How To Tell Bed Bug Bites From Flea Bites

Bed bug bites, flea bites and bites from other sources can look similar in some cases. It is always easy to tell what is a bed bug bite and when you compare flea bites and bed bug bites, it is often clear where the differences lie.

How To Tell Bed Bug Bites From Flea Bites

Bed bug bites have been a very bad problem in the US, but they are not new.  Fleas are blamed for just as many bites as bed bugs, but they aren’t the source of the problem. The fact is that there are several insects that bite humans and in extreme cases it can affect your health. This article will explain how to tell bed bug bites from flea bites so you can make an accurate identification.

Bed bugs and fleas are one of the most hated bugs in the world. Their bites cause itchiness and inflammation to your body that can lead to infection. Fleas are more of a problem to dogs as they have fur but bed bugs are hard to get rid off. They feed on blood, which is why they live on human beings and animals. Bed bugs can pose a danger to your health, if not dealt with accordingly.

How To Tell Bed Bug Bites From Flea Bites

How To Tell Bed Bug Bites From Flea Bites

It’s not uncommon to see fleas in your home, but what if you find the telltale red bumps on your skin? Are they flea bites or bed bug bites? Here’s how to tell which is which.

What to look for:

Flea bites are small, round, and often appear in clusters. They’re also itchy and can get infected if scratched or picked at. The best way to treat them is with a topical medication that kills the fleas but leaves their eggs alone.

Bed bugs, on the other hand, have a different kind of bite altogether—one that leaves behind dark brown spots (about the size of an apple seed) and can be mistaken for scabies or eczema. The main thing that distinguishes bed bug bites from other rashes is their pattern: They appear in a straight line or rows. You may also see single bites where only one or two bugs have fed on you at once, rather than clusters of multiple bites like fleas would leave behind.

Bugs are a pain in the neck—literally. When your pet has fleas, it can be difficult to tell if they’re just getting bitten by fleas or if they have bed bugs. Whether you’re trying to figure out if you have bed bugs or not, it’s important that you know how to spot bed bug bites from other types of bites so that you can take care of whatever problem is going on with your pet.

Here are some ways to tell if those itchy red bumps on your dog’s skin are flea bites or something else:

1) Look for clusters of bite marks—fleas tend to bite in clusters, while bed bugs usually prefer single bites.

2) Examine the location where the bite occurred—if it’s near a feathery part of your dog’s body (like their tail), it could be a flea bite; if it’s near an area where they sleep or lay down (like their belly), then it could be a bed bug bite.

3) Check for any black specks in the center of the bite marks—these will indicate that there was an actual insect present when the bite occurred rather than just some dirt or dead skin

How To Tell Bed Bug Bites From Flea Bites

What do bed bug bites look and feel like?

Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs—small, flat, reddish-brown insects—don’t just live on your mattress; they can be found in couch and chair seams, in curtain folds, and in between cushions, according to the US National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus resource. Additionally, bed bugs can live in crevices in walls, John Anthony, MD, a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic, tells Health. While bed bugs are found mainly in living areas, it’s important to know that the presence of bed bugs isn’t determined by the cleanliness of the living conditions where they’re found, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Bed bugs feed on human blood, but you likely won’t notice when they bite—that’s because, according to the CDC, the bugs inject an anesthetic (along with an anticoagulant) so the person doesn’t know they’re being bitten. “Most people don’t feel when the bed bug is biting,” says Dr. Anthony. “The bed bugs bite at night, [then] retreat by the time you wake up.”

You’ll only realize you’ve been bitten by bed bugs when small marks appear on your skin. While everyone reacts to bed bug bites differently, bed bug bites, in general, look similar to mosquito bites with a point in the middle (called a punctum) where the actual bite occurred, Tania Elliott, MD, who works in NYU Langone’s department of Infectious Disease, Allergy and Immunology, tells Health. “Bed bug bites usually occur in a linear fashion, and mainly affect exposed areas of the body while you sleep, like your hands, arms, legs, or face,” Dr. Elliott says. It’s also worth noting that bed bug bites can have a purplish color, Dr. Anthony says.

Aside from seeing the tiny bites on your skin, you may also be alerted to a bed bug infestation if you see the small insects on your furniture (they’re about the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny, per the CDC). Tiny specks of blood on your sheets can also be an indicator of bed bugs, Dr. Anthony says.

What do flea bites look and feel like?

While bed bugs prefer human blood, fleas are small insects that actually prefer to live on cats and dogs, per MedlinePlus. The presence of pets, then, can help you determine if you’re dealing with a flea bite or something else. “People mainly get flea bites from pets, so if you have had no pet exposures, it’s less likely to be a flea bite,” Dr. Elliott says.

While they prefer household pets, though, fleas will resort to humans if they don’t have another option—sometimes that happens when a person’s pet has been gone from the house for a while, and the flea needs another source of food

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Flea bites, like bed bug bites, usually appear as small red dots on the body. You’ll usually notice flea bites in creases of the body (think: elbows, waist line, groin, the backs of your knees). Flea bites often present as three small bumps together, and may cause a rash of bumps called papules, Dr. Elliott adds. Flea bites, like bed bug bites, can also resemble mosquito bites, Dr. Anthony says.

I addition to itchy skin and red bumps, you might become aware of the presence of fleas in your home if your pets are exceptionally itchy, if you see tiny dots on their fur, or if you see the tiny insects (which are smaller than bed bugs) on your furniture or other household items.

List Of How To Tell Bed Bug Bites From Flea Bites