What Do Fleas Look Like, Identifying Insect Bites, Flea Pictures, Fleas in House
What do Fleas Look Like?
What do fleas look like…?
Well the extreme close up picture above gives a pretty gruesome clue, but we have provided some more pictures below as the first stage in identifying insect bites is to know exactly what you are dealing with, if you are unlucky to either have them in your house or on your dog.
We have also provided some great natural home remedies for treating human flea bites and advice on how to get rid of the nasty little blood sucker from your House.
So lets get started….!
Facts about Fleas
Ok so you see your dog or cat scratching in the corner, you may even see your beloved dog start to lose some hair where they have been scratching so much – or worst still he may have developed some sores from all the itching….nasty….but then you see the characteristic three bites in a row on your arm….so now you have fleas on your dog, on you and in your House!
The Flea
One of the most common fleas is the cat flea or Ctenocephalides Felis with the dog flea Ctenocephalides Canis actually being quite rare. Human, Rabbit and Bird fleas are even rarer still…so thats the good news…it gets worst from here!
The Life Cycle
The flea is more common during certain months of the year most notably during summer to autumn, this is because they like the warmer weather so that they can complete their life cycle faster. Unfortunately the dreaded flea is becoming more common in the House due to the increased use of central heating.
The adult flea will lay about 30 eggs with the adult spending all of it’s life on it’s host, where it will breed and lay it’s eggs.
The eggs are are very small, smooth and not sticky so they fall very easily from the host on to the floor, bed or carpet.
The eggs hatch between 1-10 days with the larva feeding on dust and debris until they turn into a pupa.
The pupa can lay dormant for up to 12 months until either the temperature is just right or a dog passes by giving off the right vibrations.
After the pupa hatches the small flea will search for a host to start feeding.
What do Fleas Look Like?
Of course the flea is very small so it is very hard to actually spot. The adult is a blackish brown color and reaches the size of 1/16 inch.
They are prone to running really fast rather than actually jumping, although they can do both.
Identifying bites whether it is from an insect like a mosquito or a flea can be difficult, but fleas often form clusters and leave a characteristic black poop in a certain area, you may find this poop either on your dog, pets on you, or in the House on the carpet or bedding.
What do Fleas Look Like?
Flea Bites on Humans
Flea bites on humans tend to have the characteristic 3 bites in a row. If the insect has been disturbed during a feed it may only leave two bites.
Flea bites on humans normally occur on the legs or ankles, but this is certainly not always the case.
Natural Home Remedies for Getting Rid of Fleas
Natural Home remedies for getting rid of fleas on…
You….
Try placing some calamine lotion on the bite as this can have a soothing action.
Your Dog…
Rub some drops of either tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, citronella or geranium onto a non-leather dog collar, it would need to be bandanna.
From your House…
- Vacuum the House as this can remove as much as 50% of fleas.
- Clean other areas where you have noticed flea poop, obvious places like your dog’s bedding.
- If you are washing bedding, add a drop of Eucalyptus oil during the washing machines final cycle.
- After you have thoroughly washed and vacuumed the carpet add a very thin layer of salt on the carpet and then vacuum the next day.
- Purchase some flea bombs if you are having real problems.
Obviously we can’t guarantee these methods but surely it is always bes to try a natural home remedy before you start purchasing nasty chemicals.
We hope we have not only answered the initial question of what do fleas look like? But also given you lots of interesting facts too.
