Community identification
Chigger (Berry Bug, Harvest Mite)
Trombiculidae (family)
- Order & Family
- Order: Trombidiformes; Family: Trombiculidae
- Size
- 0.15 to 0.3 mm (larval stage), nearly invisible to the naked eye.
Natural Habitat
Low-lying vegetation, tall grass, forests, and damp areas near soil.
Diet & Feeding
Larvae feed on skin cells/tissues of host animals; adults feed on insect eggs and small invertebrates.
Behavior Patterns
Larvae wait on vegetation to crawl onto a host; they do not burrow but inject enzymes into the skin to dissolve tissue, which they then consume.
Risks & Benefits
Cause intense itching and red welts (trombiculosis). While usually harmless in the US, some species in Asia carry scrub typhus.