More than 2600 Eutrombicula alfreddugesi larvae were taken from 40 of 596 individual small mammals of 20 species over a 23 month period. Mammals were infested during June, July, and August only, with maximum rate of infestation in June and severity of infestation in July. Male and female Sigmodon hispidus had equal rates and severities of infestation during the chigger season. Infrapopulations of E. alfreddugesi are positively associated with host body size. Amount of time spent in arboreal activity by mammal species played no role in determining pest chigger infestation.

Eutrombicula alfreddugesi, pest chigger, parasitic mite, ectoparasite, host-parasite ecology
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Author notes

1 This research supported by the Office of Naval Research, Microbiology Program, Naval Biology Project, under contract N00012-80-C-0547.

2 Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.

3 Dept. of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602.

4 Emory and Henry College, Emory, VA 24327.

© 1985 Georgia Entomological Society, Inc.
1985