These Creepy Crawlers That Call Your Skin Home, Will Make You Shudder
There are some creepy crawlers that don’t just live on your skin—they burrow into it, making it their permanent home. These bugs can cause intense discomfort, itching, and even long-lasting health problems. From parasitic larvae to tiny mites, here are 10 terrifying bugs that invade beneath the surface of your skin, leaving you questioning what’s really lurking inside.
1. Botfly Larvae Are a Horrifying Reminder That Bugs Can Live Inside You
Botfly larvae are one of the most terrifying skin invaders. A female botfly lays its eggs on a mosquito or other insect, which then comes into contact with human skin. The larvae hatch and burrow beneath the skin, creating a painful, swollen bump. As they grow, they continue to move under the skin, often requiring surgical removal. It’s a nightmarish process, and the idea of bugs living inside you is enough to make anyone shudder.
2. Scabies Mites Will Have You Scratching Nonstop
Scabies mites are tiny, eight-legged critters that burrow under your skin to lay their eggs. Their presence leads to intense itching and a rash that worsens as the mites move deeper into the skin. The itching is so unbearable that it can keep you awake at night, and you might even see tunnels they’ve made as they crawl beneath the surface. Scabies is highly contagious, and the thought of these parasites nesting inside you is horrifying.
3. Chiggers Can Leave You Scratching Until You Bleed
Chiggers are tiny red mites that don’t burrow into the skin permanently, but they do cause severe irritation. They inject digestive enzymes into the skin to break down tissue, which is what makes you itch uncontrollably. While they don’t live inside your skin long-term, the thought of these microscopic bugs crawling underneath the surface of your skin is enough to drive anyone crazy with itching and discomfort.
4. The Flea Will Make You Feel Like You’re Constantly Being Invaded
Fleas are most often associated with pets, but they can also bite humans and burrow into the skin. They leave behind intensely itchy red welts, and while they typically don’t burrow deep, they can remain embedded in the skin for a while, causing severe irritation. The thought of these tiny, bloodsucking creatures living beneath the skin makes them an unwelcome invader in any home.
5. Lice Can Live on Your Scalp and Cause Horrible Irritation
Head lice are known for living on your scalp, but some types can burrow deeper into the skin, especially around the neck and ears. These blood-sucking pests cause extreme itching and discomfort, and when their eggs hatch, they can create more itchy spots around your scalp. The idea of lice burrowing under your skin to survive is enough to make your skin crawl.
6. The Dermatobia Hominis Will Have You Wondering if You’re the Host
This parasitic fly is responsible for the infamous “warble,” where its larvae burrow into the skin, causing a visible bulge. Once inside, the larvae continue to grow, creating painful cysts under the skin that need to be surgically removed. It’s an unsettling thought that something is growing inside you, living and feeding beneath the surface.
7. Tick Larvae Will Latch on and Burrow Deep Inside
Ticks are notorious for burrowing under the skin when they latch on to feed, and they can transmit diseases like Lyme disease. These tiny parasites burrow in and stay embedded in your skin, making them an unsettling invader. While ticks are typically known to attach themselves to your skin for feeding, the idea that they burrow and remain there, feeding off you, is enough to make anyone uncomfortable.
8. The Dermal Larva Migrans (DLM) Will Leave You Wondering What’s Under Your Skin
Also known as “hookworm,” Dermal Larva Migrans is a parasitic infection caused by the larvae of hookworms that burrow under the skin. These larvae leave a visible trail beneath the skin as they migrate, causing redness, itching, and discomfort. The idea of the larvae moving through the skin and creating visible tunnels is one of the most unsettling experiences for anyone unlucky enough to encounter them.
9. The Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Parasite Will Leave You with Skin Lesions
Cutaneous leishmaniasis is caused by a parasite transmitted by sandflies. When infected, the parasite burrows beneath your skin, causing painful sores and lesions. These lesions can be slow to heal and are often disfiguring. The thought of a parasite living beneath the skin and wreaking havoc on your body for weeks or even months is terrifying.
10. The Worms of Onchocerciasis Will Leave You with River Blindness
Onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, is caused by parasitic worms that burrow under the skin and into the body. These worms can live beneath the skin, and as they migrate, they cause intense itching, swelling, and eventually vision loss. The idea of parasitic worms living under your skin and slowly affecting your health is a horror story you’d rather not experience.