***10 pts! Chigger Bites - Please Help?

I was recently in Illinois and believe I ran into some chiggers, humor me here - we don't have chiggers where I live so I have never really heard of them before. I know chiggers are arachnids, so do they make webs? We were painting an old lady's house and it seemed like we kept walking through webs. The same day is when the itching started. Why would I only get the bites on my legs when I had web all over my body?

I have had them for probably 2 weeks now and have itched them so much that now almost all the bites have little scabs on them. I am assuming they are probably dead by now? I tried to count them, I have about 75-100 bites on each leg. They aren't itching as bad now. Can chiggers spread once they are already in your body? How long do they usually live inside you? Once I have hit the "scab stage" how long will it be until I am itch free? Finally, can you give me any home remadies that might help? We don't have any anti itch cream....

Sorry for all the detail, but I am looking to get a better idea of what the heck this is....

10 points for best answer! :)