You may never even see them coming. In fact, you probably won’t. You’re certainly going to feel the bites once it’s over, though. It’s the humble chigger, and they’re a defining summer bug unlike any other. Keeping them out of the lawn isn’t easy, but it is possible.
Wait, What’s a Chigger?
If you’re not familiar with this tiny summer icon, you may need a quick overview. Chiggers are actually tiny mites. You may hear them called harvest mites or scrub mites. They need protein to grow, and often that protein comes from you. Unlike old myths used to suggest, they don’t actually burrow under your skin. Instead, they attach themselves to a pore, inject an enzyme to break down the fluid in your skin cells, and leave. The process, though, leaves behind an itchy red bump that may have you scratching for days.
Are They Dangerous?
Fortunately, chiggers are just annoying, not actually dangerous. They don’t spread any diseases if you’re in the United States. In other countries, though, they can pose more serious threats to your health. The one real danger here is that chigger bites can actually get infected, so be sure to keep those bites clean and scratch as little as possible.
Chigger Bite Prevention
Wondering how to keep these frustrating pests off of you? There’s not much you can do if you’re going to be out and about in damp areas with lots of vegetation. They want concealed, moist areas, so they’ll try to attach to your skin under your tightest bits of clothing, including your socks and underwear. You can decrease your bite chances by wearing loose clothing in infested areas and showering the moment you walk in the door before the chiggers have a chance to stop biting.
If you’re on your own property, there are actually several steps you can take to avoid chigger problems. Start by eliminating potential habitats on your property. Chiggers are looking for thick vegetation, so mow and trim on a regular basis. Make certain you eliminate any yard debris as quickly as possible, and if you have densely planted shrubs or trees, you may want to thin things out a bit.
The other thing you can do is contact a professional Brevard County pest control service for help. Chigger infestations are notoriously difficult to eliminate because they may be in abundance in one area of your property but completely absent in another suitable space. The right pest control service can help you find out where they might be hiding and deal with them appropriately so you don’t have to fight the biting little problem over the course of the summer.