Parasitic mites that attack animals and humans by attaching to the skin surface. They inject a substance that breaks down the skin, resulting in itching and swelling. Chiggers do not feed on blood; the symptoms are due to the injected saliva; rather, they eat the broken-down skin.
The harvest mite; also known as “mower’s mite,” trombiculid mite, or red bug. During summer months, hikers, outdoor enthusiasts, and field hands may become infested with these nonscabietic mites, which tend to attach to the skin, causing an intensely itchy rash. The skin irritation results from an allergic reaction to the injected saliva of the insect; unlike some other insects, the mites do not feed on human blood. Occasionally chiggers act as vectors for rickettsial diseases, such as scrub typhus. Infestation can be prevented by applying insect repellents to outdoor clothing.
A tropical sand flea, known as the chigger, is responsible for causing chigger disease. This condition occurs when the female chigger burrows into the skin of the feet and legs to deposit its eggs, leading to irritation and, if left untreated, ulceration. Chiggers are also commonly referred to as “chigoes.”