> I'm not sure I want to know, but have been convinced I NEED to know.
What is a "chigger" and how do I avoid them? - Teresa M.

Hey! A Chigger Bit Me (from the Internet)

Description:
Mites can be found all over the Earth, on land and in water and on all
types of creatures, even insects. Chiggers are a type of mite, and
mites, like spiders and scorpions are not insects. They are arachnids.
The almost invisible, bright red chigger larva needs to eat blood in
order to pass into its adult stage. The chigger larva prefers to dine on
animals, but given the chance, it will surely find you just as tasty. If
you are hiking through tall grass, picking berries or just lying down in
a grassy meadow, chiggers will spot you. They have claws at the ends of
their six legs that they use to attach themselves to you. Not even
clothes will stop them from chewing on you. Once attached, they'll
burrow through until they find your skin where they'll begin to dine.
Chiggers usually bite around ankles, legs and waistlines. Chiggers also
have claws for a mouth. Chiggers bite you with these claws and also
inject you with their digestive juices which actually turn your skin
cells into a liquid the chigger can suck. Even after the chiggers are
gone, their digestive juice still continues doing its job. This explains
why the itching from chigger bites can keep going on even after the
chiggers are gone.

The Bite Looks and Feels Like:
Chigger bites will make you itch. They will also cause a tiny red spot
to develop on your skin. As time goes by, the itch will get worse and
the red spot will get larger.

What You Can Do:
The chance of getting what doctor's call a secondary infection is very
real with chigger bites. This infection develops from scratching the
bite with your fingernails. It is important, but hard to remember not to
scratch chigger bites. Calamine lotion will help to stop the itch. So
will antihistamines such as Benadryl.

What A Doctor Should Do:
If you are bitten in the genital area by a chigger, or if you are
particularly sensitive to their bite, you may get a fever or headache. A
doctor will examine you and try to determine what might have bitten you
by asking you questions about where you've been playing. If you have a
secondary infection, the doctor will probably give you an antibiotic
drug prescription.

Avoid Getting Bit By:
When hiking through or playing in fields, wear clothes that fit snugly
around your ankles, wrists, and neck. Avoid sleeping on the ground if
you are camping. Wear an insect repellent that contains DEET.

The URL of this page is http://KidsHealth.org/kid/games/chigger.html

Rick Romea "Asps...very dangerous...you go first"
Seattle, WA - Raiders of the Lost Ark

rromea at stioptronics.com
206-523-5831 (Home)
206-827-0460 X 316 (Work)