Trombiculidae
Trombiculidae (/trɒmbɨˈkjuːlɨdiː/ (also called berry bugs, harvest mites, red bugs, scrub-itch mites and aoutas) are a family of mites. The best known of the Trombiculidae are the
chiggers. There are two widely recognized definitions of "chigger," the scientific (or taxonomic) definition and the common definitions found in English and medical dictionaries. According to most dictionaries, the several species of Trombiculidae that bite their host in their larval stage and cause "intense irritation" or "a wheal, usually with severe itching and dermatitis," are called
chiggers. The scientific definition seemingly includes many more, but not all species of Trombiculidae. Trombiculidae live in forests and grasslands and are also found in the vegetation of low, damp areas such as woodlands, berry bushes, orchards, along lakes and streams, and even in drier places where vegetation is low, such as lawns, golf courses, and parks. They are most numerous in early summer when grass, weeds and other vegetation are heaviest. In their larval stage, they attach to various animals, including humans, and feed on skin, often causing itching.