best avoided?

 

I wish I knew.

 

They're usually in tall grass, hanging onto the blades and attaching to anything that brushes by them. It can take an hour or so before they start digging in, so getting a good soapy shower and putting on fresh clothes as soon as possible can help get rid of a lot of them.

 

But I got my last attack from being in the woods, with sparse ground cover. I've also picked them up from standing for ten minutes on one spot of sandy soil, again in the woods.

 

I've heard they're attracted to damp areas, but we're in the worst drought in decades here.

 

So I'm not sure what the answer is. Some people seem to have a built-in repellent so they rarely have a problem with them, or don't react strongly to the bites. It's hard to know who's who until they're bitten.

 

But they can be slowed down by wearing long pants tucked into boots, and there are some sprays that are supposed to keep them away. I'm pretty much convinced, though, that the best that can be done is to buy some time before they get to the skin, so there's a chance of washing them away.

[+Mad Fiddler]

I forgot to add:

It takes a day or two for the bites to show up. Once they do, it's too late to do anything except deal with the symptoms.

 

That's the other thing that makes them so nasty. You won't know they're biting until much later. They send a small probe into the skin and release an enzyme that dissolves it. By the time the symptoms set in, they're done with eating.

 

So read around and find all you can about prevention. It's very hard to predict where they'll be, but there are ways of decreasing or slowing them so you'll have time to wash them off.

[+team moxiepup]

Thanks for the info! For the most part, we'll be at the beach (with caching runs made when we can). I wonder if swimming in saltwater and having a good rubdown while swimming will deter the little beasties?

[+gunpowder]

I think I heard you can put fingernail polish on the spots to smother them.

 

Son was stung by a bee this spring. I am glad it was him and not me although we were at a cache within 100 yards of the hospital

[+Mad Fiddler]

I think I heard you can put fingernail polish on the spots to smother them.

 

 

The chiggers themselves don't burrow in. By the time the bite shows up, the bug is long gone.

 

Fingernail polish might make the bite feel a little better, but that's about it.

[+Mad Fiddler]

Thanks for the info! For the most part, we'll be at the beach (with caching runs made when we can). I wonder if swimming in saltwater and having a good rubdown while swimming will deter the little beasties?

 

Sounds like a good idea.

 

And you may not have much trouble with them at the beach -- I'm pretty sure they hide out on foliage waiting for someone to walk by. The one time I picked them up from sandy soil was in the woods, with ground cover nearby.

[leswon]

I would estimate that at least 75% (or more) of all geocachers in America have been bitten by mosquitos while caching. I've certainly recieved my fair share of mosquito bites. Itch....

As for chiggers I didn't get them caching but I would say they are worse than mosquitos. Double itch....

[+g0t0pless]

Here's my attack story:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=172460

[+Dgwphotos]

Haven't posted in a while. Recently went out to find a cache in a local park. Grabbed a plastic underground sprinkler cover and I got nailed by a swarm of ground wasps. My hand and most of my arm swelled up like a ballon and that pretty much ended my day of caching.

 

So here's the question - Who has been bitten looking for a cache? I.e. Snake Bite, Dog Bite, Bug Bite, etc?

 

I looked for that cache today, and spotted the nest. I took a waypoint and posted it with my log. Didn't get stung though. There were a lot of dead wasps around it, too.

[+IAOhana]

Last weekend we were out and the rain had just started and the bugs were extremely nasty. I think I just stopped itching.

[E3Chief]

Here's my attack story:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=172460

 

Caterpillar stings can be some of the most painful. There's a type of caterpillar that lives on Crepe Myrdles (sp?). It's brown and fuzzy looking and if you touch it, it will put you in the hospital. The pain is agonizing and it can make you violently ill.

[+kevnjenn]

Aaaalmost got hold of a black widow spider last weekend, it was nesting near a cache. Worst bitten by so far is ticks.

[+DeltaEcho]

Not sure if this truly counts, but Echo from DeltaEcho was within inches of being bitten by a Brown snake (down here in Australia we have alot of them, and they are genertally ok if left alone, but will attack if cornered or startled) but was grabbed by a quick thinking and observant friend. She then precede to jump the nearest fence ans saty well away from the cache site ofr a long time!

