Chiggers and lice are among the least popular critters out there. Imagine a tiny creature related to scorpions and spiders, one so small that you’d need a microscope to see it, yet it can cause extremely itchy skin. These little creatures, often misnamed as “chigger bites,” leave an intense itch with their saliva. Here’s how you can avoid or deal with them (spoiler: nail polish won’t work!).
Chiggers, scientifically known as Trombiculidae or Trombiculid mites, are also called harvest mites, mowers mites, harvest lice, and red bugs, among other names. They’re so minuscule that you’d need a magnifying glass to spot them. Chiggers love hanging out in shady spots with lots of vegetation, like fresh-cut grass, tall weeds, and wooded areas. A single female can lay hundreds of eggs that hatch and stay together, hence why you might find a whole bunch in one spot and none just a few feet away. Fully grown, they’re only about 1/150th of an inch in size, making them really hard to see or avoid.
If you’ve ever encountered them, you know how irritating they can be. Chiggers leave behind itchy welts similar to hives, often mistaken for “bites.” However, they
