[masraum]

Originally Posted by RWebb

BTW - here is how they "work":

"Chiggers" are the larval instar of tiny mites. The adult females injects something alright, but it is not a poison. They pierce the skin and lay eggs in your body. When the eggs hatch, the larvae want to get out of course, so they wriggle back up THRU your skin, and then they leave.

So this is what folks grew up believing in the southeast where the nasty little things are prevalent.

Here's what Wikipedia says about them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiggers

In their larval stage they attach to various animals, including humans, and feed on skin, often causing itching. These relatives of ticks are nearly microscopic measuring 0.4 mm (1/100 of an inch) and have a chrome-orange hue.[5][6] A common species of harvest mite in Northern America is Trombicula alfreddugesi; in the UK the most prevalent harvest mite is Trombicula autumnalis.

Trombiculid mites go through a life cycle of eggs, larva, nymph, and adult.[7] The larval mites feed on the skin cells, but not blood, of animals, including humans. The six-legged parasitic larva feeds on a large variety of creatures including humans, rabbits, toads, box turtles, quail, and even some insects. After crawling onto their host, they inject digestive enzymes into the skin that break down skin cells. They do not actually "bite," but instead form a hole in the skin called a stylostome and chew up tiny parts of the inner skin, thus causing severe irritation and swelling. The severe itching is accompanied by red pimple-like bumps (papules) or hives and skin rash or lesions on a sun-exposed area. For humans, itching usually occurs after the larvae detach from the skin.[8]

After feeding on their hosts, the larvae drop to the ground and become nymphs, then mature into adults which have 8 legs and are harmless to humans. In the post larval stage, they are not parasitic and feed on plant materials. The females lay 3–8 eggs in a litter, usually on a leaf or under the roots of a plant, and die by autumn.[

So, not quite as gross.

Guinea worms. I've seen a show on parasites that showed these things and how they are extracted. Yuck!!!