Little Bug-a-Boos

The beautiful white heads wave gracefully in the hot summer breeze, when there is one, that is. The tiny little blossoms grow in a perfect lacy circle atop a four-foot tall stem graced with fernlike leaves.  If you look closely, you’ll see that each blossom has a perfect little purple center…or is that a red center? Wait, it’s moving!  As beautiful as Queen Anne’s Lace is, it has earned the name around here of chigger weed and if you’ve never been personally introduced to chiggers and their mean little nips, you’re one of the lucky ones.

The bites show up first as annoying red bumps. Then the itching begins. Then big red welts form and the itching gets worse.  From your ankles upward, and especially those tender places your mother told you never to scratch in public, a crazy-dog-itch develops. The more you scratch, the more it itches, and this can last days, even weeks.

You probably never even saw those little buggers coming.  What are chiggers anyway?  And while we’re at it, why do they bite us?  We haven’t done anything to them to deserve this!

Most folks believe that chiggers are simply miniscule bugs that bite.  Some people think they burrow under the skin, drink our blood and then die right there. Remedies include suffocation with nail polish or bathing in alcohol, bleach, or salt water.  Unfortunately, none of this works.

Chiggers are not bugs at all. They are the larval stage of a particular mite, and mites are arachnids like spiders and scorpions, and are closely related to ticks. Should’ve known. Chiggers are unique in that they are the only mite larvae to feed on vertebrates like us, and they only do that when they are youngsters. After they grow a little, they become vegetarians and live on the soil.

Chiggers are soooo tiny, only 1/150th of an inch in diameter and that’s why we can’t see them immediately; in fact, what we usually see is a cluster of them gathered together and by then it’s too late. Their red color does not come from the ingestion of blood either, by the way.  They’re born red, and fully engorged chiggers turn yellow. Then you really can’t see them!

Chiggers are most prevalent during the summer when weeds and grass are lush and growing. They lurk, just waiting for you to pass and brush up against the greenery and transfer themselves to your clothing. Then comes the really nefarious creeping to those parts of us that are most susceptible: thinner flesh such as that around ankles, in the armpits, behind the knees, in front of the elbow or in the groin. We are not, however, the only victims.  Chiggers prey on wild animals, domestic pets, wild animals including reptiles, poultry and birds.

So why is the “bite” from such a miniscule varmint so irritating?  Chiggers don’t actually bite.  They insert their mouth parts into the skin and inject a digestive enzyme that breaks down our skin and the chiggers feed on that.  This digestive fluid also causes the skin around the site to harden, forming a sort of feeding tube from which the chigger feeds for a few days. When sated, the chigger drops from the site, leaving the red itching welts we are so familiar with.

Prevention involves the usual methods:  don’t sit down in the grass for any length of time, wear clothes that completely cover the skin, spray yourself all over with a product like Cutter or Off before heading out, and thoroughly wash all your clothes upon your return from the outdoors.  If all this fails, and it might, try not to scratch!  Frantic scratching breaks down the skin cells and can cause secondary infections.  Apply ointments of benzocaine, hydrocortisone, calamine lotion, or After Bite.  Some folks use Vaseline, cold cream or baby oil.  Just use whatever works for you.

Lastly, resist the urge to wear a flea collar around your ankles.  As a pet owner myself, I’ve often wondered how effective a flea and tick collar would be on me since I find myself picking those offending things off fairly frequently.  In truth, the chemicals in flea collars can cause skin burns and have toxic effects on humans.

Chiggers are ugly and their “bite” even uglier.  These miniscule science fiction monsters are the bane of summer activities and forays into the beautiful fields of wild flowers in June and July.  But, take heart.  Chiggers are sensitive to temperature and when the weather begins to cool, the little guys will disappear. In the meantime, don’t scratch!