Chiggers are one of those little backwoods aggravations that can turn a good day outdoors into several days of scratching. They’re tiny mites—so small you’ll probably never see them—and they tend to hang out in tall grass, weeds, brushy creek banks, and other damp, overgrown places. They usually get you around the ankles, waistline, behind the knees, or anywhere clothing fits tight against the skin.
Poison Ivy
Poison ivy is one of those plants that can turn a good day in the woods into a miserable week afterward. The trouble comes from an oil in the plant called urushiol. Get it on your skin and, if you’re sensitive to it, you may wind up with redness, swelling, relentless itching, and blisters. The rash usually hangs around for a week or two, sometimes longer.