Fight Back Against Chiggers
Texas has its share of dreaded pests, including mosquitos and fire ants. But our state is plagued by chiggers, too. Can they cause problems?
What Is a Chigger?
These pesky creatures are mites – more closely related to spiders, ticks, and scorpions than other insects. Once grown, these mites do not harm humans.
When adults lay eggs, however, the young critters hatch and become hungry larvae known as chiggers. These tiny creatures are yellow to light-red and are under half a millimeter in size. Some stories claim they dig under a person’s skin and perhaps draw blood, but this is not correct.
The truth is similarly disgusting, however. Sharp mouth parts puncture the skin while a digestive enzyme is injected to dissolve skin cells for food. One of these critters may feed for 3 days before dropping off and growing into its next life stage.
What Harm Do Their Bites Cause?
You will likely experience:
- Itching around the bites within a few hours
- Reddish areas
- Bumps or pustules
Inflamed, swollen skin may envelop the tiny creature and make it appear as though it has burrowed beneath the surface.
How Do They Come in Contact With People?
In Texas, chiggers tend to be active from late spring through fall but can remain active in southern areas year-round.
These parasites like to catch a ride on people walking through infested vegetation. They thrive in wild brush and tall grass, and foraging wildlife such as rabbits, raccoons, and rodents may bring them into a yard space.
After latching on to clothing or shoes, they can navigate around a person’s body for hours before choosing a place to settle down and feed. Common areas include tight clothing spots, sock lines, the waist, behind the knee, and below the armpit.
How Do I Get Rid of Them and Keep Them Away?
Home Run Pest Control provides expert service with the integrity you would expect from a family-owned and operated company. We use a broadcast spray in yard areas to distribute a low-toxicity pesticide capable of eliminating adult populations. It will be absorbed by difficult-to-reach areas like compost heaps, wood piles, and thick vegetation, and it includes a growth inhibitor to stop eggs from hatching.
We recommend our Quarterly Perimeter Pest Protection program to keep these pests away, and we offer an additional yard protection program as well.
Contact us today to find answers to your questions and receive quality-guaranteed solutions to meet your needs.