Invisible Invaders: Ghost Ant Control Strategies Unveiled In Dallas
December 8, 2023
Are ghost ants invisible here in Dallas? Learn more about these pests today and find a great way to avoid an ant infestation locally.
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We all want a chance to defend ourselves against any attack — including an attack by bugs. When we see a mosquito land on our arm, we squish it, and if we see a cockroach run across the floor, we step on it; we kill pests trying to bite or sting us. It is frustrating when you encounter a seemingly invisible bug that causes an itchy, red bite, but you can't see it to kill it! The hidden bugs in many Katy yards causing irritating bites around the waist, behind the knees, and on the ankles are chiggers.
If you are experiencing bites after working or playing on your lawn or after a night's rest in bed, you need the Katy pest control experts from All-Safe Pest & Termite. We have been eliminating chiggers from homes in Katy for over thirty years.
What Are Chiggers?
Chiggers in Texas are not adult mites but immature, six-legged larva yet to develop into adults. These parasitic larvae of certain mites are only 1/120 to 1/150 of an inch in length and are almost invisible to the naked eye. Like scorpions and ticks, chiggers are arachnids that do not possess wings or antennae. After ten days in the larval stage, chiggers molt into eight-legged nymphs who no longer feed on humans.
Chiggers in the yard are in tall grasses and wooded areas; they are active from the spring to fall seasons. Chiggers attach to a host when a human or animal brushes against the grass, vegetation, or weeds where they are residing. These red bugs do not burrow under the skin but attach themselves to hair follicles in areas of tight fighting clothes (i.e., around the waist, armpits, and ankles), where they eat skin cells liquified by their saliva. Unless removed, a chigger may stay attached for up to four days on a host.
Is It Dangerous To Have Chiggers In My House?
In the United States, there are no cases of chiggers spreading disease. The main danger from chiggers in the house is the very itchy welts that arise three to six hours after the bite. The reddish wounds, which sometimes produce a clear pustule, reach peak irritation within 24 to 48 hours, but aggravation may persist for several days. The main danger of a chigger bite is the development of infection due to excessive scratching of the area.
Why Do I Have Chiggers In My House?
Like fleas and bed bugs, chiggers hitchhike on their host to gain. As a host rubs up against the outdoor habitat of the chiggers, they attach themselves to the host's clothing. Chiggers may also hitch a ride on pets who frolic in tall grasses, weeds, or vegetation on your Katy property.
When you have chiggers in the home, they live on beds, bed frames, rugs, carpets, and crevices throughout the house. If a chigger cannot find a host in the home, it will die within two months. If a chigger finds a host, it will feed for three to four days before detaching. Once detached, the chigger begins to molt into a nymph. At this stage of development, it no longer feeds on humans but eats insect eggs.
What's The Best Way To Get Rid Of Chiggers?
To help get rid of chiggers, do the following:
- Keep grass cut short
- Trim the bushes
- Eliminate areas of standing water
- Create a barrier between wooded areas and your property
The best way to kill chiggers in the yard is to use our experts at All-Safe Pest & Termite. We have built our company on referrals from Katy neighbors who recommend our successful, effective pest control treatments. Contact us, set up an inspection, and we will work with you to eradicate chiggers from your lawn and house.