 

We did however retrieve the cache!

[+ferret08]

Got jumped by a swarm of yellow jackets while out searching one morning. My dog took the brunt of the attack.

[+QuesterMark]

I would estimate that at least 75% (or more) of all geocachers in America have been bitten by mosquitos while caching. I've certainly recieved my fair share of mosquito bites. Itch....

As for chiggers I didn't get them caching but I would say they are worse than mosquitos. Double itch....

 

Chiggers.

Hate those things.

They could be used for bioterrorism.

[+QuesterMark]

I think I heard you can put fingernail polish on the spots to smother them.

 

 

The chiggers themselves don't burrow in. By the time the bite shows up, the bug is long gone.

 

Fingernail polish might make the bite feel a little better, but that's about it.

 

Right. The stupid critters deaden the nerves first. They also aren't drinking your blood. They're liquifying some of your skin and drinking that.

 

And they're just the larva. Guess what? The adults are vegetarians.

 

For me, nail polish is a sanity saver. For me, when I cover the entire welt (I get welts the size of a quarter--must be a little allergic), the itch goes away.

[+QuesterMark]

 

We're going to be caching in NC in a few weeks. I've never encountered chiggers before. What kinds of areas are they usually found in, and how are they best avoided?

 

I wish I knew.

 

They're usually in tall grass, hanging onto the blades and attaching to anything that brushes by them. It can take an hour or so before they start digging in, so getting a good soapy shower and putting on fresh clothes as soon as possible can help get rid of a lot of them.

 

But I got my last attack from being in the woods, with sparse ground cover. I've also picked them up from standing for ten minutes on one spot of sandy soil, again in the woods.

 

I've heard they're attracted to damp areas, but we're in the worst drought in decades here.

 

So I'm not sure what the answer is. Some people seem to have a built-in repellent so they rarely have a problem with them, or don't react strongly to the bites. It's hard to know who's who until they're bitten.

 

But they can be slowed down by wearing long pants tucked into boots, and there are some sprays that are supposed to keep them away. I'm pretty much convinced, though, that the best that can be done is to buy some time before they get to the skin, so there's a chance of washing them away.

 

Bug repellent will help, but not if they fall on you, which can happen if you brush up against a plant they're on. They don't like mowed areas. They are apparently very likely on wild berry plants, like blackberry.

 

I'd've thought they'd be slowed down even MORE by long pants OVER boots, but I don't have any boots....

My worst "attacks" are when they fall on my socks just under the tongue of my shoe.

 

Oh. Some will try to go UP, until they hit something. Like the leg holes of "tighty whities" or the waistband of boxers...

 

My parents tell me of tying a rag soaked in kerosene just over their ankles. I can't say I recommend that, but they say it works pretty well! I've not tried it.

 

I've been meaning to get some gaiters....

[+QuesterMark]

The worst I've been bitten by so far is chiggers. I HATE those things!

 

 

Then four days of benadryl tablets, with caladryl clear on the bites. Helped with the itching, and the bites turned into small hard blisters.

 

 

Mine don't do the blister thing. Ever. I think it's just the way my skin reacts.

[The Z Clan]

no bite, but had a BIG banana spider freak out my wife while caching in Alabama.

[+ladderman7]

while on vacation in Burlington, Wisconsin decided to do some caching and found one called "blood donor" and this was almost suicide. even with bug spray we were attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes. we had to bail on this one just to survive. this one was just cruel.

[+Keruso]

while on vacation in Burlington, Wisconsin decided to do some caching and found one called "blood donor" and this was almost suicide. even with bug spray we were attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes. we had to bail on this one just to survive. this one was just cruel.

 

you think that was why it was called Blood Donor?

[+crossphased]

Here's my attack story:

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=172460

 

Caterpillar stings can be some of the most painful. There's a type of caterpillar that lives on Crepe Myrdles (sp?). It's brown and fuzzy looking and if you touch it, it will put you in the hospital. The pain is agonizing and it can make you violently ill.

Crepe Myrtles

[+fairyhoney]

I've been both bitten by wasps (oh man, they just keep at it) And a spider.

