A genus of widely distributed mites, the harvest mites. The six-legged parasitic larvae (chiggers) are common in fields during the autumn and frequently attack man, remaining attached to the skin for several days while feeding on the lymph and digested skin tissues. Their bite causes intense irritation and a severe dermatitis. Various repellents can be applied to clothing. Trombicula larvae are responsible for transmitting scrub typhus in southeast Asia.