These two insects can be difficult to tell between, especially given the biting and itching they produce. Let’s examine how they compare to help you see the differences.
Habits and Hosts
Although both require a blood host to thrive, bedbugs prefer to feed on humans, whereas fleas prefer to feed on hairy/furry animals like cats and dogs.
Fleas can survive without a host for several months in the pupa stage, but only for two weeks as adults, but Bedbugs can live for up to a year if they are fed.
Fleas can produce up to 300 eggs per week, whereas Bedbugs can only lay up to 200 eggs over the course of a year
Fleas jump from one host to the next, which is where bedbugs crawl.
Bedbugs do not carry any human infections, although fleas are known to spread disease.
But how do they appear?
Bedbugs have a flattened body that is red/brown in colour and ranges in size from 1.5mm to 5mm. They are mainly identified by digested meals in the nooks of your mattress/sofa.
Fleas have an oval-shaped body that is brown/red in colour and runs from 1.5mm to 3.3mm in length. Fleas are commonly found on pets, carpets, and furniture.
Bite Identification
Flea Bites: Flea bites appear as little red spots with a severe itch and are most commonly found on:
Waist
Feet and lower leg
Armpits
Ankles
Elbows
Knees
Folds of Skin
Bedbug bites are small and have a dark red dot in the middle. They normally occur in a line/cluster format and will worsen if rubbed.
Hands
Neck
Face
Arms
Treatments For Bedbugs:
Vacuum your carpets.
Use hot water and eucalyptus oil to clean your bed sheets and other upholstery.
Clothing and linen should be bagged and stored in temperatures below freezing for many days.
Remove any contaminated items from your house.
Alternatively, contact Pestcatcher Pest Control Swindon for additional information and treatment options.
Treatment For Fleas :
Vacuum your carpets and floors.
Cleaning your carpets and curtains using steam
mowing the grass
Using a flea spray recommended by your veterinarian personally we do not recommend the tablet type treatments as they only work for a small period of time. We are asked all the time what flea treatment we recommend and from our own personal view with having two dogs we recommend bayer advantage flea treatment.
looking for fleas on your pets
putting a flea collar on your pet or using Frontline flea drops
Call Pestcatcher Pest Control Swindon for an quotation and available treatment options.
