Dear "Itchers Not So Annonymous",
        Having grown up in Florida, and done much camping, hiking, etc., I
thought I had had my share of chiggers, just like everyone else, but it
was my shell collecting by mail that brought me the worst case I've ever
had!
        About 2 years ago, I recieved a parcel of quite beautiful land and tree
snails from a friend in Indonesia, and I opened them and played in them
like a child on Christmas morning, as I do with each new arrival...about
two hours later, I began itching all over, then burning, and by that
night, I thought I'd prefer to be flayed than stay inside my skin!
        By the next day, the overall fiery redness has concentrated into about
300 (NO Exaggeration!) lumps, which were swollen and painful and ITCHED
with a fury I'd never encountered with domestic chiggers!
        I tried bleach, Lanacaine, poison ivy lotion, alchohol, toothpaste,
fingernail polish, etc., NOTHING worked! The bites and/or imbedded
critters lasted about two weeks, and left scars which have finally faded
after the two years.
        I never saw any critters at all, they must have been almost, if not,
microscopic. What I DO know is that they were hungry! I guess that they
were inside one of the shells found somewhere in the jungle, and that
over the months it took the box to arrive here ran out of food, and I
was the first thing they had found. Whatever they were, I hope I never
find myself in the presence of them or their kin again!
 
        Mariah
--
Mark and Mariah Lawson
[log in to unmask]
http://user.icx.net/~midgard/frntdoor/frntdoor.htm
ICQ UIN 2128207 (Nick: Vigbrand)
"Universe is not required to maintain a straight face!"
"Smile! It no broke you face!"