A flea bite or a bedbug bite – what’s the difference?
If you suffer from fleas or bedbugs you have a big problem. These vermin are both very small and difficult to see with the naked eye. Yet there are many differences between fleas and bedbugs. The bites of both bugs are very different. Also the way to prevent and fight them differs a lot. We are happy to give you more information about this small pest.
The flea
A flea can occur in both humans and animals. These blood-sucking parasites are on average between one and three millimetres in size. As soon as the flea has found a place on, for example, a dog or cat, it starts to reproduce. At a fast pace the fleas double themselves, so that in no time it grows into a true plague.
A flea bite, what does it look like?
As soon as you are bitten by a flea, you will usually realise this immediately. Although it doesn’t hurt, it does give you an unpleasant feeling. The spot that the flea leaves behind can be recognised by small black spots that are accompanied by a red spot. Insect bites will often cause the spot to swell, this is not the case with flea bites. Feet or lower legs are a favourite spot. These spots are easy to reach from the ground and are regularly exposed, which makes biting even easier.
How do I prevent fleas?
As soon as you have a plague of fleas in your house, it is difficult to get rid of it. Besides the fact that these creatures reproduce on your pet, the eggs can be scattered throughout the house. These eggs can therefore only hatch months later. To prevent this plague you can use a flea medicine. There are several variants on the market. A pipette with anti-flea remedy works best to prevent this pest.
The bedbug
Moving on six legs, the average bedbug is about six millimetres in size. Its oval body can have different colours. The most common colours are white, red and brown. As the name suggests, this vermin mainly hides in your bed. Because they don’t like light they are mainly active at night when lying in bed. This is also the time when you can be bitten by the bedbug. They live off the blood of humans and animals.
The bedbug bite
Unlike a flea bite, you won’t feel the bite of a bedbug. After the bedbug has bitten there will be a red spot on the skin. This spot will start to itch just like a mosquito bite. These bites are often close together because the bedbug can bite several times in a row. Although a bite is innocent and does not pose a health risk, the itching can be experienced as very unpleasant. It can also happen that your body does not react to a bite. You will then not be bothered by this bite.
How do I prevent bedbugs?
A bedbug cannot walk from one house to another by itself. Nor will you be able to transfer a bedbug quickly when you are visiting someone. However, if you go to sleep with someone else, there is a chance that you will take one or more bedbugs with you to your own house. This way you can easily move a pest.
There are some differences between these two bites. As indicated, you will notice a flea bite almost immediately, where it can take a while before you notice a bite of a bedbug. Both bites may cause a red spot that is slightly different from each other. A flea bite will be accompanied by some black spots. This is different from a bedbug bite that will usually only turn red.
Author: Hopper