There is nothing worse than pesky bug bites that give you intense itching. I think we can all agree they are highly unpleasing to deal with. Some of the most irritating insect bites of all are chigger bites, as they are hard to see and leave uncomfortable red marks. Chigger bites are pronounced in a group of red dots in one area of your body, they can be either flat or raised red bumps. A lot of the time they tend to look like a blister or pimple.
Chiggers are red bugs that can be found in many places that you and your family may hang out while enjoying the outdoors, so it is important to understand how to deal with chiggers to prevent their painful sting. Today we are sharing our expertise regarding the habits of these creatures and how to best avoid chiggers.
Where Do They Live?
Chigger sightings in North America are most common in late spring, all summer, and early fall, as they prefer the warm weather. Unfortunately, there is no geographic area that is safe from chiggers, they inhabit most places, including North Texas. They prefer moist tall grass and forest-like areas and are not opposed to hanging out in your yard.
Chiggers will attach to your pets, your clothes and your skin to find a place to leave their mark. When adult chiggers reproduce they do not fly far, their baby’s tend to stay in the same area. So if you think chiggers have infested your yard, it is best to rid them as soon as possible.
What To Do When You Suspect Chiggers
Chiggers latch onto your skin, bite you and then inject saliva that impairs the skin cell causing inflammation. To chiggers, these cells become food and they will stay on you as long as you are feeding them. The pain may take a bit to notice but once you do, follow these first aid steps to treat-chigger-bites:
- Check your body or your child’s body for small red bumps, be sure to look around your midsection, armpits, groin area, and your lower legs.
- If you see any small bugs or bites immediately shower with hot water and soap to remove all bugs. A long soapy hot shower will be your best friend.
- Next, wash all clothes, blankets, or towels that the chiggers could have had access to. They will live on the material and try to attack again if you let them.
- Lastly, treat your bites with over-the-counter itch cream (such as calamine lotion) and Benadryl to ease the bite. Scratching can cause the pain of the bites to worsen.
How To Prevent A Chigger Bite
When you are enjoying the outdoors, avoiding chiggers is easiest by wearing an insect repellent that has DEET or by wearing clothes that have been treated with an insecticide. If you want to avoid chemicals you can use natural home remedies like tea tree oil, citronella, eucalyptus, or lemongrass on exposed skin.
When applying insect repellent focus on areas that bugs can easily access exposed skin, especially the ankle, arm, and neck areas. Also, if you are in a densely forested area, it is important to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to protect yourself from chiggers.
Trust us, you don’t want a chigger infestation in your home! So make sure you give Chorbie a call to help with your pest control needs. We are here to protect your home from such pest infestations so you and your family can enjoy summer to the fullest!
