Chigger (Berry Bug, Harvest Mite)
Scientific Name: Trombicula alfreddugesi (and other Trombiculidae species)
Order & Family: Order: Trombidiformes; Family: Trombiculidae
Size: 0.1 to 0.4 mm (nearly microscopic to the naked eye)
Natural Habitat
Tall grass, weeds, berry patches, and woodland edges with damp soil and thick vegetation.
Diet & Feeding
Larvae feed on skin cells and lymph fluid of hosts; adults feed on insect eggs and small arthropods.
Behavior Patterns
The parasitic larvae attach to a host and inject digestive enzymes that liquefy skin cells for consumption. They do not burrow into skin or suck blood.
Risks & Benefits
Cause intense itching and red welts (chigger bites) in humans. While generally not disease vectors in North America, they can transmit scrub typhus in other regions. Ecosystem benefit as they are a food source for larger insects.
Identified on: 5/18/2026