Do clover mites bite?

No. Clover mites feed on plant sap and do not attack people or pets. The only harm they do indoors is a reddish stain if you crush them on curtains, carpet or walls. Vacuum them instead.

How long do chigger bites itch?

Welts and itching can take several hours to show up, and Ohio State University Extension says the itch can last up to two weeks or more. It is a reaction to the chigger’s saliva, so it varies from person to person. Antihistamines and anti-itch creams help.

Does nail polish kill chiggers?

No. It is a myth that chiggers burrow into the skin. They feed for a few days and then drop off, usually before the itching even starts, so there is nothing left under the skin to suffocate. Wash the area and treat the itch.

What are tiny red bugs that are not clover mites?

On concrete, brick and patio furniture, they may be concrete mites, which are bright red, a little larger and harmless. On the ground after a rain, a velvety red mite about 1/8 inch long is a red velvet mite, also harmless. Bright red, six-legged bugs with black markings on a tree or wall are young boxelder bugs. And if you are getting bitten but see nothing, it is chiggers.

Tiny Red Bugs: Clover Mites vs. Chiggers and Other Red Mites

Q: Are there chiggers in Oklahoma?

Yes. Oklahoma State University Extension calls chiggers a summer nuisance found wherever vegetation holds humidity: tall grass, brush, shaded areas, leaf litter and rotting logs. They are inactive when surface temperatures are below about 60°F.

The tiny red bugs you can actually see crawling on a sunny windowsill, wall or patio are almost always clover mites, or on concrete, concrete mites. Both are harmless: they do not bite and only leave a red stain when crushed. The tiny red bugs you cannot see are chiggers. You only find out about them when itchy red welts show up around your ankles, waistband or armpits a few hours after mowing, hiking or sitting in tall grass. Here is how to tell the common little red mites apart and what to do about each.

Which tiny red bug is it?

Bug	Size and look	Where and when you see it	Bites?
Clover mite	About 1/30 inch, red to brown, very long front legs	Sunny windowsills, walls and lawns near the foundation; indoors mostly March and April, sometimes fall	No. Stains when crushed
Chigger	About 1/150 inch as a larva, too small to see	Tall grass, brush, shade, leaf litter; summer	Yes. Itchy welts at ankles, waistband, armpits
Concrete mite	1 to 2 mm, bright red, larger than clover mites	Sidewalks, patios, brick, picnic tables; spring and early summer, sunny days	Not a health concern. Stains when crushed
Red velvet mite	Up to about 1/8 inch, plump and velvety bright red	On the ground, rocks and planters, often after rain	No. Harmless to people
Boxelder bug nymph	Bright red body with black wings and legs, six legs	On boxelder, maple and ash trees and on sunny walls in fall	No. Harmless nuisance

Two quick tests help. Count legs if you can: mites have eight (chigger larvae six), insects like boxelder bugs six with obvious wings forming. And smear one on a white paper towel: clover and concrete mites leave a red-orange streak, which is their natural pigment, not blood.

Clover mites: the tiny red bugs on windowsills

Clover mites are the tiny red bugs Oklahomans find indoors. They are not insects but mites, related to ticks and spiders. OSU Extension describes them as about 1/30 inch long, red or brown, with a long front pair of legs that is often mistaken for antennae. They feed on the sap of clover, lawn grass, weeds and ornamental plants, and the damage outdoors is usually minor.

Red clover mite crawling over brown leaves

Their timing is what makes them noticeable. According to OSU, clover mites feed and develop in fall, on warm winter days and in spring whenever it is above 45°F, and indoor invasions in Oklahoma are most common in March and April. Eggs laid in spring sit dormant through the heat of summer and hatch in fall, which is why a second, smaller wave can show up then. OSU notes that males have never been found: females reproduce on their own, so populations build quickly.

They do not bite and do not feed on anything inside the house. Penn State Extension says they cannot reproduce indoors and die within a few days from dehydration. The only real harm is the red-orange stain they leave on curtains, carpet, bedding and walls when crushed.

How to get rid of clover mites

Vacuum, do not swat. A strong vacuum removes them without stains. Chemical treatment indoors is unnecessary, since they die on their own.
Create a plant-free strip. Penn State recommends removing grass in a 6- to 24-inch band along the foundation. Gravel, rock or bare soil there keeps the mites from reaching the walls.
Seal the sunny side. Caulk gaps around windows, doors and siding on south- and west-facing walls, where they gather.
Treat the outside if numbers are high. A targeted exterior treatment of the foundation, lower walls and nearby lawn stops heavy invasions before they get in.

Chiggers: the tiny red bugs that bite

Chiggers are the larvae of a mite, and only that larval stage bites. OSU Extension calls them a summer nuisance in Oklahoma, found wherever vegetation holds humidity: tall grass, brush, shaded areas, leaf litter, rotting logs and stumps. Ohio State University Extension puts the larvae at about 1/150 of an inch, yellow to reddish and usually too small to see without magnification. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System adds that they are most active in the afternoon and inactive when surface temperatures fall below 60°F or rise above 99°F.

