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Location: Cheshire, UK.
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 354
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Look what I just found with the help of your name for the critters, Brundog. Thanks again, at least now I know what Im dealing with. What a lovely alternative name for them too, Chiggers.
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Chiggers
Chiggers: aka harvest mites, red bugs, jiggers, berry bugs or bracken bugs. They put in an appearance during the late summer and early fall. Orange in color, they are barely visible to the human eye. Chiggers are not true insects; they are mites belonging to the Arachnid group that includes spiders, ticks and scorpions. Chiggers maintain a home deep within tall grassy areas, lawns and underbrush.
For chiggers to become mature mites they must first feed off a warm-blooded animal. They lie in wait while their prey (humans or other animals including pets) work or play blissfully unaware of the torment about to befall them. Chiggers tend to attach themselves within protective body creases or crevices, where they can proceed to feast in safety.
However, chiggers do not feed off of blood. This is a myth. It is likely this misconception arose from the chigger’s orange coloration. Chiggers are barely visible to the naked eye, but en masse, they impart an orange color to the skin when attached in large numbers.
Chiggers have mouthparts similar to ticks and affix themselves to the skin with their strong jaws. They inject their saliva into the epidermis initially causing skin to harden around the mouthpart, creating a “straw” through which it feeds. The saliva actually liquefies the skin cells. It is this cellular soup that provides nourishment, not blood. Feeding lasts for 2 to 3 days and then the chigger drops back to the ground to complete its life cycle. Chiggers do not burrow beneath the skin’s surface or set up permanent residence upon its hapless victim. These again are common myths.
After a chigger has matured into the adult stage, nourishment is limited to vegetation.
The host animal will ultimately experience a delayed reaction to the proteins in the chigger’s saliva which results in intense itching, ranging from 24-48 hours after the chigger has bitten. In fact, the chigger may be long gone by the time the itching has begun. With this in mind, treatment is aimed at helping soothe the discomfort, not trying to smother a non-existent chigger.
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(This was actually from dermadoctor, believe it or not. Hope its ok for me to have posted the above-thought it may help someone else.)