People have been cozying up to their pets in bed for centuries, and for the most part, it’s a soothing experience. However, if your pet has fleas, you may want to think twice before inviting them into bed.
Fleas are parasites that bite both people and animals. They can often hitch a ride into your bed with your pet. It can lead to an infestation of fleas in your home.
Though fleas are typically harmless to humans, they can cause a lot of itchiness and discomfort when they bite. What’s more, they can also make pets quite sick.
Fleas are often easy to ignore. But it’s important to be aware that they can be found in your bedding. Spotting fleas are quite difficult.
Continue reading this content to find out about signs of fleas in bed.
Table of Contents
What do fleas and eggs look like?
Flea eggs are oval-shaped and can roll around due to their shape. They are a pale white or yellow and are about 1/16th of an inch long. Larvae are immature flea insects that hatch from an egg.
Flea larvae, for example, look like small translucent worms or maggots. The eggs are tiny and white, the larvae are small and legless, and the pupae look like cocoons.
The life cycle of a flea is about three weeks long. The first week is spent as an egg. The second week is spent as a larva. And the third week is spent as a pupa.
Adult fleas do not feed during this stage and survive up to two months without food. They are fully grown and have wings when they emerge from their cocoons.
So, what do fleas look like? Fleas and eggs are easiest to see on your pet’s belly. The fur or skin they hide in can make them difficult to spot, but the eggs and fleas are easier to see. They are typically brown, black, or reddish.
It can be identified by the small darkish specks that move. It can lay up to 50 eggs in a day, so it is important to take action.
Can fleas live in beds?
Fleas are tiny parasitic insects that can infest multiple areas in your home. Including mattresses, cushions, carpeting, and pets.
The infestation usually starts when the host (e.g., you or a pet) sleeps on the same bed or furniture where the fleas are present. Flea eggs on bed sheets are common occurence.
Fleas are a common problem for both pets and their owners. These pesky critters live in specific places and feed off of the blood of warm-blooded animals.
How Do Fleas Get in the Bed?
The most common place to find fleas is on animals, like dogs or cats. However, if fleas are in the home, they may look for a blood meal and won’t stay long. Flea eggs and larvae could take up residence in or on bedding if the pet can sleep on it.
But this would only happen after many months without washing and changing the bedding. Bed or bedding should be washed and changed often as soon as possible to eliminate any fleas or eggs.
Fleas tend to live in locations where they can easily jump onto a human or animal host for a blood meal. The most likely places to reside are under the bed or in the pet’s bed.
Fleas infesting a bed or bedding are usually only there to take a blood meal. It will not stay long if the person washes and changes the bedding often.
However, if someone doesn’t wash and change their bedding for a long while, fleas may take up residence in the bed. The more likely situation is that they live under the bed or in the pet’s bed.
6 Signs of fleas in bed (Flea Bugs Signs in Home)
Flea Dirt
Flea dirt is feces that has been mixed with blood. You will usually find it on your bed as tiny black pepper-like grains or black specks of dust.
They discharge a reddish color visible on the power towel and the bedsheet when you rub them. Fleas get blood meals from you and your pets. And discard their stools on your bed.
In other words, the two types of fecal matter that you may find on or near your bed are flea dirt vs bed bug feces. Flea dirt is tiny dust-like particles.
At the same time, black spots on the bed indicate bed bug feces. It is important to tell the difference between the two, as they require different treatment methods.
Flea Bite Marks On Your Body
If you have fleas in bed signs will include Flea bite marks are tiny red marks on your skin that itch a lot. They can bite anywhere but are most commonly found on the lower half.
Bed bug bites are similar to flea bites. But they are usually all over the body and often include the neck. Fleas bite mainly on the lower half of the body.
Flea bites are smaller than bed bug bites, and they usually look like acne or pimples. Bed bug bite marks can swell, and they don’t have a pattern. Unlike flea bite marks, which have a pattern.
Flea bite marks are often found in clusters, and they can be itchy and cause a rash. Most of the time, flea bites are not dangerous. But if you experience excessive swelling, fever, or other symptoms, see a doctor.
Flea Eggs
Flea eggs are tiny, soft, and oval-shaped. They can be difficult to see with the naked eye, but they are visible using a magnifying glass. Use a pincher tool or your fingers to pick them up off a surface.
If you have fleas in your bed, they will likely lay eggs on your sheets, mattress, or pillows. These flea eggs hatch and give rise to the next sign of fleas – the flea larvae.
