Chigger

Low-lying, damp areas with thick vegetation such as forests, grassy fields, and gardens.

Larvae feed on skin cells and digestive enzymes from a host's skin; adults feed on insect eggs and small arthropods in soil.

Larvae are parasitic and search for hosts to latch onto. They do not burrow but pierce the skin and inject enzymes that liquefy skin cells for consumption. They typically fall off after a few days.

Risks include intense itching, hives, and skin rashes (trombiculosis). In some regions, they can transmit scrub typhus. They offer little direct benefit to humans but serve as part of the soil micro-ecosystem as adults.