Question: Every time I go out in the yard, I come back with chiggers. What spray will help them, and how long will they be around?

Answer: Chiggers are a problem for 8 to 12 weeks in late spring and into mid-summer in most parts of Texas. They require daily high temperatures in the high 80s and 90s, and they go dormant once it turns really hot and dry for a few weeks. In between, though, they can ravage your ankles. They’re far more common in bermuda than they are in St. Augustine, and they’re more of a problem in turf areas that are not mowed as often. You can control them with insecticidal sprays. However, spray your socks, pants cuffs and feet and ankles with an insect repellent, and you should have few problems. Beware, if you’re pulling or cutting high weeds, that you spray the rest of your body as well.