Chiggers! If you are in the eastern half of the US and especially if you are in the southeast US, you KNOW chiggers! Nasty little bugs that can leave you marked with hundreds of bites, itching like mad.. Did you know that chiggers are mites? They are and, other than being a HUGE annoyance, they’re considered generally harmless.
I don’t know about you but I’m wondering how the chigger bugs are considered generally harmless after reading that! Except I grew up around chiggers so I KNOW they are generally harmless. Some people show no reaction to them at all and some have severe reactions to them. For those who have a severe reaction, they are a BIG problem. For everyone else, they range from annoyance to the blissfully unaware. This range of reaction is going to be pretty common when dealing with any of these tiny creatures.
Most mites are microscopic and “go largely unnoticed. Many live freely in the soil or water, but there are also a large number of species that live as parasites on plants, animals, and some that feed on mold. It is estimated that 48,200 species of mites…” “Among the species that attack animals are members of the Sarcoptic Mange mites (family Sarcoptidae), which burrow under the skin. Demodex mites (family Demodicidae) are parasites that live in or near the hair follicles of mammals, including humans. Perhaps the best-known mite, though, is the house dust mite (family Pyroglyphidae).” Chicken mites, northern fowl mites, tropical rat mites, house mouse mites, grain mites, straw itch mites, chiggers, itch mites, follicle mites, and house dust mites. 10 kinds of mites that you might be aware of because they are common and which may or may not cause problems for you. 10 out of 48,000+ species.
An infestation of itch mites is something you’ll probably want to treat because they will likely cause the disease of scabies (although you could be amongst the small minority who carry them without getting the disease; for the rest of our sakes, please get treated).
On the other hand, you’ve probably been harboring and feeding follicle mites the majority of your life. “This mite is found in the skin pores of humans, especially around the nose and eyelids. It is likely that most people harbor this species. The mite is entirely parasitic, spending the entire life cycle on the host.” “Most individuals have millions of mites living in their hair and on their skin… Known as the Demodex mite, the bug lives in the hair follicles of 96-98% of people…” Don’t bother to scrub yourself with steel wool! You’ll only make yourself a better host to much worse creatures. So, if we’re all walking around with millions of Demodex follicle mites, are we “infested” with mites?
“In general, the term "infestation" refers to parasitic diseases that are caused by animals, including worms and arthropods, but excluding protozoan infections, fungal infections, and bacterial infections.” Infestation: “a harassing or troublesome invasion”. Infest: “To inhabit or overrun in numbers or quantities large enough to be harmful, threatening, or obnoxious”; secondarily, it can be used more broadly as “To live as a parasite in or on”.
While one could say the vast majority of us are “infested” with follicle mites, I would not because “infested” is a loaded word for most people. The meaning of “infestation” for most is its primary meaning. When “infestation” is used in the broader sense without clarification, I would consider it fear mongering and/or inflammatory.
When I see animal rights activists at animal seizures, I often hear them mouthing off about how the animals are “infested” with parasites. Well, no shit if you’re using it in its broader sense. ALL of our pets and livestock and US are “infested with parasites” in that broader sense. These activists like to speak in inflammatory sound bites and this appears to be one of them. So, if you see them doing this while you’re looking at animals that appear reasonably healthy, you should turn your nose up at misrepresentations which defame animal owners. Be disgusted by misrepresentations intended to harm others!
An animal with a true infestation, that’s one causing disease or health problems, is unlikely to look healthy. Do not let what you hear influence what you actually see!
Now that I hope you have a better understanding of mites generally and in humans, I will move on to a different species of Demodex mite that MAY cause problems for animals along with more. Oh, there are so many more “infestations” (in that broader sense) to tell you about; so many activist misrepresentative inflammatory sound bite myths to dispel!