Chiggers are the larval stage of a tiny mite, and they are the reason that walk through the field at the edge of the woods left you covered in itchy welts a day later. They do not burrow and they do not stay on you - the bites are an irritated reaction to where they fed and dropped off. By December most are gone, but warm pockets along the southern Delmarva line can keep a few going.
What it looks and feels like
- Small bright red bumps, often clustered where clothing was tight - sock tops, waistband, bra line.
- Intense itch that peaks 24 to 48 hours after the exposure and lasts up to two weeks.
- No tick, no visible bug - just the welts, which is why people often blame fleas or bed bugs by mistake.
What to do right now
- Shower with warm soapy water as soon as you come in from the field; chiggers wash off easily.
- Toss the clothes you wore straight into the wash - hot water and normal detergent are enough.
- For the itch: 1% hydrocortisone two or three times a day on the worst spots, calamine elsewhere.
- Oral antihistamines at night help you sleep through the worst 48 hours.
- Skip the old 'paint them with nail polish' trick - the bug is long gone, and you are just irritating the skin.
Local note
Delmarva chiggers love the brushy edges of soybean fields, hunting blinds, and abandoned pasture in Sussex, Worcester, and Accomack counties. Tucking pant legs into socks and treating boot tops with a permethrin spray once a season is the cheapest insurance you can buy.
One last itch before the cold settles in. See you in January.
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