Red Bugs Infestation

How to Identify Red Bug Infestations

Red bugs, or chiggers, are the larvae of harvest mites, and you run into them where the ground stays damp and plants grow thick. Typical spots include tall grass, weedy pastures, roadside ditches, berry brambles, the banks of lakes, rivers and ponds, and shady woodland floors. They also show up in mowed places such as parks, golf courses and home lawns, usually near the edges. The larvae gather at the tips of grass blades, leaves and low branches and wait to grab onto anything that brushes past. Warm, humid weather brings them out in force, and they are busiest during the warm part of the day.

How Red Bugs Affect Humans

Chiggers are not picky. They latch onto people, dogs, cats, livestock, wild mammals, birds and reptiles alike.

How to Tell If Your Yard Has Red Bugs

Chiggers are almost impossible to spot in the grass, so most people find out from the bites: a cluster of itchy red bumps around the ankles, waistband or behind the knees a few hours after yard work, a walk or a picnic. If several people get bitten after spending time in the same spot, that area is probably a hot spot.

A simple test: on a warm day, stand a piece of black cardboard or a dark tile on edge in grass or leaf litter you suspect. Wait a few minutes and look closely along the top edge. Chiggers climb it and show up as tiny orange-red specks moving across the dark surface. A magnifying glass helps. Repeat in different parts of the yard to map where they gather.

Places worth testing in Florida yards:

• Lawn edges that meet woods, saw palmetto or blackberry thickets
• Overgrown fence lines and drainage ditches
• Shady spots under trees with tall grass or thick leaf litter
• Brush piles and dense ground cover
• Areas where rabbits, rodents or ground-feeding birds are active

They do not infest homes. Chiggers do not live or breed indoors, and any that hitch a ride on clothing or a pet will not establish in carpets or beds.

In Florida, the chigger season starts earlier in spring and runs later into fall than in northern states, and in South Florida bites can happen most of the year. For relief from bites you already have, see red bug bites and treatment.