English

Wikispecies

Alternative forms

• whealworm

Noun

wheal-worm ‎(plural wheal-worms)

1. (archaic) Any of various insects or arachnids the bites of which produce raised sores.
   • 1658, Edward Topsell, The History of Four-footed Beasts and Serpents, London: E. Cotes for G. Sawbridge, XXIV Of little Lice called Syrones, Acari, and Tineæ, or Hand-worms, or Mites in living Creatures, page 1095:

     It may be ſome will think it impoſſible for theſe Wheal-worms to breed between the eyes; but we ſee it is ſo, and we finde it was done ſo formerly

2. (archaic) A harvest mite, Trombicula sp.
   • 1895, William Dwight Whitney; Benjamin Eli Smith, The Century Dictionary: An Encyclopedic Lexicon of the English Language, volume 8, New York: The Century Co., OCLC 2139748, page 6888:

     wheal-worm, n 1. The itch-mite acarus scabiei 2. The acarine Leptus autumnalis, or some similar harvest-bug: so named from the wheals or pimples left by its bite. See cut under harvest-mite.

3. (obsolete) Acarus autumnalis, a species of mite
   • 1865, Sir Erasmus Wilson, “Malis, or cutaneous vermination”, in On Diseases of the Skin, Philadelphia: Lea and Blanchard, OCLC 6599325, page 277:

     ACARUS AUTUMNALIS. Harvest-bug. Mower's Mite. Wheal-worm. Rouget. The acarus autumnalis is scarcely larger than the acarus scabiei

Synonyms

• (harvest mite): harvest mite, chigger, red bug
• (Acarus autumnalis): harvest bug, scarlet mite