Marion Barnes, Senior County Extension Agent, Clemson University
It’s official: summer has arrived with the heat, humidity, and red bugs. Many Lowcountry residents are just “itching” for some relief from these pests so common to our area of the state. Red bugs, also called chiggers, among other names that may not be appropriate to repeat, especially if you have encountered them, are a type of mite closely related to ticks. In their larval stage, they can cause a lot of torment and itching. They live along the margins of woods and fields and are hard to avoid if one spends much time outdoors near their habitat.
The adults are often called red bugs due to their bright red color. They pass the winter in leaf litter and debris commonly found in overgrown areas around yards, gardens, and woodlands. Red bugs become active in the spring and throughout the summer. The adult female mites lay from one to five eggs per day in leaf litter, damp soil, and overgrown weeds. In about a week or less, the larvae (immature form) hatch from the eggs, crawl over low vegetation such as grass and fallen leaves, and wait for a suitable host to come along. They are attracted to the carbon dioxide exhaled by the host. Once on their host, they crawl around the body for a while. Red bugs attach themselves to areas without fur on animals. On humans, they tend to collect in places where clothing is tight, such as a belt around the waist or socks around the ankle. The larvae pierce the skin around hair follicles and release their skin-dissolving saliva. They feed on the resulting liquid.
Contrary to popular belief, red bugs do not burrow under the skin nor feed on blood. The enzymes and proteins left behind from the mite’s feeding process cause the skin to become inflamed and itchy. These larvae are so small, about 1/128th of an inch, that they are felt before they are seen. After feeding, they drop off the host and go to the ground. In about a week or ten days, the red bug larvae molts into a nymph that is not a human pest. After two weeks to a month, the nymphs molt into adults. Like the nymph, adults are not pests to humans. The life cycle of the red bug generally takes from 40 to 75 days, but may take longer, depending on environmental conditions.
Prevention is the best way to avoid bites from red bugs. If these pests are a problem around your home, cut weeds, vegetation, and grass short to reduce bites. Wearing long pants tucked into boots or socks, long-sleeved, tight, cuffed shirts when venturing into a red bug habitat. The use of insect repellent can also deter red bugs. Some types of repellents are made for application to clothing only. Read and follow all label directions and restrictions before applying insect repellent to clothing or skin. Check with your physician or medical provider for more information on repellents and treatments for red bug bites.
For more information, refer to Home and Garden Information Center Fact Sheet HGIC 2476, Chiggers, by J.M. Sargent, Dr.P.A. Zungoli, and Dr. E.P.Benson: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/chiggers/
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