Chiggers - What are They

It was a fine spring morning. My friend and I went out to the woods for a walk. We enjoyed ourselves, surrounded by the beautiful green woods. And suddenly my friend got all itchy and red around her ankles. We rushed home, daunted about what might have caused these scary itchy, red bumps. My mother after observing the skin rash, explained she had been bitten by chiggers. Chiggers! The same thought ran through both our minds. Chiggers - what are they? We researched at the library and over the Internet and found our answers. I am sure many of you readers must be looking for answers to these question on chiggers, what do they look like, what are chiggers and how do I get rid of them? Read on and get the answers to all your questions on chiggers, what are they.

What are Chiggers?
Chiggers as mentioned above are tiny larvae of the harvest mite. It is interesting to note that the very immature stage and adult mites are as harmless as a dove. It is this six-legged larvae that is the culprit of biting and causing those nasty itchy bumps. They bite not only humans, but animals like rodents, birds, poultry, rabbits, livestock, toads and even snakes!

Chiggers ~ What Do They Look Like?
Chiggers are larvae of Trombicula alfreddugesi, commonly known as harvest mite. Chiggers are bright red to orange in color. They are six legged creatures and measure about 1/100th of an inch (approximately 0.4mm). They look like tiny velvety red spiders. They are so small that you may not even observe them till they bite you.

Chiggers can move very quickly on the ground and can crawl silently over feet and legs. They search for a place that will help them stay hidden like near the corner of ankles, under your socks or even at the curve of your knee. If you happen to sit in the lawn or ground which is infested with chiggers, you may end up with severe bites at your waistline, crotch area or even under the elastic band of your underwear. If the chiggers get a chance to move to your upper body, they won't shy away from biting your armpits, chest and even upper arms. Nasty, tiny little parasites, I say.

Chiggers ~ When are They Active?
Chiggers love a nice warm temperature, tall green grass. They are active in June and in the warm days of July. They do not like too hot temperatures and die when the temperature falls below 42°F.

Chiggers ~ How Do They Bite?
Chiggers are so small that they are often missed by the human eye. Thus, giving rise to the old myth that chiggers burrow under your skin. The fact is chiggers bite you by inserting their feeding structures into the skin, thus, injecting the enzymes that destroy the host tissue. They do not feed on blood, another common myth, but the fact is they feed on liquefied human skin cells. The digestive enzymes causes the surrounding skin to harden and form a feeding tube called a stylostome. Thus, begins the enjoyable feast of the little larvae upon the destroyed tissue. If left undisturbed, they will keep feeding for a few days. However, the possibility of undisturbed feeding is very rare as they cause considerable itching.

Chiggers have a very delicate mouth and feeding structures. They can penetrate the skin, that is thin like near folds, wrinkles, etc. The most common areas of bites are around the ankles, crotch, groin, areas behind the knees and the armpits. When a chigger is moved before it completes it's meal, it cannot bite again and will die. Sad, but you can't help it as the nasty bites are too painful.

After the bite, the itching is at its peak for a day or two. The stylostome remains embedded in the skin, even though you get rid of the chigger. The skin will stay itchy for another 10 days or even more, as there is an allergic reaction within your skin and the stylostome is slowly absorbed by the body. Know more on allergies.

Chiggers ~ How To Treat Chigger Bites?
The most common home remedies are application of nail polish or alcohol and even bleach which is thought to suffocate the chigger burrowed under the skin. But as chiggers are not burrowing creatures, these remedies prove to be absolutely useless. You need to apply calamine lotion and corticosteroid cream to relieve the itching and inflammation. You may also try oral antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) for symptom relief.

Chiggers ~ Can I Prevent Chigger Bite?
The best way to prevent chiggers is washing up with soap and water after coming home from an outdoor activity. You should also wash the clothes worn outdoors to kill any chiggers that might have been stuck in the fabric. Wear long pants, sleeves and tuck your pants in your boots. Wear thick socks and high ankle shoes. You may even try applying insect repellents that contain DEET, nepetalactone, citronella and eucalyptus oil.

The temperature also plays an important role in preventing the chigger bites. If the outdoor temperature is cold, that is below 60°C they will not bite. Hot and sunny areas with temperatures above 99° F can also be termed as chigger free areas.

Chiggers ~ How Do I Get Rid of Them?
Chiggers are mostly active during the warm seasons, that is between spring and early fall. They are found to be living in tall grasses, weeds, berry patches, bushes, straw. leaves, fences, bark and dense foliage. If you are wondering, how do I get rid of them, then make sure you trim your garden during this warm season. Know more on pest control.

You should undertake weed control and remove dense foliage that is not a part of your garden. Clear out all the heaps of dead and decaying leaves and plant matter. You should flood the foliage once a week, with a mixture of soap and water to get rig of chiggers. In case of houseplants, kill the adults and larvae with a mild insecticidal soap that is safe to be used on plants. Keep these plants away from human contact and pets. Repeat the rising, once a week for four weeks. Dust your shoes, socks and pants with sulphur, as it keeps them away. Avoid entering tall grassy area and thick unshaded vegetation during the active time of chiggers.

This is all about 'chiggers, what are they'. They do not pose a serious health problem, but scratching the bumps may lead to a bacterial infection. These arthropod pests know very well how to ruin your joyful outings and make their pleasurable. A little bit of care and you can prevent the nasty bites of a chigger.