What are chigger bites? Chiggers are the common name for the Trombiculidae mites at their larval stage. They live in moist and wet areas. When they stick to the skin of a living being, they bite and suck blood leading to allergies and itching. Their itchy bites appear in clusters of red and swollen pimples.
Take off your clothes, take a thorough shower with soap, and use an anti-itch cream. Always wear long boots and long pants with no exposure to skin. Apply a repellent and your clothes with a clothing-based repellent.
What are Chigger Bites?
In fact, they aren’t really biting at all, at least not in the way we typically think of bed bites. But regardless, they are very uncomfortable, as they itch intensely and are often located very close together and in large numbers on your skin. Often there are so many bites; they almost resemble a severe rash.
If you think Chiggers have bitten you, we’ll go over the steps you need to take right away to keep them from getting worse. But first, let’s take a quick look at what are Chigger bites and what Chigger bites look like, so you can be sure that’s what you’re dealing with.
Chiggers are the common name for the larval stage of the Trombiculidae mite, which loves to live in damp, moist grassy areas with no direct sunlight. Trombiculidae mites prefer warm weather and can generally be found in warm climates, like the Southern and Western United States.
Trombiculidae mites progress through a life cycle to become adults. Trombiculidae mites, while in the larval stage, are called Chiggers, and they need to feed on the skin to progress to an adult. They cling to grass, waiting for a victim to come by.
When one does, they will jump onto it and find the first area of exposed skin they can find. Using claw-like legs, they rip the skin open, inject their saliva, which contains a skin dissolving enzyme, and then drink it using a straw-like appendage.
The ripping of the skin, combined with the enzyme, causes a skin reaction that varies in severity. Serious reactions are widespread, but the itching doesn’t begin right away. The reaction generally takes 1-2 days to show up and begin itching.
The severe itching generally lasts about a week, sometimes more in highly allergic people.
One “chigger bite” is bad enough, but often you’ll have multiple chiggers jump on you at one time, causing multiple bites. Chiggers hatch in large groups from eggs. They don’t stray far and often clump together on grass and leaves.
Once on you, each Chigger will often bite you multiple times while on your skin to engorge themselves, so they can drop off and continue growing.
Chigger Bites are distinctive from other bug bites, although they are often confused with flea and bed bug bites. Chigger Bites have the following unique characteristics:
- Often in large groups of 10 or more bites
- Resemble very red, and swollen pimples
- Itch very severely, much more so than your average bug bite.
Early treatment of Chigger Bites will lessen the long-term discomfort. If you think Chiggers have bitten you, or are already showing signs of Chigger Bites, do the following:
- Immediately take off the clothes that may have Chiggers, and wash and dry them with a detergent.
- Immediately take a shower. If you aren’t showing bite signs yet, take a hot shower. Take a cold shower if you are showing bite signs (the cool water will reduce inflammation). Wash well using soap. The shower and soap will remove any remaining Chiggers on your skin.
- Treat the Chigger Bites and surrounding areas with any popular anti-itch creams, or even better, a product like ChiggerX or ChiggAway, specifically for Chigger bites.
The best treatment for Chigger Bites is to avoid exposure to Chiggers. But this isn’t easy to do unless you know where they are. If you are going outside, especially into an area that you know has Chiggers, do the following:
- Wear boots, long pants, and a long shirt. Tuck your pants into your boots, or wear insect-proof Gaiters.
- Cover your body with ChiggAway, or your preferred bug repellent. Most normal repellents will repel Chiggers, as well as other insects.
- Cover your clothing with a clothing-based repellent, such as Sawyer Products SP649 Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent Trigger Spray, 12-Ounce
Besides being incredibly uncomfortable, Chiggers and Chigger Bites don’t generally cause serious medical problems.
That is if you don’t scratch them. Scratching them and breaking the top of the skin can get infected, leading to very serious or life-threatening conditions.
Avoid scratching them at all costs! If you do, and the bite area is warm to the touch, or begin running a fever, seek medical attention immediately.
Common myths about chigger bites:
While we have your attention, let’s dispel a few common and very incorrect myths about Chiggers:
- Chiggers are not microscopic, but they are tiny and difficult to see. Often about half the size of a period in this article.
- Chiggers do not “bite”, like using their teeth on your skin. Instead, they tear open your skin and eat the softer portions.
- Chiggers DO NOT bury themselves in your skin. This myth is common due to the pimple-like appearance of the bite. Chiggers stay on the top of the skin and only attach themselves to feed, using a straw-like appendage.
- They do not stay on your skin long. Generally, only 2-3 days, if allowed. This is why taking a shower to wash them off is so important.
- They only feed on human skin during the larval stage. Once they are adults, they live in the dirt and feed on other insects and plants.
While Chigger bites are very uncomfortable, over-the-counter treatment options are available and generally work very well. The best way to avoid Chigger bites is to avoid Chiggers, or at the very least, keep them off your skin by covering up when you go out.
Chiggers do not generally cause any serious medical complications when properly cared for. You will want to watch out for signs of infection until the bites heal, which generally takes about a week.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Now that you know all about chigger bites and how to distinguish them, we hope you can always turn to experts on time and get treated immediately. Although we also hope that such a situation may never arise. But better be safer than sorry! Isn’t it?