Are you questioning whether those bites you discovered on your hands and feet are from bed bugs or fleas? Learn more about difference in between flea bites and bed bug bites, treat these annoying bites, and prepare your home against future infestations.
Difference Between Flea Bites Vs. Bed Bug Bites
| How to differ | Bed bugs | Fleas |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Small, flat, reddish-brown | Small, long, red, or brown |
| Size | 4-5 mm long and 1.5-3 mm wide | 1.5-3.3 mm long |
| Disease transmission | Does not spread disease | Can spread disease |
| Reaction | Itchy, can lead to a rash | Bite can be felt, swelling |
| Identification | Dark spots on bedding, eggs and rust stains on sheets | Visible on pets |
| Location | Near cracks in bed frame, piping, and seams of mattress | On pets and upholstery |
| Treatment | Heat articles of clothing and bedding, use pesticides | Vacuum upholstery, beat rugs outdoors, treat pets |
| Prevention | Reduce clutter, use protective casing on mattress, check secondhand furniture before bringing into home | Wash pet bedding each week. Vacuum daily. |
Have you ever gotten out of bed wondering if that red, itchy spot on your leg was from a flea or bed bug? Although it can be difficult to compare flea bites and bed bug bites there are some ideas that will help you distinguish between the two. Before we examine the distinctions between the two bites it is important that we start by taking a separate look at each bite.
Flea Bites
Characteristics of Flea Bites
Fleas are parasites that obtain nourishment from the blood of their host. Flea bites can quickly be puzzled with ant bites, spider bites, or skin allergic reactions. However there are some clues these bugs leave to assist determine the origin of the bite, according to iytmed.com. One simple method to differentiate in between bites is to take a look at the bite itself. A bite with two puncture marks is more than likely from an ant or spider; whereas, a bite with one leak mark in the center of the bite is most likely from a flea.
There are a number of symptoms connected with flea bites. Here are the most typical symptoms:
- A red, swollen area appears on the skin about half an hour after the preliminary bite.
- The infected area reddens and begins to itch. The itch is irritating and constant.
- Within two days of the bite, the wound can turn into a blister.
- The constant itching can cause the area to bleed or end up being infected.
- In uncommon cases, people will have an allergic reaction to the flea bite that can lead to difficulty breathing, chest pain, and hives.
Treatments for Flea Bites
The majority of flea bites can be quickly handled at home. The most important part in handling flea bites is having the ability to resist the desire to scratch the bite. Treat flea bites at home in the following ways:
- As quickly as you determine the bite, clean the area with soap and water and pat the area dry using a tidy towel. This will help decrease the risk of infection.
- Apply calamine cream or hydrocortisone cream to ease the itching.
- Place a cold compress over the affected area, a number of times a day, to decrease the amount of swelling and inflammation.
Preventing Flea Bites
The secret to preventing flea bites is to eliminate the source of the problem. To do this, pet owners have to treat all family pets with flea shampoo or flea spot on treatment liquids. Eliminating fleas from your home can be hard because of the following reasons:
- Fleas replicate at a worrying rate.
- Flea eggs can take up to two weeks to hatch.
- Fleas can live up to 3 months.
To manage fleas, treat all carpeted areas and animal bedding with flea insecticide sprays, foggers, or powders. Because flea eggs can live for weeks inside the home or family pet bedding, a 2nd treatment is frequently required.
If you choose to treat fleas naturally, begin by washing all clothes, bedding, and family pet bedding in hot water. Then dry the materials in the clothes dryer on high heat to help get rid of the insects and kill the eggs. Next sprinkle borax on the carpeted areas, mattresses, and outdoor areas. Enable the borax powder to sit for numerous hours and thenremove with a vacuum. It is exceptionally crucial that you empty the vacuum bag and eliminate the vacuum bag from your the home of prevent reinfestation. Continue this treatment each week approximately one month.
Bed Bug Bites
Characteristics of Bed Bug Bites
Bed bugs are small, non-flying insects that acquire nourishment from the blood they remove from humans or animals. Although bed bugs can reside in furniture and upholstery, they choose to gather together in beds and bed frames where they feed at night. Bed bugs bites are commonly found on the hands, neck, face, and arms because these areas are most likely to be exposed during sleep. The bumps appear on the skin as flat, small, or raised areas that can become swollen, itchy, red, or blister.
Treatments for Bed Bug Bites
Frequently no treatment is needed for bed bug bites. However, if the bites itch, you can treat them with topical steroid creams or oral antihistamines. A course of oral antibiotics might be prescribed to treat an infection that develops at the bed bug site.
Preventing Bed Bugs
Usually an infestation of bed bugs will need a pest-control specialist due to the fact that bed bugs are highly versatile insects that can live for up to a year without feeding.
You can attempt to spray or dust insecticides to get rid of bed bugs from your home however these products need to be used to all areas where bed bugs gather together consisting of cracks in the furnishings, holes in the walls, and other crevices discovered throughout the residence.Since it is practically difficult to eliminate all bed bugs from a bed or mattress you will need to dispose of all bed mattress and bedding infected with bed bugs.
Pest-control specialists can determine areas in your house where bed bugs conceal or crawl. These specialists can help avoid future bed bug invasions by filling out cracks in the tile, wood floors, and crown moldings and enclosing all mattresses with protective bags.
So the next time you get up with a red, itchy bite on your leg there are some ideas to assist you identify whether the bite was from a flea or bed bug. Here is a fast guide you can describe the next time you get bitten!
Table: Difference between Flea Bites and Bed Bug Bites
| Symptoms of Flea Bites | Symptoms of Bed Bug Bites |
|---|---|
| Small bump surrounded by a red skin rash. | Look similar to mosquito bites. Reddened raised area. |
| Appear in groups of three or 4. More typically found on the ankles, armpits, waist, bends of knees, and elbows but can be anywhere on the body. | Appear in a straight pattern in rows of 3 or more. Generally found on the neck, face, arms, and hands however can be anywhere on the body. |
| Continuous bites. | Periodic bites. |
| The bites itch. | The bites itch and appear inflamed. |
| The rash turns white when you press your fingers on it. | The bites might lead to a blister. |
