Neotrombicula autumnalis, known as the harvest mite or autumn chigger, is a species of mite of the family Trombiculidae. Their larvae live parasitically; they infect all domestic mammals, humans, and some ground-nesting birds.[1]
The larvae are normally orange or red with six legs, but develop eight legs by nymph stage. The larvae are up to 0.2mm in size, with adult mites about 1mm long.
The eggs are laid in damp soil. After hatching, the larvae climb blades of grass and wait for a potential host.[1] With their "blade-like chelicerae",[1] they attach themselves to the hosts and feed on their tissues. After sucking, which lasts several days,[1] they fall off and develop over three stages of nymph to adult mites.
3. Gilbert White The Natural History of Selbourne (JM Dent & Sons Ltd, 1906) described in letter dated 30 March 1771