How do you rid a very large yard of chiggers/redbugs and sand fleas.

A pile of hay makes an inviting home to rodents and a variety of insects. Warm, moist areas inside the pile or bale invite some species, while the dry, outer layers invite a host of other species. An allergy to hay may appear on the skin as a rash resembling bug bites; but, chances are, some sort of mite, fly or spider has bitten you.

The most common pest associated with hay is the straw itch mite. This pest breeds in stored grain, dried beans and peas, wheat straw, hay and other dried grasses. Although a nuisance to humans, straw itch mites are beneficial because they feed on insects that would otherwise destroy stored commodities. The presence of straw itch mites typically indicates the presence of a host insect. Riding the area of the host insect with pesticides can help reduce the number of straw itch mites in the area.

Chiggers are tiny, reddish mites that feed on humans and animals during the larval stage. This mite does not burrow into the skin but remains attached to the skin for several hours up to several days. The bite causes itching within three-to-six hours. People who are allergic to chiggers develop blister-like lesions. Chiggers prefer to live in areas that contain thick layers of straw, hay, pine needles, shrub thickets and unmowed lawns. Clover mites appear in spring and often mistaken for chiggers, but they do not bite.

Biting stable flies look much like the common house fly, except they have a needle-like, piercing mouth part. This fly feeds on blood from people, cattle and horses. They often bite through clothing but do not feed at night. Female stable flies lay 40-to-80 eggs at a time and 10-to-12 times during their life. Females deposit eggs in straw, chicken manure, compost piles, wet hay bales and grass clippings. Stable flies overwinter in the same substrates as larvae or pupae.

Fleas love pets and livestock, even in the winter. Fleas are able to survive the winter in bales of hay and straw. Placing hay inside a doghouse gives Fido exposure to fleas all year round. Using pesticides to treat dogs for fleas in not a healthy solution, it is best to not use hay to insulate a doghouse, and don’t let your dog in the barn or where hay is located during the winter. This gives your dog a break from pesticides.

North America is home to five species of widow spiders. The western black widow is velvety black with a marking of white, red or yellow on the back of the abdomen. This species is associated with piles of firewood, old lumber, dry crawl spaces, outbuildings, rock piles and bales of hay. The bite of a widow spider goes unnoticed initially, but severe pain occurs following a reddening and swelling at the bite site. Rigidity of the abdomen and legs, difficulty in breathing and nausea should subside in two-to-three days. An injection of calcium gluconate provides pain relief. Children and elderly should see a doctor.

i would call in a professional.

Spread Diomatoceous earth around the yard. Put alcohol , then clear nail polish on the bites.

http://www.pestproducts.com/chiggers.htm

To rid your yard safety of the chiggers/redbugs or sand fleas. I would suggest essential oils. Essential oils are a safe alternative to garden chemicals. Purchase or if you have one, use a garden sprayer filled with water and add any one combination of the following essential oils to the water: arborvitae, cedarwood, eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, lemongrass, peppermint. It's your preference to how many drops to put in the water (a little goes along ways). Check with a garden supply store or home center how much to spray per foot, if you want exact amounts. Or just spray and hope for the best. Might be a good idea to be aware of any allergies to family members and check with the neighbors for horse allergies too. Also a toxic-free repellent applied your exposed areas can be made with fractionated coconut oil with one or more of the above mentioned oils. Apply to skin with a moistened cotton ball or spray on skin.

Diomatoceous is best. Pet and people friendly. Can even use in house for fleas, spiders, roaches, even bedbugs, etc.

Sorry. Best of luck.

I hope you can find out what they are

Thanks

I have heard that DE (Diomatoceous earth) is cheap ($15 for a large bag of what looks something like a powder) & it works.

DE is made from fossilized shell fish, all ground up, so the crystal-like microscopic shards irritate the insects, much like fiberglass insulation does to us, except its worse for insects because they take in air via holes in their underbellys (they don't have lungs).

Spreading DE around inside the home helps keep bugs at bay. I'm not sure if I want to use it outside though because it may bother the good critters, such as worms... however, it is fine to use it in the house... unless, of course, someone in the family has an allergy to shellfish, and in that case, I wouldn't use it at all.

To do it naturally, use DE. Watch youtube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UGN3yoT-TA

Yellow sulfur helped me. The powder smoother the jiggers. Then you can see them come out in little black spots.