So, today I was laying down and thinking of what bugs I have or haven’t written about. It just so happens that I was outside in my lawn chair, when I looked down and saw some small bugs on my skin. Thankfully, they weren’t what I thought they were and I was able to just brush them off. But, it got me thinking. What’s one of the worst things you can have to infest your skin? The simple answer is chiggers. That’s why today, we’re going to discuss some chigger control basics.
Chigger Control: Overview
To start with, what are chiggers? Well, chiggers are the young form of a type of mite. And, unlike popular belief, they do not burrow and remain under the skin. They ingest digestive enzymes into your skin to kill it and then feed on the dead tissue.
Often, you’ll feel this pest before you see it, and that’s when you’ll start thinking of the chigger control. They’re common issues faced by homes and residences, and vary in color from orange to red, and are so small that you’ll usually not see them with the human eye. Chiggers are commonly found in areas overgrown with vegetation, such as tall grasses and shady, humid areas around bodies of water like lakes and rivers. They usually attach themselves to animals like rodents and birds, and then even you if you manage to pass by.
They don’t transmit disease, but their bites alone are incredibly irritating and cause excessive itching and scratching. And though there are many small insects that bite, you need to know which one is which. The grassy areas that chiggers live in are also home to things like ticks and fleas, so making sure you know which pest you’re having the issue with is very important. To set chiggers apart, there are a few things to look for.
Chigger Characteristics:
The adult chigger has eight legs, while nymphs have six. If you view them up close with a magnifying glass, you can see that they’re bright red in color. This makes them stand out if they’re walking on the surface of a plant or a surface in your home. In fact, they look similar to small crabs, just without the pincers.
Like I said before if your skin has become infested, you’ve probably gotten them in areas where vegetation has made contact with your skin. This usually happens on the arms and lower legs. They then inject the enzyme into your skin and create a sort of feeding tube. Chigger larvae then feed upon the destroyed tissue. If they are not disturbed (which is rarely the case because they cause substantial itching) they may feed through the stylostome for a few days.
A chigger’s mouth and feeding structures are weak, and that means they look for weak areas to pierce with their teeth. This means wrinkles, folds, or other areas of the skin that are thin. Things like armpits, ankles, crotch regions and groins are the most commonly bit.
What are some chigger bite symptoms?
If you’re looking into chigger control, you have to be sure that’s what bit you. A single bite isn’t noticeable, but when they’ve injected your skin with their digestive goo…that’s another story. Symptoms tend to start one to three hours after.
The most common symptom is pronounced itching. After that, the area of the bite may be reddened, flat, or raised. They resemble swollen pustules or blisters. The itching gets the most intense one to two days after the bite. This is caused by the presence of the chemical stylostome.
The itching usually persists for several days after, and the complete healing of the lesions takes around two weeks. If you see that multiple bites are present, the condition may be mistaken for eczema or allergic contact dermatitis. History of outdoor activity can suggest that chigger bites are the cause of itching and characteristic skin changes.
If you’re sure it’s a chigger that bit you, you can try a few things to relieve the itching. Try taking a cold shower or applying a cold compress. Even sitting in a cold bath could help. Or, try an over the counter medication for chigger bites. Things that relieve itching and inflammation like Calamine lotion and corticosteroid creams. Any home remedy based around suffocating the chiggers won’t work, as they don’t actually burrow under your skin.
Chigger Control: The environment
Now, let’s get to the meat of the matter. Before you can do anything about a chigger infestation, you need to figure out where they were picked up. If you think it was from somewhere outside of your home, like a trip to the woods or some lake, you’re probably fine as long as you didn’t come home with enough to somehow infest your place.
But, if you think you got it from your own property, there are a few areas to search. The vast majority of infestations occur outdoors, so search in your yard, landscaping, yard debris, leaf litter, and piles of wood. Check these areas twice if they’re in the shade and there are tall grasses, shrubs, and bushes around. Chiggers thrive in moist, shady areas with plenty of foliage.
Of course, when you’re looking at your property, the biggest single piece of proof you can find that you need chigger control is the chigger themselves. But, you likely won’t see them because they’re so tiny. They hide in these shrubs and on the tips of tall grass. When there, they extend their arms and wait for a host to pass by. If you have pets or a dog house, check those spots for chiggers, as outside pets make an easy meal for this pest.
A good inspection technique is to wear long white socks and walk through these areas of your yard to see if any Chiggers attach themselves to your socks. Once you have identified these “hot spots” you can move forward with treatment. And if you go with chigger control treatment, make sure to go with a natural method- as chemical pesticides have been long since proven dangerous to your health.
