If you hunt around on the internet, doing a search for bed bug bites vs flea bites on humans can be confusing. There are many pictures of bed bug bites and flea bites on humans that look similar. But there are also many pictures that look very different. So how can you tell the difference? Bed bug bites are a pesky problem. But there’s no need to panic. There is an easy way to tell the difference between bed bug bites and flea bites. Keep reading to learn how to find out the easiest way to tell the difference between bed bug bites and flea bites on humans. So you are convinced that you have bed bug bites, but it’s hard to tell if you have flea bites too. It could be one of the worst feelings ever to have a bite, but not know for sure what the heck it is. Bed bug bites look different than flea bites on humans. See picture comparison below of what the two look like, and then continue reading to find out how to tell the difference between flea and bed bugs bites on humans.
Bed Bug Bites Vs Flea Bites On Humans
Bed bug bites vs. flea bites on humans
Bed bug bites and flea bites are the most common insect bites that people experience. Both are caused by parasitic insects that bite humans during feeding. The reactions to these two types of bites can be different from one another and here we will go through some of the differences between bed bug bites vs flea bites on humans so that you can identify which insect has bitten you.
- Appearance: Bed bugs have oval-shaped flat bodies with a reddish brown color, whereas fleas are elongated insects with flattened bodies covered in hair (1). They have dark legs and antennae compared to their body color which is light brown or black in color (2).
- Time of occurrence: Fleas usually feed immediately after settling on your skin while bed bugs usually take longer than just a few seconds before they start sucking your blood (3).
- Location of infestation: Bed bugs live in mattresses, carpets, bed frames or anywhere else where they find enough food sources such as dead skin cells or blood from pets or humans nearby while fleas live outdoors only but they can enter homes when there is an outbreak caused by high levels of humidity indoors due to flooding etcetera (4).
Time of occurrence
- Bed bugs can bite at any time of day or night.
- Fleas are most active at dawn and dusk, when they’re seeking a blood meal to help them reproduce.
Female bugs and their eggs
Bed bugs are notorious for their ability to lay many eggs. A single female bed bug can lay about 200 eggs in her lifetime, but the average number is closer to 15-20 per batch. Because of this, it’s important to treat your home with a vacuum cleaner before attempting any treatment method. If you have professional treatment done instead, make sure that any areas where there may be hidden, undiscovered nests are thoroughly cleaned out as well!
Bed Bug Bites Vs Flea Bites On Humans
Appearance of bites
Bed bug bites are red and itchy. They can also be swollen, painful, and even cause an allergic reaction in some people. Flea bites can be red but are typically not itchier than bed bug bites (though some people do have a sensitivity to fleas). Flea bites tend to be small and more concentrated on the ankles and feet, while bed bugs spread their attentions around more evenly throughout the body.
Reaction to bites
When you get bitten by a flea, you’re likely to experience itchy red bumps. These bites can be in clusters or lines, and they may be swollen or blistered. If you have an allergic reaction to the fleas’ saliva, you may develop an infection around your bite marks.
If you’ve been bitten by bed bugs, however, the reaction is different: You’ll probably feel no pain at all when they bite into your skin (which is why so many people are unaware that they have been bitten). However, once they’ve sunk their teeth into your flesh, they release an enzyme that breaks down proteins in order to digest them (similarly to how a tick digests its blood meal). This causes swelling at the wound site and sometimes leaves behind a darkened mark where the bug bit into your body. The swelling may last for weeks or even months after being bitten by these creatures!
Size and shape
Flea bites are usually red, round, and have a white spot in the middle. Bedbug bite symptoms can be mistaken for flea bites because they look very similar. However, only fleas bite humans; bedbugs do not attack humans.
Bedbugs are small oval-shaped insects that feed on blood. They feed at night or when the room is dark, hiding in cracks and crevices close to their host’s sleeping area during the day (beds, couches). Fleas will also feed at night on your bed or couch when you’re sleeping but they tend to live off of animals rather than humans.
Bed bugs are brownish-red in color while fleas tend to be more grayish-white (although their bodies may appear reddish yellow if engorged with blood).
Treatment for bites
The best way to treat bed bug bites is to identify the problem as soon as possible and seek treatment. If it’s too late, however, you can still alleviate some of the symptoms with topical creams such as corticosteroids and antihistamines.
Home remedies such as calamine lotion, baking soda paste and tea tree oil have also been proven to provide relief from itching. A combination of these treatments will usually do the trick!
Location of infestation
Bed bugs are most commonly found in beds, mattresses, and furniture. Fleas, on the other hand, tend to live in your pet’s bedding. While both pests can bite humans and pets alike (and may cause similar reactions), it’s important to know which insects you’re dealing with so that you can take appropriate action against them.
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Additional Info :
Color | Single |
Item Dimensions | |
Height | 1 Inches |
Width | 3 Inches |
Length | 5 Inches |
Weight | 0.01984160358 pounds |
- 3.5-ounce tube of Benadryl Extra-Strength Cooling Itch Stopping Anti-Itch Gel for fast cooling relief from skin pain and itching from most outdoor itches
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Additional Info :
Item Dimensions | |
Height | 6.35 Inches |
Width | 2.43 Inches |
Length | 1.47 Inches |
Weight | 3.5 ounces |
Release Date | 2015-06-22T00:00:01Z |
- Helps relieve itching and pain from chiggers (redbugs), ticks, mosquitos, no-see-ums, biting flies, gnats, sand fleas and other bug bites
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Additional Info :
Item Dimensions | |
Height | 3 Inches |
Width | 2.5 Inches |
Length | 3 Inches |
Weight | 0.375 Pounds |
- ALL IN ONE REPELLENT AND ANTI-ITCH: “No-Bite-Me” DOES IT ALL! Forgot to apply “No-Bite-Me” and got some bug bites? No problem: it’s an anti-itch cream too! Other creams make you choose between repelling bugs and treating uncomfortable bug bites, but “No-Bite-Me” prevents and repairs bug-bombed skin. Effective on black flies, mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks.
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Additional Info :
Color | Clear |
Item Dimensions | |
Height | 2 Inches |
Width | 3 Inches |
Length | 3 Inches |
Weight | 0.13 Pounds |
- 2 pack
- 4 oz. tube
- temporarily relieves discomfort and itching. Provides a multiple purpose moisture barrier.
Additional Info :
Color | White |
Item Dimensions | |
Height | 1.69 Inches |
Width | 6.9 Inches |
Length | 3.2 Inches |
Weight | 0.02 Pounds |
Release Date | 2016-07-18T00:00:01Z |