noun
chigger; harvest mite
Refers to mites of the family Trombiculidae, especially the larval stage that bites humans and animals. Often associated with tsutsugamushi disease (scrub typhus).
ツツガムシに刺されると、ツツガムシ病になることがあります。
If you are bitten by a chigger, you may get scrub typhus.
野山に行くときは、ツツガムシに注意してください。
When you go into the fields and mountains, be careful of chiggers.
ダニ is the general term for ticks and mites, while ツツガムシ specifically refers to chiggers (Trombiculidae).
The word is of native Japanese origin. The kanji 恙 (tsutsuga) means 'illness' or 'disaster', and 虫 (mushi) means 'insect' or 'bug', reflecting the mite's association with disease.