Chiggers Vs. Tick

Ticks and chiggers are both biting insects that live in tall grasses 12. However, these bugs are very different and it is important to know how to deal with them if you are bitten.

Identification

Chiggers are small red mites 1. Their bites can cause severe itching. Ticks, however, are much larger and latch onto the host and drink its blood.

Considerations

Though you may have an allergic reaction to a chigger bite, they do not carry disease. However, some varieties of tick can carry diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease.

Prevention/Solution

Both chigger and tick bites can be avoided by applying spray before walking in tall grasses or in the woods.

Considerations

Chigger bite irritation goes away on its own. If a tick has bitten you, you need to take care when removing them as its head can become lodged under the skin. Use tweezers to pull the tick off without twisting its head off.

Geography

Both ticks and chiggers are found in most states in the United States 12. If you are bitten by a tick, try to save the body in case you begin to feel sick a few days after removal.