Chigger Bites Vs. Bed Bug Bites: The Differences Simplified For Kids

Can you differentiate between a chigger bite and a bed bug bite?

Insect bites may all look similar to each other. However, there are slight variations in the bites of each insect.

Most insects, like fleas, ticks, mites, and bed bugs, are known to bite humans whenever there is an infestation. The differences in the bites arise from the pattern and area where the bites are present.

While the bites of some insects can be really harmful to human health, others do not cause much damage apart from skin irritation, itching, welts, and rashes. The effects of the bites also depend on different individuals and their bodies.

Flea bites are sporadically spread on the skin. They are usually found in the areas of skin around the ankles and feet. The bite of Sarcoptes scabiei, a burrowing mite, results in an itching condition known as scabies. Scabies is extremely contagious and can spread to another person through physical contact.

The bites are not raised like bumps in this condition but look like a rash instead. Moreover, these burrowing mites can attack any part of the body and leave lines beneath the skin where they lay their eggs. Sounds terrifying, doesn't it?

Meanwhile, ticks are known not just for attacking humans but also pet animals. Their bites might show a few symptoms or none at all. However, the ticks can transfer a certain disease called Lyme disease onto the host through their bites.

On the other hand, bed bug bites leave behind welt-like bumps on the skin. Bed bug bites appear in clusters or lines on the skin surface. Their bites can cause skin irritation and itching, especially during the morning hours.

How do you know if you have been bitten by chiggers?

Just like the bites of other insects, chigger bites can also be identified by their bite pattern and the area of the skin they infect.

Some people, though, may not be aware of chigger bites because they might not know about the existence of chiggers. There is also a possibility of confusion between bed bugs and chiggers.

Chiggers are called trombiculid mites by scientists. This pest also has many other names: harvest bugs, harvest mites, harvest lice, red bugs, and mover's mites. Surprisingly, the bites are not caused by adult chiggers. It is the larvae of this insect that cause the bites.

After hatching from eggs, the larvae do not fly or move much farther from their positions. They are found on grass and leaves in large groups. They tend to attach themselves to the animals or humans passing by them and make them their hosts.

Once they get inside the surface of the clothes or fur and find skin, they use their sharp claws that look like jaws to puncture the skin. They then introduce their saliva into the newly made holes, which causes the cells around the bite to turn into mush, which they then feed on.

You should know the differences between the bites of chiggers and those of bed bugs in order to identify which one has bitten you. Similar to bed bug bites, chigger bites also form welts on the surface of the skin. One of the symptoms of chigger bites is also an itchy rash around the bitten area of the body.

The difference between the bites of the two pests is that while bed bug bites can be found in areas such as the abdomen, neck, arms, and chest, chigger bites will be mostly concentrated around the waist area.

This is because bed bugs cannot easily find the skin beneath the clothing on the body around the waist if you are sleeping with your clothes on.

Meanwhile, chiggers can easily find their way into the skin around the waist due to their minute size. The chigger bites are also found near areas of the body where clothing is too tight. This includes the waist area as well as the ankle part where the sock line exists.

Furthermore, some sources have also noted that chigger bites are bigger than bed bug bites. The chigger bites are found clustered together.

The bite of the chiggers may not be painful, but it can cause itching and an overall irritation of the skin. The bites begin to pose a danger to the health of an individual when they get infected or cause an allergic reaction.

These differences in the bites of different pests can help you to identify chigger bites and differentiate them from others. And if you do find that the symptoms are truly chigger bite symptoms, then you should take the necessary actions to get rid of this pest before it can feed any more on your body.

How do I get rid of chiggers in my bed?

Unlike bed bugs, which are usually found in beds and other places inside the house, chiggers are pests generally found in the outside environment. However, it is still possible for the chiggers to be found in your bed.

Chiggers prefer moist and grassy areas such as forests, fields, or lawns. They can also be found living near lakes and streams. They are considered active in the ground temperature range of 77-86 F (25-30 C). They tend to die when the temperature falls below 42 F (5.6 C).

