Chiggers
Trombiculidae · also called Red bugs and Chigger mites · Last checked November 3, 2026.
Chiggers ("red bugs") are the tiny larvae of mites in the family Trombiculidae, scarcely visible to the eye. They wait on vegetation in grassy, weedy or brushy places and attach where clothing fits tightly, such as ankles, waist and armpits. Their bites cause red welts and intense itching. They do not burrow into skin or suck blood. Extension services in Florida and Indiana say chiggers there or in the U.S. are not known to transmit disease, but scratching can lead to secondary infection, and some people have allergic reactions. UF/IFAS Extension
This page covers a family (Trombiculidae), not a single species.
On this page
Are chiggers dangerous?
Purdue Extension: injury is mainly intense itching and irritation; chiggers in the U.S. are not known to transmit disease, though scratching can cause secondary infection. Purdue Extension Entomology
“Chiggers in the U.S. are not known to transmit disease”
Bites and stings: Yes. Only the larvae bite people and other animals; bites cause welts and intense itching.
No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
How to identify chiggers
A photo or description can narrow it down, but cannot confirm what an animal is or that it is safe. Look from a distance and do not handle wild animals.
Size: Larvae are 0.15-0.3 mm (about 1/100 inch); adults are about 1 mm (Texas A&M); nymphs about 1/20 inch (UF). Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Colors: Larvae yellowish to light red (orange-yellow per UF); adults brilliant red and velvety.
Key features
- Biting larvae have six legs; nymphs and adults have eight legs and do not bite people Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- Barely visible to the human eye Purdue Extension Entomology
- On black cardboard they show up as tiny yellow or pink moving dots (UF survey tip) UF/IFAS Extension
Young
The larva is the stage that bites; it crawls on the soil surface and vegetation looking for a host.
Where chiggers live
- Native or listed
- Nonnative or not established
- No official record in our data
- 1–9
- 10–99
- 100–999
- 1,000+
State boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau, cartographic boundary file cb_2024_us_state_20m.
When it is active
Late spring to fall in most of Texas; may be active year-round in southern areas (Texas A&M) and in South Florida (UF). Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Too few open-licence records to chart by month: GBIF has only 17 records CC0 or CC BY human observations for all chigger mites (family Trombiculidae) in the US.
Habitat and habits
Habitat: Low, damp areas with heavy vegetation (some species prefer dry areas), shrubs and small trees where rodents are common, briar patches, uncut grass and weeds; they occur in patches and can persist in lawns. UF/IFAS Extension
Behavior: Larvae climb onto people from vegetation and attach where clothing is tight or skin is thin: sock lines, waist, groin, behind the knees, armpits.
Diet: Larvae feed on skin tissue dissolved by their saliva, not blood; nymphs and adults eat small insects and insect eggs.
Young: Egg, larva, nymph, adult (UF also lists an inactive prelarva); development in 2-12 months; up to four generations a year in southern Texas.
Questions about chiggers
Chiggers bug
Chiggers are not insects. They are the larvae of mites in the family Trombiculidae, arachnids more closely related to spiders and ticks than to insects (Texas A&M).
Chiggers bite
Chiggers pierce the skin and inject a digestive fluid that breaks down skin cells, which causes red welts and intense itching. Itching usually starts within hours and peaks at 24 to 48 hours (Texas A&M). Purdue says chiggers in the U.S. are not known to transmit disease.
Chiggers bug bites
Bites cluster where clothing is tight or skin is thin: ankles and sock lines, waist, groin, behind the knees and armpits.
Chiggers on skin
They do not burrow into the skin. Chiggers that attach to people usually fall off or die within hours (UF). Swelling around a feeding chigger can make it look as if it has burrowed in (Texas A&M).
Chiggers rash
UF/IFAS: bites cause small reddish welts that may last for two weeks; this is called chigger dermatitis or trombiculosis. For any severe reaction: Call 911 or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.
Chiggers in florida
Yes. UF/IFAS Extension covers chiggers in Florida, says they may be active all year in South Florida, and says that in Florida they are not known to transmit any human disease agent.
Chiggers how to get rid of them
UF/IFAS: frequent mowing and clearing shrubbery and weeds removes the cover chiggers need. Texas A&M: keeping grass short makes lawns less hospitable. Both recommend protective clothing and labeled repellents in chigger areas. Follow product label directions.
Sources
- Chiggers (ENY-212 / EDIS IG085). UF/IFAS Extension. revised January 2022; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (3)
“They will appear as tiny yellow or pink dots moving across cardboard.”
“The larva is the parasitic stage that feeds on humans and animals.”
“Chiggers are most often found in low, damp areas where vegetation is heavy, although some species prefer dry areas.”
- Chiggers (E-34-W). Purdue Extension Entomology. April 2018; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (2)
“Chiggers in the U.S. are not known to transmit disease”
“A chigger is a tiny parasitic mite, scarcely visible to the human eye.”
- Chiggers (E-365). Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. page meta article:modified_time 2024-05-28; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (6)
“The tiny larvae that hatch have six legs, are yellowish to light-red, and measure 0.15 to 0.3 mm (1/100 inch) in diameter.”
“Only the chigger larvae are parasitic. … Nymphs and adults have eight legs and are predators, feeding on small insects and insect eggs found in the soil.”
“Contrary to common belief, chiggers do not burrow into a host’s skin or suck blood.”
“Bites are most common at sites around sock lines on the ankles where socks fit tightly, around the waist and near the groin.”
“Chiggers are active from late spring to fall in most parts of Texas, but they may remain active year-round in southern areas”
“Under favorable conditions, chiggers can complete their development in 2 to 12 months.”
- GBIF.org occurrence records, human observations licensed CC0 1.0 or CC BY 4.0 only, accessed November 3, 2026. The datasets behind these counts are listed on our Sources page.
- State boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau, cartographic boundary file cb_2024_us_state_20m.