We all have heard about bed bugs and fleas but do we know the difference between these two? This article will help you find out what are the differences between bed bug and fleas.
Summary Table
| Bed Bugs | Fleas |
| Found in bedding material | Found in animals and humans |
| Wingless | Winged |
| The bites formed red spots | The bites formed red bumps and welts |
Definitions
Bed bugs are pests that can be found only in the bedding material; they do not live on any other place. Bed bugs can be seen in all kinds of places, but mostly inside the premises of hotels, inns, motels, apartments and other residential buildings. These pests tend to be a burden for their host because they feed on blood of their victims and leave behind their eggs in the bed sheets or mattresses.
Fleas are small, winged insects that are mainly found in the places where animals live and move. Fleas can be found in different places like homes, libraries, offices and other public buildings. The flea bites can also cause red bumps and welts on the skin of their victims. There are several different species of fleas like the cat flea, dog flea, and the human flea.
Bed Bugs vs Fleas
Because of their small size, fleas are more difficult to detect. The bed bug has a longer life cycle and can survive for several months without feeding. Although both insects come from the same family (Cimicidae) the bed bug is wingless and the flea has wings.
The bed bug is a wingless insect that feeds by sucking blood from animals, birds and humans.
As it feeds, it leaves behind a telltale reddish-brown stain on the skin or bedding of the host that it has fed on.
Bed bugs are small, oval-shaped and very flat with an appearance like ticks.
A flea is a winged insect that feeds by biting the host and excreting blood into its mouth.
The eggs of the bed bug are usually laid on the bedding, while those of the flea are laid in crevices or cracks in furniture.
Bed bugs are insects that eat blood. They live in cracks in the walls and furniture, floors, couches and mattresses. Fleas are small insects that jump on us when we sit or lie down near them.
Bed bugs feed on blood from other insects, people, or animals. They bite through the skin and suck the blood. They can only survive for about a month without feeding.
Bed bugs often leave small red spots on their host’s bedding, sheets and clothing. Fleas are small insects that jump on us when we sit or lie down near them. They feed on blood from other insects, people or animals.
Fleas can cause allergic reactions and also transmit diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Flea bites leave small white spots that last for days, weeks or months.
