caterpillar. Some kinds make bites that seal up rather than rot. Critter is looong gone.

I've actually just learned about the jewelweed thing trying to ID the plants on my property, but I have an awesome sanity-saving tip I learned a few years ago that I know works. (I had a really, really nasty itchy case all over my arms and legs.) Direct a hairdryer to the itchy spots and let the hot air sit there until you can't take it anymore. It'll feel super-intensely itchy while your doing it. Keep doing it until the itchy sensation goes away. You're actually exhausting your skin's histamine supply doing this and relief lasts for hours. It sounds weird, but I swear it works.

I have those, too. Thanks for making me aware of what is causing my discomfort. WalterReeves.com recommends watering only once a week to help eliminate these sorts of critters. He says to put a tuna can a few feet from your sprinkler and quit when it gets an inch of water in it. He says that should be enough for most plants. My hydrangeas and impatients would be licking the ground before a week, though. And in this heat, if I water my tomatoes only once per week they split wide open when it rains. And get blossom end rot from drying out. But from what I read they may be responsible for the spotted wilt on my tomatoes. Commercial growers use silver reflective plastic mulch on the ground to repel thrips from their tomatoes. Thrips Control: Remove weeds and grass from around garden areas to eliminate alternate hosts. Yellow sticky traps are helpful for monitoring adult populations. If found, use the Bug Blaster or hose off plants with a strong stream of water to reduce pest numbers. Release commercially available beneficial insects, such as Minute Pirate Bugs, Thrips Predators, ladybugs and lacewing, to attack and destroy all stages of thrips. For best results, make releases when pest levels are low to medium. If populations are high, use a least-toxic, short-lived natural pesticide to establish control, then release predatory insects to maintain control. Insecticidal soap, neem oil, and botanical insecticides can be used to spot treat heavily infested areas. Clean up crop debris, especially onion leaves after harvest. Tip: Insecticidal soap, neem oil, and botanical insecticides are contact insecticides. For effective control, it is necessary to provide thorough coverage, especially inside the plant base of the leaves where the majority of pests are located. Release or encourage benenficial insects including: Ladybug, minute pirate bug, big-eyed bug, damsel bug, lacewing Plant the following to attract beneficial predator insects: Carrot family (Queen AnneÂs lace, dill, fennel, caraway, tansy, parsley, coriander, bishopÂs weed), the sunflower family(coreopsis, Gloriosa daisy, yarrow, cosmos, sunflower, marigolds), candytuft, sweet alyssum, ceanothus, holly-leaved cherry (Prunus ilicifolia), buckwheat, scabiosa, spearmint, coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis), knotweed (Polygonum aviculare), California lilacs (Ceanothus spp.), soapbark tree, meadow foam (Linnanthes douglasii), baby-blue-eyes (Nemophila) Here is a link that might be useful: Landscaping to attract beneficial insects

This has happened to me for a couple of years, and I cannot figure out what to watch for. The unusual thing is that when it bites or stings, it only hurts as much as a mosquito bite, but does not stop until I can get to it. It burned or stung all the time while I was walking quickly to get inside. Once inside where I could try to find the critter, it was gone - I must have wiped it away as I was removing the pants. For this reason, I wonder about fire ants. I was at the top of the hill that goes down to the creek. I think I would have felt a beetle or blister beetle. I suddenly get chiggers, but don't feel them. There are some bugs I am not familiar with that could be culprits. Thanks Dawn. I also understand that wearing jeans to work could have annoyed the bump. Sammy