Chiggers are the parasitic larval stage of mites belonging to the Trombiculidae family, responsible for causing trombiculosis. People often worry if these nearly microscopic, six-legged larvae can infest a home or bed, mistakenly thinking they are indoor pests like bed bugs or fleas. However, chiggers do not live or breed in beds, carpets, or other indoor environments.
The Truth About Chiggers and Indoor Spaces
Indoor settings, like a bedroom, do not provide the necessary environmental conditions for chiggers to survive and complete their life cycle. These mites require high moisture and specific temperatures, preferring a ground temperature range of 77°F to 86°F. The typical low humidity inside a climate-controlled home causes any chiggers carried in to quickly dehydrate and die.
Chiggers found inside a house are accidental guests, carried in on clothing, shoes, towels, or pets. The larval stage, which is the only one that bites humans, stays attached to a host for a maximum of a few days before dropping off to molt. Once they fall off indoors, they cannot find the leaf litter or damp soil needed to develop into non-parasitic nymphs and adults.
The chances of an actual indoor infestation are negligible, as a home cannot support the reproduction or sustained survival of chiggers. If you find new bites after being inside, the chiggers were likely still crawling on your body or clothing shortly after outdoor exposure. They will not colonize your mattress or upholstery like true indoor pests.
Identifying the Real Habitat of Chiggers
Chiggers are fundamentally outdoor creatures whose entire life cycle depends on soil and vegetation. They are most abundant in warm, humid regions and are active when temperatures are above 60°F, usually from late spring through early fall. They concentrate in dense, overgrown areas that provide both shade and moisture retention.
Preferred habitats include tall grasses, weedy fields, forest edges, brush thickets, and areas near natural bodies of water. The larval mites climb to the tips of low vegetation, like grass blades or fallen leaves, and wait for a suitable host to brush past. They are attracted to the carbon dioxide exhaled by passing animals, including small mammals, birds, reptiles, and humans.
Humans are considered accidental hosts, as the chigger’s preferred hosts are smaller outdoor vertebrates. The larvae must feed on a host before dropping to the ground and transforming into the next life stage. This dependency on a specific outdoor environment for molting and survival establishes them as pests of the outdoors, not the home.
Recognizing and Treating Chigger Bites
Chigger bites are characterized by itching that typically begins several hours after the mite has attached. The skin reaction appears as small, red welts, which may develop into blisters or pus-filled bumps. These bites frequently cluster in areas where clothing fits tightly, such as around the ankles, waistline, sock lines, or behind the knees.
A common misconception is that chiggers burrow into the skin, but this is untrue. They inject digestive enzymes that break down skin cells, which they then consume. The resulting red welt is the body’s reaction to the injected enzyme, sometimes swelling around the feeding mite and creating the illusion of burrowing. To treat suspected exposure, the first step is to take a warm shower or bath and vigorously scrub the skin with soap to dislodge any remaining larvae.
Once the bites appear, treatment focuses on managing the itching and preventing infection from scratching. Over-the-counter anti-itch products, such as calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream, or topical antihistamines, can provide relief. It is also advisable to wash any exposed clothing or bedding in hot water to ensure any clinging larvae are killed.