Major Families Pulicidae (common fleas) — This family includes most species with economic or medical importance: the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), the dog flea (C. canis), the human flea (Pulex irritans), the rabbit flea (Spilopsyllus cuniculi), and the oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis).

Fleas are small, wingless insects with a tough cuticle bearing many bristles and frequently combs (ctenidia) of broad, flattened spines. The adult flea varies from about 0.1 to 0.32 cm (0.039 to 0.13 inch) in length and feeds exclusively on the blood of mammals (including humans) and birds.

The main arthropod assemblages include crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp), arachnids (spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites) and insects (beetles, bugs, earwigs, ants, bees, termites, butterflies, moths, crickets, roaches, fleas, flies, mosquitoes, lice).

Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) are a different species than dog fleas (Ctenocephalides canis). However, their differences are best distinguished through the use of a microscope. Despite their name, cat fleas are capable of affecting dogs and an array of other animals as well as humans.

While not all ticks and fleas will carry disease, and not all squirrels will have ticks or fleas, the consequences of infection can be serious (sometimes deadly). Fleas can, additionally, carry bartonellosis, tapeworms and more.

Hot water can kill fleas! In fact, they die when exposed to any temperature greater than 95°F. That means throwing flea-infested bedding in the hot wash in your washing machine can help kill them. Just because hot water kills fleas doesn’t mean you don’t need to address the problem with special cleaning products.

Keep reading for nine clear signs of fleas you should be aware of.

1. Scratching. Probably the top indicator that your cat or dog may have fleas is excessive scratching.
2. Hair Loss.
3. Welts And Red Skin.
4. Ankle Bites.
5. White Sock Test.
6. Pale Gums.
7. Flea Dirt.
8. Flea Eggs Hiding in Carpet.

Choose an insecticide that contains both an adulticide, such as permethrin, that kills adult fleas, and an insect growth regulator, such as methoprene or pyriproxyfen, that kills the eggs, larvae, and pupae. People and pets shouldn’t come into contact with the spray until it has dried.

Siphonaptera

The trouble with fleas is they are built to be tough. Nearly impossible to squish, fleas’ legs are designed to grip to things so tightly they are hard to remove. Plus, the tiny pests are fast and jump high and far, as they can easily spread to other areas of your home in a short period of time.

Salt. Much like baking soda, salt is a great natural flea home remedy when accompanied by vacuuming. Salt acts as a dehydration agent, helping to get rid of adult fleas. To treat fleas with this natural remedy take some salt (finely ground works best) and sprinkle it all over your carpets in each room.

Help, I’ve got fleas in my house, but don’t have pets! As they can’t take a blood meal from people the fleas will eventually die off (as they need a blood meal to produce eggs), although it’s possible that your human family might get bitten frequently until that happens.

Fleas do not live on humans. They generally bite down at the feet, ankles, and legs by jumping from an infested pet or other animal, but it is most likely to be from an infested pet bed.

Fleas bite whenever they get the chance. Bed bugs tend to feed every 3 days and may be more likely to feed at night. People who have bed bugs in their home may notice a regular pattern to bites.

They are very itchy, and the skin around each bite may become sore or painful. You may experience hives or develop a rash near the site of a bite. Scratching a lot can further damage the skin and potentially cause a bacterial infection in the area of the bite. Avoid scratching if you can.

Fleas can live on clothing (especially in messy areas) for up to 24 hours. Because fleas feed so often in just one day, it’s unlikely that they will continuously live on your clothing or in your shoes.

Only about 5% of fleas live on your pet at any time, the rest are in your house! Regular vacuuming and washing of your pet’s bedding can remove a large part of the problem (60 degree wash).

Fleas get in your house. It’s never just one, and only if you’re lucky does the problem go away on it’s own. House fleas are almost always associated with pets. Just treating your dog or cat and/or the areas they hang out in the most, unfortunately, isn’t going to do the trick.