I don't know what these chiggers are, but to me it sounds as if they are
some kind of mite. I don't collect land snails, but I did happen to be an
agricultural scientist and on one of our field sites the technicians and me
were overcome by this thing locals called the 'scrub itch'. It doesn't
really show up until the end of the day, and then for a couple of days it
just gets worse and worse. It was ridiculous, I looked like a leopard, and
couldn't sleep at night. I went to the doctor, who suggested using a cream
for scabies (also a mite). Great stuff! Next time we were going to rub it
on ourselves BEFORE we went into the bush. We never got the chance to test
the theory. The project was axed and we were shifted or made redundant. But
that aside.
Keep scratching!
Patty
WWW: http://www.capricornica.com
Capricornica Publications on-line natural history bookshop
P.O. Box 345
Lindfield NSW 2070
phone/fax: 02 9415 8098 international: +61 2 9415 8098
E-mail: [log in to unmask]