How To Tell Fleas Vs Bed Bugs

How To Tell Fleas Vs Bed Bugs

Fleas and bed bugs are pests that can ruin your home, leading to sleepless nights. Learning how to tell the difference between fleas and bedbugs is the first step on your road to …

If you’re unhappy with an infestation of fleas in your home, it can be difficult to discern whether you’ve got a flea problem or a bed bug problem. Typically, people think they have fleas when they really have bed bugs, because they are both very hard to get rid of.

Fleas vs bed bugs…hmm, what could they possibly have in common? No, fleas are not technically bed bugs. But I couldn’t resist jumping right into the deep end with this topic. They’re both pesky pests and also can be notoriously difficult to tell apart. Both belong to the order of Hemiptera (“true bugs”) and are Wingless ectoparasites (like ticks).

How To Tell Fleas Vs Bed Bugs

How to Tell Fleas vs. Bed Bugs

If you have a bed bug infestation, or if you think you might have a bed bug infestation, it’s important to know the difference between fleas and bed bugs. They look quite similar, but have very different behaviors and needs.

Fleas are tiny insects that live off of blood from mammals—including humans. Their bites can be painful and cause itching, especially in pets with sensitive skin. They’re also very hard to get rid of because they’re so small and can hide in places like carpeting or furniture.

Bed bugs on the other hand are hidden away in cracks and crevices near your mattress during daylight hours—and come out at night to feed on you while you sleep! They are larger than flea bites (about 1/4 inch long), but smaller than an apple seed (about 1/8 inch long). You’ll see them as small red bumps on your skin that turn into blisters after several days without treatment—so don’t wait around too long before getting help!

The main difference between fleas and bed bugs is the size. Fleas are small, about one millimeter long, whereas bed bugs are about five millimeters in length.

Bed bugs have flat bodies that allow them to fit into small spaces and hide from predators. They feed on human blood, which they obtain by biting their host’s skin. The bites can cause itching and irritation, as well as an allergic reaction in some people.

Fleas are external parasites that feed on the blood of mammals and birds. They live on the host’s body and lay eggs that fall off when they find a suitable place to incubate nearby. These eggs hatch into larvae that feed off of organic matter until they mature into adults and start laying eggs themselves.

How To Tell Fleas Vs Bed Bugs

Bedbugs and fleas are two blood-sucking bugs that can be tough to deal with. And although they do have similarities, the differences between them are pretty distinct— and some of the biggest differences come down to their bites.

Here are some of the major similarities and differences between bedbugs and fleas if you aren’t quite sure what bug you’re dealing with.

Both bugs survive on their host’s blood.

Bedbugs and fleas survive on blood from a host, according to Terminix. This means that both bedbugs and fleas will try to bite humans and animals when necessary.

Both insects only like the blood from mammals, and bedbugs prefer humans. Fleas typically prefer the blood of furry mammals, but they can jump onto humans and bite them as well.

 

 

Fleas and bedbugs have some similarities.

Both small, wingless insects, fleas and bedbugs are a reddish-brown color. Although both bugs are visible to the naked eye, they often come into your home without a trace.

Bedbugs and fleas are nocturnal.

Fleas and bedbugs can loosely be labeled as nocturnal, meaning they are usually more active at night. This makes it harder to spot them, especially if you don’t have any itchy, red bites.

Both bugs can live for quite a long time without blood from a host, fleas for up to 100 days and bedbugs for up to a few weeks.

Fleas and bedbugs have different body types and movement speeds.

Fleas tend to be smaller than bedbugs and have more of an oval-shaped body. Unlike fleas, bedbugs typically have a flat, seed-shaped body.

The way they move is quite different as well— fleas can jump long distances, while bedbugs just crawl.

Flea bites can lead to the spread of some diseases.

While both bugs’ bites are red and small, flea bites are usually clustered or alone, and they come with intense itching. They’re likely to be on the lower parts of your legs and ankles.

Through their bites, fleas can spread several diseases, such as the plague, typhus, and cat scratch disease, according to Orkin.

Bedbugs aren’t known to pass on pathogens and diseases.

Bedbug bites usually appear as a raised area of the skin, similar to a welt. Bedbug bites also appear in clusters or lines. Unlike fleas, bedbugs are not known to pass on pathogens.

Bed bug bites will likely only make you sick if you’re allergic to them, according to Terminix.

List Of How To Tell Fleas Vs Bed Bugs