Insect and Spider Identification: Are these mysterious bug parts causing illness?, 1 by schweetzbughunt

schweetzbughunt wrote:
Hi all, hoping some keen insect sleuths can help us. We are in Washington State on Whidbey Island, if that helps narrow geography. My wife has been quite active in the garden recently and has experienced what appears to be an unfortunate many bug bites. She is taking the usual precautions like bug spray. She felt very sick today after a Nutri-Grain bar, although we're not sure if it's due to eating that or the bugs. Her previous searching makes her think it might be a kind of "mite" or "chigger".

I haven't been outdoors as often but I haven't experienced the same problems. The bites just keep coming and they've spread to numerous sites on her skin so where they're clustered — her arms, her buttocks, and so on.

Several times she has been able to catch a bug on her and pull it off. She's seen some that look odd like "triangle" formations. Unfortunately none of them are intact, but here are assorted parts from what we think are a single bug.

Here are pictures:

http://i.imgur.com/POVhSQH.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/2EdRnr8.jpg

At this point we haven't gone to the doctor yet because she doesn't think a medical professional can do much diagnosis beyond providing antibiotics. We just hope there isn't something worse happening under the surface. I am of course concerned at this pattern.

Does anyone know what might be going on here? Much gratitude for help.