Fleas cannot breed if they don’t get their regular blood meals, so be sure to address the issue as soon as possible.
Flea Larvae And Flea Pupae
Flea larvae are tiny worms that live in thin gaps and cracks on beds. They are about 0.08 inches to 0.2 inches long, 2-5 mm long. Flea pupae are the next stage of development for fleas, and they look like small brown rice grains.
When a person has a flea infestation, they are not only dealing with adult fleas. Flea larvae and pupae can also be found on bedding, carpets, and furniture.
Adult fleas cannot live on humans; they need to feed on the blood of an animal to survive. The cocoon is called a “puparium.” It protects the developing pupa from harm.
Flea Skin in the Bedroom
Fleas will molt twice before they reach the pupae stage. The first time they molt is when they leave the egg and enter the larva stage. The second time they molt is when they leave the larva stage and enter the pupae stage.
During this stage, they will shed their skin casings. These skin casings are hard to spot and can be mistaken for other things such as dust or lint.
To confirm a shed-skin casing, you will need to use a magnifying glass. The shed skin will look like a tiny white tubular casing under the magnifying glass.
Flea larvae on bed hide in the thin gaps between the bed frame and furniture. Flea skin is found underneath mattresses, between the headboard and bed frame, and under the mattress.
Adult fleas don’t shed their skins, but they can lay eggs and hatch into larvae. Fleas in bedroom are also common if you have pets.
Alive Adult Fleas in House Beds
When looking for signs of an infestation, it is important to distinguish between bed bugs and adult fleas. Bed bugs are flat oval-shaped and do not have adult fleas’ long hind legs. Fleas live on the bed, under the mattress, in pillows, and in the tight bed frame and headboard gaps.
Active adult fleas on your bed do not necessarily mean that the room is infested with fleas. However, fleas in the bed should be dealt with immediately. There may not be any prominent sign of live adult fleas in the room. But this does not mean they are not present.
Are Flea Bites Dangerous To Health? (Symptom)
Flea bites can be dangerous to your health, especially if you are allergic to them. If you develop a rash (skin infections) or start sneezing after being bitten, you should seek medical attention.
The bitten area may also become infected. The fleas can infest your skin by burrowing themselves in extreme cases.
Fleas are parasites found on the bodies of most warm-blooded animals, including humans. While they do not typically carry diseases, they can cause severe infections when they drill into the skin.
In addition, fleas can transmit tapeworms and other parasites to their hosts. If bitten by fleas, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
How to get rid of fleas in bed? (Flea Treatment)
Fleas can be a real nuisance, especially if they manage to make their way into your bed. Follow these solutions to get rid of them.
- Firstly, fleas cannot survive in high temperatures, so vacuuming the bed and washing all sheets, carpet, duvets, covers, pillowcases, and blankets in hot water is a good way to start. You should then follow up with a cool tumble dry.
- Vacuum the entire area, making sure to dispose of the vacuum bags carefully so that no fleas escape. Additionally, vacuuming will interrupt the life cycle of fleas and eggs.
- There are many ways to get rid of fleas in bed. One way is to make sure the powder you use is toxic chemical-free, or make your own by grinding herbs into a fine powder.
- Another way is to fill an empty salt pot and shale on the entire area. Fleas need to be killed using residual insecticide, which may be present in carpets, skirting boards, and other areas.
Can my pets get fleas? (cat fleas)
Fleas are a common problem with pets, and they can be difficult to get rid of. If your pets have fleas, take steps to address the problem immediately. Use a flea comb to remove the fleas from your pet’s fur. Consult your vet for the best way to treat the problem in the future.
There are various ways to get rid of fleas, including using a flea comb to separate the fur and then looking for the moving specks, using over-the-counter medication or pesticide, or taking your pet to the vet.
Conclusion
Flea prevention products are important for keeping your pet healthy and free from fleas. There are various products on the market, so it is important to research and find the right one for your pet. Using these products can help you eliminate flea infestations and keep your pet healthy and happy.
Though you may not think it, your pets are more likely to get bitten while they’re in bed with you if they have fleas. Fleas like to jump onto warm bodies, and since humans generate a lot of heat, they are a prime target for pests.
In conclusion, it is important to clean soft surfaces regularly to prevent the spread of fleas. It will help keep your environment healthy and free of pests.
