What does a chigger bite look like?

Chigger bites look like tiny red dots in an infllamed field of welts. Perhaps as many as 6 or so per sq. centimeter. They itch like crazy. Chiggers are the larval form of an arachnid that, once mature, eats only vegetation. This larval phase eats only once from humans, over a period of about 4-5 hours, and then drops off and encapsulates to form the mature form of the animal. Normally, they'd prefer a bird as a host (on which they don't itch). Contrary to folklore, the chigger is NOT burrowed in under your skin. Chiggers are bright red, but are about the size of this period (.), so they are almost never noticed on the skin. What's happened is the chigger has bitten you and, over the last 4-5 hours, has ingected enzymes to disolve your epidermal cells. As the cells liquify, the chigger sucks them out as if with a straw. After a while, your body detects this attack, and causes the cells surrounding the cavity to solidify, making a hard, tube-like structure. THIS is what is itching. After a while, your own body will break down the tube and all will be well. Chigger bites take approximately 10 days to heal. You can icepack the area, or try benzocaine or other numbing ointments, but the truth is you'll mostly have to suffer while your body fixes the problem. Try hard not to scratch. Don't waste your time using folk remedies like placing nail polish over the red spots. It only complicates matters. In the future, chiggers can be washed off before they burrow simply by taking a thorough shower.