Trombiculid mite (Larval stage)

Tall grass, low-lying vegetation, damp soil, and leaf litter; common in wooded areas.

Larvae feed on skin cells and lymph from animal hosts (humans, rodents, birds). Nymphs and adults eat insect eggs and small invertebrates.

Larvae wait on vegetation to latch onto passing hosts. They secrete digestive enzymes to dissolve skin tissue, creating a feeding tube called a stylostome. They naturally drop off after feeding for a few days.

Causes intense itching and red welts (Chiggers). Do not transmit diseases in North America, but can transmit scrub typhus in parts of Asia. Beneficial as adults by consuming pest insect eggs.