Fleas and bedbugs bite warm-blooded animals and humans to feed on their blood in order to help them grow and reproduce. Because of their similar appearance and feeding habits, many people tell State Termite and Pest Solutions, “I don’t know if I have fleas or bed bugs.”

Below, State Termite and Pest Solutions will help you determine what insect is eating you for dinner!!

According to Pest World, one way to know if you have bed bugs or fleas is by the pest’s appearance.  Additionally, bedbugs do not jump or fly, the crawl.  Fleas normally jump on lower extremities such as feel or ankles.

If You Have Fleas

If the insect has the following characteristics, you likely have fleas.

• A laterally compressed body when viewed from above.
• Brown-black in coloration
• Very tiny
• Tends to bite the feet or ankle

To prevent fleas, regularly vacuum your home, especially if you have pets. Pet owners should use flea and tick preventative measures to avoid inadvertently bringing fleas and ticks inside the home.

If You Have Bed Bugs

If the insect has the following characteristics, you likely have bed bugs.

• Can be as tiny as a grain of rice or as large as a woman’s pinky fingernail
• Antennae
• Six legs
• Flat bodies when unfed, larger and reddish-brown after feeding
• Broad, oval shape

Bed bugs can also have a different appearance depending on their life stage but normally appear somewhat oval shaped and tiny, about the size of a tick.  Eggs appear translucent and about the size of a grain of rice.  They are very sticky and like to hitch onto you to travel with you to other homes.  Bedbugs are hitchhikers and transport themselves on shoes, purses, bags, luggage, clothing and other items from location to location.

When traveling, don’t just take your belongings into a room and unpack. Before bringing your luggage inside your hotel room, do a thorough sweep for signs of bed bugs.  Check sheets, mattresses, box springs, the wood junctures on furniture, in between the cushions of couches or chairs, and the bed headboard. When returning home, check your luggage outdoors for signs of the pest and wash or ry any clothing, including what wasn’t worn, in hot water and/or place into a high heat dryer.

Bed Bug Bites vs. Flea Bites

Bites can be in almost any pattern.  Flea bites tend to be more random while bedbug bites tend to be multiple…many times having three bites in a row.   However, with this being said, one of the things that make identifying the problem difficult, is both can have very random bite patterns.  Normally, bedbug bites occur while resting or sleeping so the bites are not always felt by its host.  It is also very common with bedbugs for two people to be sleeping in the same bed and only one of them gets bite marks.

Contact STATE TERMITE AND PEST SOLUTIONS at 330-494-6199 if you have Bed Bugs or Fleas!

If you think you may have either inside your home, give us a call immediately.

Both bugs reproduce very quickly so it is important to call us immediately upon recognizing a problem.  Bedbugs can get costly if not treated quickly once the problem is found so it does not pay to try and do self-treatment of bedbugs.  We have found that most customers tell us that the retail products they tried do not work (most likely because they do not kill eggs, even when labeled that they do).

Don’t wait.

Our licensed/certified and trained technician will come out and explain everything to you for a quick resolution.  Call Teresa at our office 330-494-6199 if you have any questions or concerns.

 

#fleas

#bedbugs