Bed Bugs vs. Fleas

A similarity everyone can agree upon between bed bugs and fleas is their size, small, and both are considered pests that are not welcome in a home. Each are parasites that can result in severe and serious problems for humans ranging from bites and rashes to psychological effects.

Both, of course, are small with the bed bugs being flat, oval-shaped, reddish-brown insects with no hind wings. They also have segmented abdomens with tiny hairs giving them a banded appearance. They are sometimes mistaken for other insects such as booklice, small cockroaches, or carpet beetles. When they are active they move like ants. The fleas on the other hand, are long and brown or red, and wingless. They have tube-like mouth parts made for feeding on the blood of their hosts. A flea can also vertically jump up to 18 cm or 7 inches. The sizes are a little different as well, the bed bug a bit larger at 4-5 mm long and 1.5-3 mm wide. The fleas are between 1.5 and 3.3 mmm in length.

One of the major problems with fleas is their ability to spread diseases, whereas bedbugs do not spread diseases. In addition, fleas often infest dogs and cats, but bed bugs are normally found in the home inside mattresses and furniture. Fortunately, it is easier to get rid of fleas since they cause more problems for humans, and more difficult to eliminate the bed bugs.

Both bed bugs and fleas can bite, and the bed bug bites do not hurt but may cause a rash and itching to occur. The bite of a flea can be felt but there is less pain and can lead to swelling at the spot of the bite. A house pet is more likely to be bitten than a person

The discovery of the two pests in the home also requires searching for unlike evidence. For a bed bug, one may find dark spots on sheets and linen, eggs, or rusty stains on the sheets. The bed bugs can be found near cracks in a bed frame or piping, or in the seams of mattresses. To find out if there are fleas living in a home, simply check a pet where the fleas will be visible, though they can also be found in the upholstery of the furniture.

The treatment of the two pest also involves different remedies. To get rid of bed bugs, articles of clothing and other infested areas must be heated, or specific pesticides are available for their elimination. However, getting rid of fleas requires vacuuming, beating rugs outdoors, and using a treatment for infested pets.

The prevention of the pests also differs, but washing pet bedding each week can help stop fleas from infesting the pets in a home. In addition, checking pets for fleas is also a preventive measure. On the other hand, bed bug infestations are much more difficult to prevent, but it is helpful to eliminate hiding spots by covering mattresses and box springs with protective covers. Furthermore, researchers have recently developed a chemical that attracts bed bugs from every spot in a room, allowing them to be killed.

In summary, bed bugs and fleas are pests that can be found inside or around the home. The fleas are normally found living on pets, and do not usually bite humans. However, fleas can spread diseases to humans if bitten. Bed bugs do not spread diseases, but can cause problems for a person bitten by one. The bed bugs may cause a rash to appear along with itching, which can lead to an infection if the skin is broken. Finally, the fleas are more easily spotted on the pets in a home, and bed bugs are less likely to be noticeable.