It is possible that the chiggers may enter your house while traveling on your clothes from outside. Moreover, they might not even be as visible as bed bugs due to their minute size.

Chiggers can only survive indoors while being attached to their host. This indicates that if they have attached themselves to a host who slept on a bed without getting rid of them, there is a possibility that the chiggers might fall off the host and onto the bed after they are done feeding.

People can thus get confused about which pest has bitten them in bed.

If you suspect something like this, then you should first confirm your suspicion by analyzing the bite symptoms left behind. If the red, itchy rash is similar to the description of a chigger bite, then you should first check your body to see if there are any on it.

The chiggers appear as red dots and are easy to miss.

You must wash your body with warm, soapy water thoroughly. This will wash off any lingering chiggers on your body. Then you should wash your clothes with hot water too.

Lastly, contact pest control if you feel that the chiggers might be infesting your lawn or garden. You might have worked outside and carried the tiny creatures inside and into your bed. Pest control can help to get rid of the infestation outside the house so that there will be none left to feed on you.

What to do if you have slept in a bed infested with bed bugs?

Bed bugs and chiggers can be found almost everywhere in the world. They hide in the mattresses and other corners and crevices of the house. Their numbers tend to increase quite rapidly, which makes them quite difficult to get rid of without professional help.

These brown-colored bugs become a nuisance when they bite. The bed bug bites in clusters, which means there will be more than one welt or bump on your skin after a bed bug has bitten you. The symptoms of bed bug bites also include red bumps on your skin, which will cause itching.

Bed bug bites will heal on their own in a few days' time and are not necessarily a risk to your overall health. However, your health might be affected if you keep scratching the bites constantly. The scratching can lead to an infection, which should not be taken lightly.

The infection might not just cause pain, but may also have other serious effects. It is necessary to get proper treatment if the bed bug bites get infected. Moreover, some people may also have an allergy to bed bug bites.

An allergic reaction can be triggered when you sleep on a bed infested by bed bugs and suffer from bites; the result will vary according to the severity of your allergies. This is why it is recommended to get tested so you can be on your guard if you know you are allergic.

If such an instance occurs, it is highly advised to seek out a doctor and get the required treatment on time. The allergic reaction can differ from person to person and can thus show different symptoms. People who do not have an allergy or an infection from bed bug bites can tend to the bites themselves at home.

The home treatment involves not giving in to the urge to itch and scratch the bites; you can apply topical ointments or cream to help with the itch. Oral antihistamine tablets can also help to soothe the swelling and itching.

What is the main cause of bed bugs?

The population of bed bugs is known to increase quite rapidly.

This is because of two main reasons. The first one is that bed bugs lay hundreds of eggs at a time. Secondly, bed bugs can live a very long life compared to most other insects.

One of the main and most common reasons for bed bug infestation is considered to be travel.

Bed bugs often tag along with people without them knowing about it. They do this by hitchhiking with their luggage, clothing, and other items in their belongings. These brown wingless pests can transfer from one item to another without really getting detected, as they can easily hide their flattened bodies in cracks and tight spaces.

They can enter a house through any person and the belongings they carry. Bed bugs can also be found in secondhand or old furniture.

Once inside, they easily increase their numbers and feed on any host, be it human or animal, that they can find in their vicinity. People are unable to initially take notice of the bed bug infestation in their house, as the bed bugs operate quite cautiously.

Bed bugs are nocturnal, which means they are active during the night. Therefore, people will often see bed bug bites in the morning when they wake up. As their growth rate is high, it is necessary to curb their numbers as soon as the infestation has been detected.

In order to get rid of the bed bugs, pest control is absolutely necessary. It is also advised to check a few times soon after the pest control as it is highly possible that one or two-bed bugs might have survived and would then breed and cause an infestation again.

You should also fumigate any old furniture or household items you might buy for your house before bringing it home.

Pest control should be done as soon as a single bed bug is noticed, as it is quite possible that there might be more lurking around in the tight spaces, especially in the bed.

An infestation of any kind of insect should be dealt with quickly and properly as they can cause damage to property and also pose a danger to human health as well as the health of your beloved pets.