Chigger, the larva of a harvest mite. Chiggers are sometimes called redbugs, because they are red in color, or jiggers. Chiggers are parasites that are found throughout the world. The bite of a species in the United States produces a wound that can swell and itch intensely. Several species in Asia and India transmit microorganisms that cause scrub typhus. Chiggers crawl over vegetation and attach themselves to clothing as people walk by. Chiggers can be avoided by applying a repellent, such as dimethyl phthallate, to clothing.
The common species in the United States is Trombicula irritans of the harvest mite family, Trombiculidae.