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Should You Be Worried About Chiggers?

August 22, 2012

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McCauley Services offers information about the common chiggers found in AR

You may have heard the name “chiggers” in reference to some sort of bug but if you have not actually seen a chigger around Arkansas then you are certainly not alone. These tiny red larvae which are often confused with clover mites are only about 1/128 of an inch long with makes them extremely hard to see with the naked eye. So, the question remains, what are chiggers and should you be worried about them?

Chiggers are tiny larvae that grow up to become a type of mite. Once emerged from the egg the larvae will crawl on the soil searching for a suitable host or crawl up grass stems and await the passage of one. The larvae commonly attaches to the host at the base of a hair follicles in areas where clothing is tight fitting such as the ankles, waist band, and armpits. It feeds by partially digesting the host's tissue with its saliva and then ingesting the resulting soup.

Sounds pretty disgusting, right? Well the good news is that chiggers do not suck blood nor do they burrow under the skin. People often complain of itching which is usually felt 3-6 hours after attachment and it may persist for a few weeks or longer. You could develop a rash that is often said to be like hives or pimple-like bumps and while it may be good to have your doctor diagnose this, commonly the treatment is just anti-itch creams.

If you are wondering how to avoid chiggers from attaching to you, then it is good to avoid or be cautious in the areas where they are most commonly found. Chiggers are most likely to be waiting for a host in the following areas:

• junction of forest and grass

• along margins of swamps

• blackberry patches

• brush thickets

If you believe that you may have a problem with chiggers and you reside in Little Rock, Hot Springs, or elsewhere in our Arkansas pest control service area, please contact us at McCauley Services for more information or to schedule a home inspection. At McCauley Services our dedicated team is ready to help you no matter what the pest or how severe the problem may be. Our Prescribed Home Protection Program helps to protect what matters most by keeping your home free from the threat of pests all year round!

Tags: arkansas pest control services  |  chiggers  |  identify chiggers  |  chiggers in Arkansas  |  Prescribed Home Protection Program

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