[alteration of jigger entry 3]: a six-legged usually red or orange mite larva (family Trombiculidae) that feeds on skin cells and causes intensely itchy reddish welts
also: the adult mite of this larva
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebChig, short for chigger, was a nickname given by teammates when Martin started playing sports. Mike Cason | Mcason@al.com, al, 9 Jan. 2022 Larson said the welts caused by these itch mites distinguish themselves with a white pimple in the center of the bite, whereas chigger bites either remain red or sink in the center. Sylvia Goodman, The Courier-Journal, 13 Aug. 2021 The bite of a mite creates a red welt that looks like a chigger bite, typically on the upper body, and will develop a large red circle around it, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health Prevention and Control. Steven Vargas, USA TODAY, 4 Aug. 2021 Instead, chiggers pierce the skin and inject saliva into the bite, which contains a powerful digestive enzyme that essentially breaks down the affected skin, so the chigger can feed on it. Maggie O'neill, Health.com, 5 Aug. 2020 Fortunately, chigger bites don't pose a huge health risk, and the main concern is simply getting the inflammation and itching under control. Maggie O'neill, Health.com, 5 Aug. 2020 Yet another type of typhus is known as scrub typhus, and is spread through chiggers or larval mites—but scrub typhus typically only occurs in rural areas of Southeast Asia, Indonesia, China, Japan, India, and northern Australia. Sarah Klein, Health.com, 31 Oct. 2019 Concentrate chemical insecticidal treatments on grassy areas, low bushes, near doghouses, and other potential chigger populations. Sallie Lee, AL.com, 5 June 2017 The South, like chiggers and divinity candy, is everlasting.Southern Living, 1 May 2017 See More