Expert: Jack DeAngelis - 10/25/2009

Question
Both my wife and I, and now our kids seem to be getting these little bites along our waist lines. They itch, like mosquito bites, but that's not what they are. I also get them by my ankles. We live in the Santa Cruz Mountains in California, within the redwoods. ANd it has recently rained for the first time in months. We've cleaned out the bedding and all that and found nothing. We seem to nitice them in the morning, but can't be sure they are happening at night. My question is, what could these little insects be?

Answer
Alan,

Whenever bites occur where clothing is constricted (waist, socks, undergarments) the first suspect is chigger mites. Chigger mites are very small (1/100") larval mites that bite but do not burrow in skin. They cause an intensely itchy lesion but are otherwise not dangerous. They won't infest a home but can continue to bite for some time after coming indoors. They occur in dry, brushy areas and often plague gardeners and hikers. Here's an article about chigger mites http://www.livingwithbugs.com/chigger.html with a bit more details. Post a follow up if you have questions.

Jack DeAngelis
http://www.livingwithbugs.com