When warm weather makes its annual return, people across the country rejoice in the departure of cold, miserable winter conditions. Spring and summer provide perfect opportunities for escaping the confines of our homes and enjoying the great outdoors. From fishing, camping, and hiking to simply lounging in the back yard, the possibilities for spending time outdoors are endless. Pleasant weather allows us to soak up the sun, breathe fresh air, and take advantage of chances to be more active.

Of course, not all aspects of spring and summer are enjoyable. With the return of warmer temperatures and the rebirth of foliage, certain hazards arise. Among the most significant are creatures that live outdoors. When humans invade their territory during the warmer months, those critters’ survival instincts prevail. Some of those threats are so small they’re barely noticeable. Chiggers certainly fall into that category, making chigger control in yards particularly crucial.

Taking a Closer Look at Chiggers

Chiggers are a type of mite with the scientific name Trombiculidae. That’s an awfully big name for such a small creature. They’re bright red in color, but despite their vivid hue, they’re almost impossible to see at a glance. Chiggers use their six clawed legs to attach themselves to people and other mammals. From there, they crawl around on their unsuspecting hosts looking for optimal spots to feed.

Once chiggers find their preferred feeding spots, which are often around the waist, in bends of the arms and legs, and on the ankles, they pierce their victims’ skin. After doing so, they inject their saliva into their hosts. Their saliva contains enzymes that essentially kill skin cells. Those dead cells create a portal through which chiggers enjoy their meals. Once they’ve fed or their hosts scratch their bite sites, the chiggers fall away full and happy.

Where Do Chiggers Live?

Chiggers can be found almost anywhere. They prefer warm, damp, wooded areas and are often found in gardens and patches of tall grass or weeds. They can also thrive in people’s yards. They wait among grass, weeds, and trees for potential hosts to wander by. When an unsuspecting human meal arrives, they transition to clothing and travel from there to feeding spots. They can also attach themselves to pets’ fur and work their way to the skin underneath.

Many people consider chiggers to be an outdoor problem. Though that’s primarily the case, they can also live indoors. If they travel inside with people and pets, they’ll set up shops for carpet, bedding, and furniture. Then, they’ll lie in wait for future meals. That means controlling chiggers outside the home is the key to in-depth protection against their bites.

Are Chiggers Dangerous?

No doubt the process described above sounds terrible. If chiggers were much larger, they might resemble something out of a science fiction or horror movie, silently digesting their hosts for the sake of survival. Still, their diminutive nature renders them fairly innocuous. Though the enzymes in their saliva kill skin cells, their bites are relatively harmless in most cases.

That doesn’t mean chigger bites don’t have side effects. When chiggers bite, the substances they inject into their victims can cause severe itching that may last 48 hours or so. The bites may leave behind red welts or small blisters, too. It’s also fair to mention that chiggers travel in packs, so to speak, so victims rarely experience a single bite. All that’s reason enough to want to rid a yard of chiggers, and the fact that the pests can move indoors provides further motivation.

Additionally, some people may experience more serious repercussions from chigger bites. In some cases, the enzymes injected into the skin combined with excessive scratching and skin irritation may lead to infections. Chiggers can also carry bacteria known as scrub typhus. This bacterium can cause a serious illness that includes fever, chills, aching, and other symptoms. It may even lead to death. Cases of scrub typhus are rare in the United States, but such an infection isn’t entirely impossible.

How to Control Chiggers

Since chiggers are so small, recognizing an infestation isn’t easy. They can take over a yard before a homeowner even realizes there’s a problem. At the same time, keeping them away isn’t a simple feat. As is the case with many insects, they often persevere despite people’s best efforts to keep them at bay. However, certain measures can help keep them from getting out of hand.

Keep the Yard Tidy

One way to reduce the risk of a chigger infestation is to keep the yard neatly trimmed. Since chiggers like to live in areas with tall grass and weeds, regularly mowing the lawn and keeping gardens weeded can be somewhat effective. Keeping the yard free of broken lawn furniture and other items that are difficult to mow around can be helpful as well.
Keep shrubs trimmed, and keep the areas around them clean. Rake leaves away to eliminate areas where chiggers can hide. Consider keeping firewood in a shed or storing it away from the house because it can provide an inviting atmosphere for chiggers. Overall, the main goal of these measures is to eliminate shady, damp areas that are known to attract chiggers.

Seek Professional Intervention

Beyond those measures, it may be necessary to seek professional intervention for chigger control. Pest control experts can offer an array of solutions for eliminating these problematic insects. Though some experts use chemical pesticides, organic solutions are available. Furthermore, professionals can help with controlling other types of pests that may serve as hosts for chiggers, such as chipmunks and squirrels.

Keeping Chiggers at Bay

Chiggers are barely noticeable, and they may seem harmless. Their bites can certainly cause a great deal of discomfort, though. In some instances, bites can even lead to infections and illnesses that require medical treatment. With all that being the case, keeping chiggers under control is essential.

Keep the yard neat and clean, and don’t hesitate to seek help from pest control specialists to prevent infestations. Keeping chiggers at bay outdoors will help to keep them from moving inside where they can cause even more trouble. Of course, if they’ve already made their way inside, pest control solutions are available for that problem as well.