Spanish moss

[Rareraven]

So I was just wondering if this is true or not, are criggers found on Spanish moss that has been laying on the ground. compared to the moss hanging off of the trees.

Also I read that if you boil the moss for a minute it will remove all of the microb critters within the moss.

 

[fredg]

Why would you want to kill the air plant?

 

[Cthulhu138]

Serve with garlic butter and a little lemon ?

 

[Rareraven]

Why would you want to kill the air plant?

I don't want to kill it but I don't want to get criggers on my arms

 

[fredg]

Ok, now you got me. Why are you wearing Tillandsia on your arms? is it a camouflage thing?

 

[SerMuncherIV]

Ok, now you got me. Why are you wearing Tillandsia on your arms? is it a camouflage thing?

Just an aside, I distinctly remember reading something by a disgruntled author about how "Spanish Moss" is neither Spanish nor moss, lol...aren't common names fantastic?

 

[Rareraven]

Ok, now you got me. Why are you wearing Tillandsia on your arms? is it a camouflage thing?

No I'm not wearing it but I just don't want to get them on my hands.

 

[Cruzzfish]

Don't boil it, it won't appreciate that very much. Also there probably isn't anything living in it that could bother you at all.






@sermuncherIV

Tillandsia usneoides is named after the genus Usnea, which is.... also not a moss. It's actually a lichen.

 

[Whimgrinder]

Boiling a Tillandsia will kill it. And what the heck is a crigger

 

[Benurmanii]

I think he means chiggers, which are not actually as bad as people make them out to be: How do you treat chigger or red bug bites? |

 

[SubRosa]

I think he means chiggers, which are not actually as bad as people make them out to be: How do you treat chigger or red bug bites? |

Just curious. Have you ever had chiggers?

 

[Benurmanii]

No, I supposed I shouldn't really voice my opinion on the matter then. Although I know people always talked about them burrowing into your skin, so I relieved when I found out that they don't.

 

[fredg]

Just curious. Have you ever had chiggers?

I didn't know what chiggers were until this thread.

Over here in the UK we had a child actor/actor/TV presenter nicknamed Cheggers ( Keith Chegwin) Now he really could break you out in an itchy rash. Nausea was also prevalent.

 

[chibae]

The easiest way to get rid of chiggers is with a shot of whiskey and some fine grain sand.
First you pour the whiskey over your skin where the chiggers are.
Then you rub the sand over the area.
Finally sit back and hope the little buggers get drunk and throw rocks at each other.

- - - Updated - - -

So I was just wondering if this is true or not, are criggers found on Spanish moss that has been laying on the ground. compared to the moss hanging off of the trees.

Also I read that if you boil the moss for a minute it will remove all of the microb critters within the moss.

Google is your friend, this is the third site I found within about 15 seconds:
Spanish Moss & Chiggers | Home Guides | SF Gate

 

[SubRosa]

No, I supposed I shouldn't really voice my opinion on the matter then. Although I know people always talked about them burrowing into your skin, so I relieved when I found out that they don't.

Didn't think so!

 

[Dalton]

Get a chigger somewhere unmentionable and tell me how 'not that bad' they are.

 

[allysnapper]

Throw in boiling water for a minute will definitely work, cuz it just kills everything including your plant:

 

[Fresh Hex]

I live in Savannah GA which is famous for the Spanish moss covered trees. I believe the chigger myth was started to discourage tourists from pulling it out of the trees. I have a similar theory regarding calling the Periplaneta that cover everything in the summer "palmetto bugs", since that sounds better than "cockroaches" to tourists.