Small bright red mite on a leaf — Grown mites like this one are easy to see. The chigger larvae that bite are far smaller, about the size of a period.

How chiggers bite

Chiggers climb onto you from vegetation and move until they reach tight, sheltered skin: around the ankles under socks and shoe straps, at the waistband, under bra straps and in the armpits. Ohio State explains that the larva's saliva dissolves skin cells and it drinks the liquid through a tiny feeding tube it forms in the skin. They feed for two to four days and then drop off.

Two myths get repeated about chigger bites. OSU is clear that chiggers do not burrow into the skin, and that coating bites with nail polish or other substances to "suffocate" them is useless, because the mites have already left by the time the itching starts. OSU rates their risk of spreading disease as low, and Alabama Extension notes that American chiggers are not disease carriers.

Chigger bite relief

Welts can take several hours to develop and can itch for up to two weeks or more. OSU suggests common antihistamines or anti-itch creams to calm the skin's reaction. Wash the area with soap and water as soon as you come in, and try not to scratch, since broken skin can become infected.

This is general information, not medical advice. See a doctor if bites look infected, spread or do not improve. For a severe allergic reaction or trouble breathing, call 911. For questions about a medicine or product, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.

How to prevent chigger bites

Use repellent. OSU says DEET, picaridin and IR3535 deter chiggers, and recommends products with at least 20% for longer protection. Put it on your ankles, legs and waistline.
Cover up. Long pants, socks and closed shoes cut down on the skin chiggers can reach.
Shower soon after. Ohio State notes that showering or wiping your skin removes mites that have not settled in yet.
Wash your clothes hot. Wash clothing worn in chigger areas on the hot setting before wearing it again.

How to get rid of chiggers in the yard

Chiggers need shade and humidity, so the fix is mostly landscaping. Ohio State and Alabama Extension both recommend mowing regularly, clearing brush and scrubby growth, and trimming plants so more sun and air reach the ground. Insecticides only have a short-term effect, and populations rebound if the habitat stays. To check whether your yard has chiggers, Ohio State suggests setting a square of black paper or cardboard in the grass for 10 minutes and looking for tiny moving red or yellow dots. The same yard work also helps with ticks; see our guide to getting rid of fleas and ticks in your yard.

Tiny red bugs that are not clover mites

Concrete mites

If the red mites are racing across your driveway, patio, brick walls or picnic table rather than your windowsill, they may be concrete mites. Alabama Extension describes them as bright red, 1 to 2 mm long, larger than clover mites, and most common in spring and early summer on sunny days. They feed on tiny soft-bodied insects and pollen and are not a health concern. Like clover mites, they leave a red stain when you sit on them. Their gatherings are short-lived, so they rarely need treatment.

Red velvet mites

A plump, fuzzy, bright red mite walking across the ground after a rain is a red velvet mite. The Missouri Department of Conservation says they are usually no bigger than about 1/8 inch and are harmless to people at every life stage. Their larvae live on insects and spiders, not on people. They are distant relatives of chiggers, in a different family.

Bright red velvet mite crawling on a dark surface — Red velvet mites are larger and fuzzier than clover mites and are often seen after rain.

Young boxelder bugs

Small, bright red bugs with black legs and developing black wings, clustered on a tree trunk or a sunny wall, are young boxelder bugs. Iowa State University Extension says they feed on boxelder, maple and ash trees and are harmless to people and houses. Our Oklahoma bug ID guide covers how to keep the adults out in fall.

Tiny red bugs in the bed

Chiggers do not live in beds; they drop off people within a few days and cannot survive indoors. If you find small reddish bugs on sheets or mattress seams, rule out bed bugs. OSU Extension notes that young bed bugs are small and light tan or red, and adults are about 1/5 to 3/8 inch and red to dark brown. Black spots on the sheets are another sign. See the bed bug section of our bug ID guide.

Several tiny red mites on a white background

Clover mites vs. chiggers at a glance

You can see clover mites. You almost never see chiggers.
Clover mites come inside; chiggers stay outdoors in grass and brush.
Clover mites are a spring (and fall) problem; chiggers are a summer problem.
Clover mites do not bite; chiggers cause the itch.
Clover mites need a vacuum and a sealed foundation; chiggers need repellent, a shower and a trimmed yard.

Call an exterminator for red mites that keep coming back

A few clover mites are easy to vacuum up. A wall covered in them every spring, or a yard where nobody can sit in the grass without chigger bites, is worth a professional look. Emtec Pest Control has served Oklahoma families since 1979. Our exterminator team identifies which red bug you have, treats the foundation, lawn edges and shady spots where they live, and points out the landscaping changes that keep them from coming back. We serve Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Owasso, Jenks, Bixby, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Stillwater, Oklahoma City and Edmond. See our preventative pest control service or contact us to schedule a visit.

Tiny Red Bugs: Clover Mites, Chiggers and Other Little Red Mites