Chiggers often drop in at summer barbecues and holiday picnics. But you can take steps before the party to rid the lawn of the unwelcome pests. Chiggers are tiny mites whose bites leave victims itching miserably. The red welts their bites raise aren't a health concern, but they can spoil your fun.

University of Arizona

Chigger bites aren't a health concern, but they can cause a ferocious itch. Chiggers are at their peak now.

Two species afflict Texans, one that lives in fields, lawns, parks and weedy areas, and another that prefers moist habitats. They climb onto vegetation and wait to transfer onto a passing host, either human or animal. Early summer is when they are most often a problem, because weeds, grasses and undergrowth are heavy, and that's where they lurk.

BEFORE THE PARTY

Mow your yard closely, and clear brush and weeds, says Kimberly Schofield, an urban Integrated Pest Management specialist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service. A well-maintained yard takes away their breeding grounds.

Insecticide sprays can temporarily control them. Ms. Schofield says lawns with Bermuda grass are particularly susceptible to chiggers. She recommends sprays labeled for chigger control and containing the active ingredients permethrin or cyfluthrin. Spray only on areas where the bugs and animal hosts live. There also are organic sprays for chiggers. Any spray works only temporarily, she says. As with any chemical, follow label directions.

DURING THE PARTY

Long pants, tightly woven socks, long-sleeve shirts and high shoes keep the pests off. If you suspect chiggers are around, tuck your pants legs inside your shoes.

Don't sit directly on the ground. Sit on blankets or other ground coverings.

Spray DEET or permethrin repellents on clothing. Powdered sulfur is another low-toxicity repellent that can be dusted around your waistband and on your socks.

AFTER THE PARTY

Take a hot bath or shower, using lots of soap, soon after you've been exposed. Quick action can wash them off. Also, wash clothes in hot, soapy water to kill the larvae.

Apply creams or ointments such as hydrocortisone or calamine lotion to relieve itching.

Adult chiggers find protected sites such as cracks in the soil and leaf litter to spend the winter, Ms. Schofield says. Try mulching leaves or raking them up to take away one chigger habitat.