Bed bugs and fleas are both blood-sucking parasites that are more similar than you might think. They feed on live animals, but do not affect people or other mammals. Bed bugs and fleas spend their entire lives on the host animal. Both insects stay close to the feeding site and commonly return to the same place for feeding, which is why you might see them in tiny groups near their favorite spots. The most obvious difference between bed bugs and fleas is their size; bed bugs are much smaller than fleas, but they can also be identified by their behavior and location in homes, bedrooms and hotel rooms Bed bugs vs fleas. What’s the difference? How do you know if you have bed bugs or fleas? And how do you treat them? Get the answers in this helpful guide that includes the most frequently asked questions about bed bugs, how to recognize them and remove them from your home.

Bed Bugs Compared To Fleas

Introduction

Like love and hate, bed bugs and fleas are pretty similar to one another. They look the same, they act the same, and they can even live on the same host in some cases. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need to know how to identify the differences between them. If you live with a pet, it’s critical that you understand what type of pest you are dealing with so you can keep your furry friend as safe as possible.

Bed bugs and fleas look similar under a microscope

When you look at a bed bug and flea under a microscope, they appear similar. Both have six legs, a hard exoskeleton, antennae and head/thorax. They also both have segmented abdomens with two pairs of wings. However, when compared side-by-side on a flat microscope slide, it becomes clear that there are some key differences between bed bugs and fleas. Bed bugs are oval in shape while fleas are more triangular or tear-drop shaped. Bed bugs also have longer bodies than most other insects (especially when compared to their antennae). This is because they don’t have wings covered by an exoskeleton like many other insects do–you can see this difference if you hold up both ends against each other so that they’re facing each other face-to-face!

Bed bugs are not known to spread disease but are a nuisance pest while fleas can transmit diseases that can be serious or even fatal

In addition to being a nuisance pest, fleas can transmit diseases that can be serious or even fatal.

Flea-borne diseases are transmitted by the bite of an infected flea. The most common disease associated with flea bites is murine typhus, which occurs more frequently in rural areas than urban areas. Murine typhus can cause headaches, rash, and fever lasting about one week. Many other types of bacterial infections may be transmitted by the bite of an infected flea, including plague (caused by Yersinia pestis). Plague has been reported in every state except Hawaii and several countries in South America including Argentina and Brazil.

Bed bugs prefer to feed on humans while fleas have a wider variety of hosts

The carbon dioxide we exhale is a major attractant for bed bugs. They are also attracted to heat and CO2.

Fleas, on the other hand, have a wider variety of hosts from pets to people. They don’t need as much heat or carbon dioxide in order to survive and thus can live indoors or outdoors with equal success.

It is important to know the difference between bed bugs and fleas.

Bed bugs are a nuisance pest, but fleas can transmit disease.

Bed bugs prefer to feed on humans, while fleas have a wider variety of hosts. Bed bugs can be seen by the naked eye, whereas fleas are too small to see without magnification.

Conclusion

Bed bugs and fleas are both insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals, which makes them similar. While bed bugs do not transmit disease to humans, they can cause anxiety in people who fear them. Fleas can transmit diseases that can be fatal but are also more difficult to control. Bed bugs can enter a home by hitchhiking in luggage or clothing while fleas live outside before entering a home by hitching a ride on pets or wildlife. These differences between bed bugs and fleas should help you identify what pest you have in your home so you can take appropriate action to eliminate them