July 2026
Before camp drop-off, pack the itch plan
Delmarva camps run through ticks, poison ivy, and greenheads all summer. A short plan and a labeled kit make the whole season easier.
- Camp
- Ticks
- Poison ivy
- Kids itch kit
Newsletter
The Delmarva Itch Alert archive
A short, calm note on what's biting, blooming, and stinging across the Peninsula. Read past issues below or subscribe to get the next one.
Past issues
- June 2026
Sea nettles in the Bay this week
Salinity is up, water temps are up, and the nettles are showing in middle Chesapeake. A simple sting kit and a calm post-swim routine.
- Sea nettles
- Beach kit
- First aid
- May 2026
Greenheads are coming. Here's the plan.
Greenhead fly season on the marsh edge - what works, what doesn't, and which beach days to skip if you're sensitive to bites.
- Greenheads
- Beach
- Repellents
- April 2026
Pollen, hives, and the spring itch
Why your skin can itch even without a rash this month, plus an honest take on antihistamines, oat baths, and when to call a clinician.
- Allergy itch
- Antihistamines
- Skin care
- March 2026
Tick season opens early on the Shore
An unusually mild February has lone star ticks moving in southern Delmarva woodlots. What to wear, what to spray, and the one laundry trick that actually helps.
- Ticks
- Repellents
- Yard prep
- February 2026
Mosquito bites: getting ahead of the first hatch
It is still cold, but the buckets, tarps, and clogged gutters that will hatch April's first mosquitoes are filling up right now. A short pre-season pass saves a lot of bites later.
- Mosquitoes
- Yard prep
- Repellents
- January 2026
No-see-ums: the bite you feel before you see it
They are not really a January bug on Delmarva, but a warm snap on the marsh edge can wake them up - and travelers heading to Florida or the Caribbean this month bring stories home. Here is what they are, and what actually helps.
- No-see-ums
- Repellents
- Travel
- December 2025
Chigger bites: late-season holdouts in tall grass
Most years chiggers are done by Thanksgiving on Delmarva, but a warm December lets them hang on in the tall grass at the edge of the yard. If you got bitten on a hunt or a brushy walk this month, this is what is going on.
- Chiggers
- Skin care
- Yard exposure
- November 2025
Poison ivy: bare vines still bite
The leaves are gone but the urushiol is not. November yard cleanup is one of the sneakiest ways Delmarva folks pick up a poison ivy rash, often days after they thought the danger was over.
- Poison ivy
- Yard cleanup
- Skin care
- October 2025
Poison oak lookalikes: what is actually in your yard
True poison oak is rare on Delmarva, but plenty of October plants get blamed for it. Here is what is actually causing the rash, and how to tell the lookalikes apart before you reach for the loppers.
- Poison oak
- Poison ivy
- Plant ID
- Yard cleanup
- September 2025
Beach rash: sun, sand, and salt all in one
September beach days on Delmarva are some of the best of the year - but the combination of sun, salt, sand friction, and leftover sunscreen can leave you with a rash you did not expect. Here is what it is and what helps.
- Beach rash
- Sun exposure
- Salt water
- Skin care
- August 2025
Swimmer's itch: the rash that shows up after the beach
That itchy rash that appears a day after a freshwater swim is not chlorine burn and it is not a jellyfish sting. Swimmer's itch is a harmless but annoying reaction to tiny parasites in shallow Bay water - and it is very common in late summer.
- Swimmer's itch
- Chesapeake Bay
- Freshwater swimming
- Skin care
- July 2025
Jellyfish stings and sea nettle season on the Bay
Water temps are climbing and the nettles are thick in the middle Bay. A calm sting protocol, the one thing not to do, and how to know if it is a nettle or a jellyfish.
- Jellyfish stings
- Sea nettles
- Beach first aid
- Chesapeake Bay
- June 2025
Bug bite or rash? How to tell what you are looking at
June on Delmarva brings mosquitoes, ticks, poison ivy, and the first heat rash of summer. Here is how to tell a true bug bite from a plant rash or heat irritation - and why the difference matters for treatment.
- Bug bites
- Rash identification
- First aid
- Summer skin care
- May 2025
Anti-itch creams: a quick field guide
The drugstore shelf is full of pink bottles, steroid creams, and numbing gels. Here is what each one actually does, when to use it, and what to skip.
- Anti-itch creams
- Product comparison
- First aid
- Skin care
- April 2025
Poison ivy washes: a calm comparison
Dish soap, dedicated urushiol washes, and laundry tricks. What actually removes the oil, what does not, and what to keep in the shed before spring yard work.
- Poison ivy
- Urushiol removal
- Yard prep
- Product comparison
- March 2025
Calamine vs hydrocortisone: which one when
Two classic itch treatments, two very different jobs. A simple decision chart for the medicine cabinet so you reach for the right bottle.
- Calamine
- Hydrocortisone
- Product comparison
- First aid
- February 2025
Itch relief for kids: what works and what to skip
Children's skin reacts differently to bites, plants, and creams. A short guide to safer choices for the small set, and the one ingredient to avoid under age two.
- Kids itch relief
- Safe creams
- Parenting
- First aid
- January 2025
Pet-related itching: what your yard and trail are tracking in
Winter is when pet dander, yard mold, and trail debris concentrate indoors. If someone in the house is itching and no one has been bitten, the source may be on the dog's coat or in the mudroom mat.
- Pet dander
- Indoor allergens
- Winter skin care
- Home remedies
Get Delmarva Itch Alerts
Seasonal itch warnings, practical prevention tips, and calm relief guidance for bites, poison ivy, beach itch, stings, heat rash, dry skin, and allergy-related itch across Delmarva.
- Seasonal itch warnings before the rough weeks hit
- Practical prevention for bites, poison ivy, beach itch, stings, heat rash, and dry skin
- Calm relief guidance you can act on right away