Wary of Ticks and Chiggers

A profusion of tall flowers

I have two things to say about this scene:

1. Nature certainly can be exuberant! 
2. That patch of flowers was probably full of ticks and chiggers.

Here in Kentucky, we accept ticks and chiggers as a hazard of warm weather. Most of us guard against them as much as possible, because we suffer if we don't.

For example, if I was going to wade into that patch of flowers, I'd spray myself from the neck down with heavy duty insect repellant, and I'd check myself thoroughly for ticks at the first opportunity. I know from past experience that the itching of a mass of chigger bites is hell on earth, I don't want to go through it again. Tick bites itch, too, and even worse, ticks can carry serious diseases.

Believe it or not, when I was a little girl, growing up in the Nebraska Sandhills, I didn't know that ticks and chiggers even existed. I think that they weren't a problem where we lived because the Sandhills are so dry. Rock County, Nebraska (where I grew up) has an average annual rainfall of 24". In comparison, Christian County, Kentucky has an average annual rainfall of 51".
__________

I wrote a post titled "Chigger Territory"  on my old blog in 2007. You might enjoy reading it, too.