Write an article based on this summary:

Mow your lawn regularly and cut back tall vegetation. Discourage chigger host animals from entering your yard. Identify chigger hot spots in your yard for targeted treatment. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth over chigger hot spots in your yard. Spray chigger hot spots with an appropriate insecticide. Call a professional pest control operator for severe infestations.
Briars, weeds, and tall grass are all well-known hiding spots for chiggers. Pulling weeds and keeping your grass short is a simple yet effective way to get rid of any chiggers living in your yard. Regularly prune your trees, bushes, and other shrubs to lower the humidity around those plants and allow more sunlight to filter in. These measures reduce the shade and moisture chiggers thrive in. They particularly dislike dry, sunny areas with good air circulation. Continue these practices year-round. Dormant chiggers will return once the weather warms up. Reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals are favorite hosts among chiggers. Discouraging these animals from hanging around may also cause the chiggers to leave, since they'll follow their food source. Remove sources of water that invite reptiles and amphibians. Cut back dense foliage or shrubbery to discourage small mammals that use these areas as convenient hiding places. Secure the lids of your trash cans and set up fencing around the perimeter of your garden or yard. When applying natural or chemical insecticides to kill chiggers, you should treat hot spots instead of treating the entire area. This is less expensive, quicker, and generally more effective. To do this, though, you first need to find the chiggers! Pick out hot spots by propping up small squares of black cardboard around your yard, especially in damp, shady areas with thicker vegetation. After 15-30 minutes, check for tiny yellow or pink specks on the cardboardthese are chigger larvae! Alternatively, place small dishes of water in the same strategic locations. The larvae should be attracted to the elevated humidity. Keep track of the hot spots you identify for targeted treatment. Doing a broadcast application of diatomaceous earth, which is a natural, organic pesticide, can help eliminate chiggers and other garden and lawn pests. Wear gloves, glasses, and a facemask and either spread it by hand or with a lawn spreader. This is a natural product made up of the fossils of small creatures called diatoms. It comes in the form of a fine white or off-white powder. Sprinkle the diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your yard and over any areas that may offer ideal conditions for chiggers to live in. Focus on tall grass, weeds, and briars. If a chigger ingests any of the diatomaceous earth, it will die of dehydration. The sharp granules may also cut into and kill any chiggers that crawl over it. Look for an insecticide containing bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, esfenvalerate, chlorpyrifos, diazinon bifenthrin, carbaryl, cyhalothrin, or permethrin. Insecticides containing any of these chemicals are usually effective at killing chiggers. However, read the label carefully to determine if a specific insecticide is formulated for mites and/or chiggers. Follow the label instructions concerning application safety. Wear protective clothing to prevent insecticides from coming into contact with your skin or eyes as you apply them. Retreat the area 2 to 3 weeks later if you have a large number of chiggers infesting your yard. Liquid spray insecticides are generally more effective against chiggers than granular insecticides. If selecting a granular insecticide, however, choose one containing bifenthrin. If preventative measures, natural remedies, and home chemical remedies do not succeed in getting rid of your chigger problem, contact a professional exterminator. Pest control professionals are licensed to use stronger formulations of chemicals that are more hazardous yet more effective. For instance, the exterminator may use propoxur, cyfluthrin, or fluvalinate to get rid of chiggers. Stay off treated areas until dry. Prevent children and pets from walking over treated areas for as long as recommended by the exterminator. Even with these stronger chemicals, you may need to retreat the area after 2 or 3 weeks if the infestation is heavy enough.