Use only areas in which the grass has been mowed and avoid wooded and brushy areas. The bite is from the larva of the chigger. The larva does not burrow into the skin, but drops off, after engorging itself with blood. The larva is rarely seen on the skin, due to its small size. The bite usually occurs where the larva meets resistance as it climbs up the legs, such as around the top of the socks, the beltline, the neckband area.
Scratching can lead to secondary infection.
Ticks are bloodsucking arachnids capable of transmitting serious and sometimes fatal illness. Late spring and summer are peak times for exposure to ticks. Ninety-four percent of cases of disease transmitted by ticks occur between April 1 and September 30. Most tick bites resolve uneventfully. Ticks transfer infection only after they have fed for several hours and are engorged.