Chiggers are the tiny, red larvae of a mite from the Trombiculidae family. If you've ever been sittin' on a stone wall or in the grass and noticed some teeny tiny, BRIGHT red insects crawling around, those were probably chiggers. They bite, and the bites itch worse than anything—worse than poison ivy or mosquito bites. Why? PI and skeeter bites are typically confined to unclothed body parts, while chiggers are a lot more . . . adventurous.

There's a fascinating article on chiggers right here.