Have you ever had an itch that just could not be satisfied by scratching? If you have, perhaps you have been a victim of Chiggers also known as “red bugs”. We all have heard of them and maybe experienced the discomfort of being a victim of them. What is a chigger and how can they be controlled? 

A chigger is an immature larva of a harvest mite. Chiggers are greatly misunderstood. First, they do not feed on blood! What they do feed on is human skin cells. A chigger will pierce the human skin (almost like a tick) to allow the chigger’s saliva to liquify skin cells, harden them to form a straw like structure allowing the chigger to then suck up more liquefied skin cells for nourishment! Chemicals in the saliva contain proteins causing the itch. Chiggers are red in color, but it’s not because of blood: it is their natural color. By the time one experiences the insatiable itch, the chigger probably is not there anymore. In fact, once the itch is experienced, it is likely that the bite may have even been experienced 12 to 24 hours before.  

Chiggers do not live within our skin, however if left undisturbed they can stay attached for 3 or 4 days. Using fingernail polish does not seal a chigger in and cut of an oxygen supply…remember that the chigger is probably not even there anymore. What can be used is hydrocortisone, calamine lotion or talk to your doctor or pharmacist for a topical to apply to the bite.  

Here are the important tips! 

  • Use skin-based repellents if you are working outside in places that chiggers are living. Treating around the waist, bra lines, ankles, and places where clothing is tight around the body is a good idea. Repellents containing DEET have been found to be effective if used proactively before going into chigger populations.
  • Using pesticides as spot treatments may help some to reduce populations, but the treatment needs to be repeated every 2-3 weeks. The best idea is to keep grass cut short and cut down on habitats including landscape management. This can be accomplished by opening areas to reduce humidity.  

Don’t be a victim of chiggers ~ be proactive and prepare with skin and clothing repellents and reduce favorable harborages for chiggers.