[+kentwoodkrew]

While geocaching only chiggers and ticks. Actually saw my first chigger this summer.

A bright red tiny tickish thing that packed a terrible itch. I put him between a rock and a hard place in revenge. I have run in to other nasty things in my youth but I have not even had a big problem with mossies since I started geocaching.

[+edscott]

.....

We're going to be caching in NC in a few weeks. I've never encountered chiggers before. What kinds of areas are they usually found in, and how are they best avoided?

From my limited experience with chiggers it seems they like evergreen woods with sandy soil. I'm sure there are more factors but that's where I seem to get most of my "bites". Just pretend they are black flies and you'll feel right at home

[+Nurse Nanna]

I see chigger bites as a camp nurse every summer. We use liquid bandaid on the affected area. Apply about 2-3 thin layers over the area and then reapply as needed til the itching stops, usually only 1-3 days. Liquid bandaid is similar to nailpolish, but it also has an antiseptic in it. And it is amazing how well it stops the itching.

I spoke to the ER about it and they told me that they use the same treatment many times.

Benadry may help too, but the local irritation still acts up. Try this next time and see if it works for you.

 

If you want to keep the liquid bandaid clean for the next user, just keep some Q tips handy and use them to avoid redipping/contaminating. Great stuff and I have seen it help with skeeter bites too.

 

Good luck! nurse nanna

[+good'nplenty]

Okay this isnt a bite but an attack. for some reason my nephew ,who is 16, always causes animals to react strangely to him. If he is at my house my cat goes in heat, animals mate, its a weird thing. we went caching and we saw a deer about 50 yards ahead of us and thought nothing of it, they run right. well this one ran, right towards us. It ran to within 20 feet of us and made a strange barking noise. we ran from it of course but it gave chase. i know we had to look like fools, running and screaming. i guess it realized that we meant no harm and stopped chasing.

[+chappytx]

In South Georgia when end up with fire ant bites quite frequently.

[+zazth]

Mosquitoes, more than once! Ticks at least once a year! This summer it was tiny little ticks that were on some low level plants. By the time I saw them my son and I were covered, me up to my thighs and Thorne up to his chest. We changed in the car and thankfully I had a big bottle of alcohol and manged to get ALL of them off of us! Not too long after that my husband and I found a cache that was supposedly in an area known for biting flies. We had removed the cache from its' hiding spot and moved into a clear area to open it and sign the log when something stung my hand. It was a yellowjacket! Mike and I both got stung more than once. The worst was the spider mites that attacked me when I went through a cane thicket. I had little red marks all over my body, or at least I thought they were just red marks. They were spider mites! They are not supposed to bite people!

[+Esh4]

Okay this isnt a bite but an attack. for some reason my nephew ,who is 16, always causes animals to react strangely to him. If he is at my house my cat goes in heat, animals mate, its a weird thing. we went caching and we saw a deer about 50 yards ahead of us and thought nothing of it, they run right. well this one ran, right towards us. It ran to within 20 feet of us and made a strange barking noise. we ran from it of course but it gave chase. i know we had to look like fools, running and screaming. i guess it realized that we meant no harm and stopped chasing.

Male deer in rut are aggressive and actually dangerous (sharp hooves with a lot of muscle behind them). Feel free to avoid/run from them no matter how foolish it feels

[+stites1]

My fool self stood in a fire ant mound to retreive a stupid light skirt cache. Duh, me!

[+joranda]

I've been bitten by the caching bug. Does that count?

[+teamdundat]

Hi i'm from Australia and when me and my dad go out cacing after 7:00 pm we get bitten by mozzies so much that sometimes i screem

[+tokencollector]

Mosquito bites aplenty – in at least three of the four countries that I have cached in. My home is still a little north of the fire ant line, but I picked up a pair of stings this year at in-state caches that were a little bit (50-70 miles) further south. Otherwise, I’ve done pretty well.

 

As for chiggers – d@nm I hate those things. There is a spot somewhere in my back yard near the grill where they hang out. Every year, I’d get what I thought was a particularly obnoxious mosquito bite or two. This year I figured out that they were chiggers. Under a magnifying glass, they look just like tiny translucent ticks when feeding. Next year, I’m spraying to see if I can get rid of them.