Chiggers are bad, mmmkay?

This is a chigger:

We do have these loathsome creatures in the Midwest, as I've known my dad to be attacked by them on fishing trips, but I think in the South they have become some sort of superbug. I had my first run-in with the "berry bug" or "harvest mite" a few days ago when I had to make a mad dash from the car in a bout of sickness (not a shining moment). Robbie and I were in the middle of Alabama, with the girls, on some no-name highway and I raced through scrub brush about knee high to find a spot to relieve my nausea.

Several hours later I noticed tiny red bumps all over my feet and legs. Two days later they look like this:

Ignore how freakish my foot looks due to camera angle and allow your eyes to drift to the connect-the-dots decorations present. If you have never had this horrid condition I cannot fully describe the severe itching that accompanies it. The itchiness of your average mosquito bite in no way compares to the torture, and these lesions come by the dozens. I have literally scratched my skin raw in spite of efforts to stop myself, thus risking secondary skin infection (the most common sequelae to chigger bites).

I have learned a lot about chiggers in the past few days and thought I would share some of the more interesting facts (and clear up some common misinformation) for anybody who might ever have the misfortune of running into these beasts.

*Chiggers are actually Trombiculidae, a type of mite (related to spiders). They are frequently confused with the jigger, or chigoe flea, which is found in South and Central America (as opposed to the more temperate climate of the chigger).

*The larvae are the only parasitic part of the lifecycle, and after feeding they drop from the host to mature. This is contrary to the popular myth that they remain in the skin and can therefore be suffocated with clear nail polish (although nail polish can help remind us not to scratch).

*Humans are accidental hosts for the species that live in America. There are species of chiggers whose intended host is humans in Asia, and these do not cause the severe itching seen in chigger bites here.

*After exposure you need to take a warm soapy bath and scrub your skin to get the mites off sooner than their normal 3-5 day feeding. I did not know this, and did not do it, hence my severe response. Hydrocortisone cream can reduce itching, as can benzocaine or ammonium hydroxide.

*The severe itching is not due to the chigger itself, or the bite, but rather due to a digestive enzyme the larvae release that liquefies the tissue it contacts. This is what the chigger feeds on via a stylostome that forms (think of it like a straw they are sucking up your flesh milkshake with). The stylostome is what causes the continued itching through your body's allergic reaction to it. It takes ten or so days for your body to resorb the stylostome.


And there you have it; more than I (or you) ever wanted to know about chiggers. I hope it will serve you well should you ever encounter the little buggers...I know I will know better what to do next time. Of course, the best treatment is always prevention, so plan ahead when possible with DEET or some equivalent!

//edit: I also read that hydrogen peroxide can help with itching, and as I don't have hydrocortisone or anything else at home I just gave it a shot. It seems to be providing at least some temporary relief. We'll see how long it lasts!