Watch Out for those 'Mitey' Chiggers!

The days are long, warm and beautiful, which means you and your family are likely spending a lot of time enjoying the outdoors! Well... 'enjoying' is a relative term when you factor in those pesky itchy chiggers chewing up your legs and midsection. And, man can those little pests put a damper in your summer fun! This week, A B Pest Control & Insulation wants to share with you some information about chiggers, how they find their hosts, and even how to relieve the itching once you've been bitten. Take a look:

What is a Chigger?
Chiggers are tiny larvae members of the arachnid family and are sometimes called red bugs. Adult chiggers don't bite. It's the babies, called larvae, that you have to watch out for. They're red, orange, yellow, or straw-colored, and no more than 0.3 millimeters long. Chiggers live in tall weeds and grass, in berry patches, and in wooded areas. They are most active on spring, summer and fall afternoons, when temperatures are warm and inviting.

Chigger mites typically infest human skin by latching onto your clothes as you walk by and brush up against the vegetation they live on. They migrate to the skin in search of an optimal feeding area. One common myth about chiggers is that they burrow into and remain inside the skin. This is not true. The irritating itching is actually a result of the enzymes in the chigger's saliva. Chiggers insert their feeding structures, called the stylostome, into the skin and inject enzymes that cause some of the cells in your skin to break down into liquid form that they can ingest. If they are not disturbed they may feed through the stylostome for a few days.

Preventing and Relieving Chigger Bites
The best way to prevent being bitten is to shower after outdoor activity to remove any chiggers that may be migrating to the skin from your clothing. It's also important to wash any clothing clothing that was worn outdoors in hot water to kill any chiggers remaining on the clothing.

If you do get bit, don't fall for the false remedies of rubbing nail polish or bleach on the bites. As stated earlier, chiggers do not burrow into your skin, so these 'remedies' will not help. Instead, use these simple tips to help relieve the itching associated with chigger bites:

• Take a cool shower or apply cool compresses
• Sit in a cool bath or get in the pool
• Use bath products that contain colloidal oatmeal
• Use over-the-counter (OTC) medications such as calamine lotion, corticosteroid creams, and oral antihistamines. 

The best and quickest way to relieve the itch is to not scratch. Yes, we know. Easier said than done, but the more you scratch, the more you irritate the bite and the longer it takes to heal. If you do continue to scratch, the bites could become infected, so notify your doctor if you have swelling, fever, or other signs of infection.

Get Rid of Chiggers Once and For All
If you've got a chigger infestation in your yard, you may be in for a long miserable summer. Rather than just dealing with the itchy little pests, count on your favorite pest control company at the Lake of the Ozarks to treat your lawn and get rid of your chigger problem once and for all! Once your lawn is chigger free, you and the family will be able to continue to enjoy the beautiful outdoors this summer without the itchy bumps and bites.

Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company

Visit Our Website:
www.abpest.net

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