Look in the areas with tall grass for the larvae, and in dead and rotting organic material (especially logs) for adult mites. The adults live close to the ground and are readily visible with the naked eye.
Meetup With Invisible Menace No Walk in the Pinelands Park
- Thread starter Teegate
- Start date
It's odd, I've collected and pressed over 1,300 plant specimens from the pines, and likely analyzed another 1,000 under a 50 power zoom microscope, and have never seen a chigger. Not one. Then again, maybe it's not that odd at all.
I have absolutely seen chiggers in the pines - at least, here in the Medford area. Or, what I always thought were chiggers. They're very very small, and bright red.
I was bitten up pretty bad once, years ago. All over the ankles and the top of the feet. Some of the most incessant itching I've ever experienced. Luckily just that one time though.
I was bitten up pretty bad once, years ago. All over the ankles and the top of the feet. Some of the most incessant itching I've ever experienced. Luckily just that one time though.
Gerry did a little more digging and sent me an email below. I agree with his comments completely. If anyone wants the article, email me.
"I did a little more digging and turned up an old article (attached) that indicates that the chigger species, the larvae of which can bite humans, has been reported from NJ. The Ewing article has the following sentence: “Toward the northern limits of its range the species occurs only in isolated ‘islands’ where the local conditions are favorable for its maintenance.” It also cites that a single specimen was collected from Pemberton but doesn’t indicate its place of deposition. The scientific name used by Ewing was Trombicula tlalzahuatl. More current literature indicates the common problematic species goes by the name Eutrombicula alfreddugesi, the species named for French-born, Mexican physician and naturalist Alfredo Dugès (if I were Dugès I would be pissed that a nasty chigger was named after me). The Rutgers Pinelands Station is studying this species but it is related to ectoparasitism of Eastern fence lizards. I also found this statement (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 1962. Report on the Comprehensive Survey of the Water Resources of the Delaware River Basin. Vol. VI. Appendix L. Insects of Public Health Importance: 12): “Chiggers (Eutrombicula alfreddugesi) are uncommon in the Delaware Basin. These mites or ‘red bugs,’ are known to occur in Sussex Co., Delaware, and in Atlantic Co., New Jersey.”
I think the experiences of you, me, and the mite guy I talked to at the Rutgers Pinelands station back in the 1980s make clear that the vast, vast majority of “chigger doses” people get in South Jersey are caused by tick larvae. These observations are bolstered by the reports from the scientists in Long Island and the comments by Ewing (1923) and the Army Corps (1962). Cheers, Gerry"
"I did a little more digging and turned up an old article (attached) that indicates that the chigger species, the larvae of which can bite humans, has been reported from NJ. The Ewing article has the following sentence: “Toward the northern limits of its range the species occurs only in isolated ‘islands’ where the local conditions are favorable for its maintenance.” It also cites that a single specimen was collected from Pemberton but doesn’t indicate its place of deposition. The scientific name used by Ewing was Trombicula tlalzahuatl. More current literature indicates the common problematic species goes by the name Eutrombicula alfreddugesi, the species named for French-born, Mexican physician and naturalist Alfredo Dugès (if I were Dugès I would be pissed that a nasty chigger was named after me). The Rutgers Pinelands Station is studying this species but it is related to ectoparasitism of Eastern fence lizards. I also found this statement (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 1962. Report on the Comprehensive Survey of the Water Resources of the Delaware River Basin. Vol. VI. Appendix L. Insects of Public Health Importance: 12): “Chiggers (Eutrombicula alfreddugesi) are uncommon in the Delaware Basin. These mites or ‘red bugs,’ are known to occur in Sussex Co., Delaware, and in Atlantic Co., New Jersey.”
I think the experiences of you, me, and the mite guy I talked to at the Rutgers Pinelands station back in the 1980s make clear that the vast, vast majority of “chigger doses” people get in South Jersey are caused by tick larvae. These observations are bolstered by the reports from the scientists in Long Island and the comments by Ewing (1923) and the Army Corps (1962). Cheers, Gerry"
I never heard them called chiggers back in the old days when i used to go down there to the Pines, but I'm no expert, I just had so many on me down there. Ticks are the only outdoor thing I'm afraid of. Back then i used to dip a rag in the gas tank of my VW Beetle and touch them with a little gasoline and they'd wiggle and back right out of the body where they had dug in. That method worked the best for me of any - I never had luck with the grasp them with a tweezers and turn them clockwise or counterclockwise or whatever it is thing - the head just broke off in the body - but then they said don't do that because the gasoline (or a match) causes them to disgorge their poisons into the body, plus now they make gas tanks in a way that you cannot dip a rag into it.
Tick keys are a blessing for removing them without leaving the head or other parts behind: https://www.amazon.com/Tick-Key-Rem...ocphy=9003959&hvtargid=pla-355168338156&psc=1
Oh that's something new. Thanks. I'm never troubled with them out here in the desert tho, tho I hear they're out here and dogs get them, but so far not me (knock on wood head). Back east tho, I had so many of them - Long Island, Arkansas...and the NJPB was the worst.