How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your Bed
Table of Contents
Fleas (order Siphonaptera) are small parasites that drink the blood of mammals. They can infest your home and be particularly problematic for furry pets. If you see fleas in your bedroom, it’s time to talk about how to get rid of fleas in bed. By getting them out of your bed (and bedroom), you’ll be able to sleep easier without itchy, irritating bites.
WHAT ARE FLEAS?
Flea is the common name for an order of insects known as Siphonaptera. There are 2,500 species that fall under this order. All are flightless and live on host species as parasites.
Fleas drink blood, so they bite in order to latch onto hosts and feed. Through these bites, they have the potential to spread diseases such as plague, flea-borne typhus, and cat-scratch disease.
WHAT DO FLEAS LOOK LIKE?
Fleas are small, usually under two millimeters, and they are ovular in shape. They tend to be dark brown or black, but they can look reddish if they’ve recently had a meal.
Contrary to popular belief, fleas don’t fly and don’t have wings. Instead, they use their powerful hind legs to jump from one place to another.
It can be hard to spot fleas on pets, so it’s often easier to look for “flea dirt” on furry animals. Not actually dirt at all, “flea dirt” or “flea debris” may look like small, black specks and is a combination of digested dried blood, feces, and flea eggs. Look for flea dirt around the ears, groin, and belly of your pet. If you find flea dirt, it’s a sign of fleas infesting.
DO I HAVE FLEAS OR BEDBUGS IN MY BED?
Any time people spot a small bug in bed, they’re likely to be concerned that the culprits are bedbugs. So how do you tell the difference between fleas and bedbugs? The two might look similar from a distance, but when you get up close, their bodies look different enough (and their behaviors are different enough) that you should be able to tell what’s in your bed.
FLEAS
WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?
Fleas are wingless, parasitic insects. These oval-shaped insects range in color from light yellow to black, depending on age, but most are reddish-brown in color.
Fleas are small (some as small as 2 mm in length), and they have long back legs for jumping. They appear hunched and their legs are clearly visible.
WHAT ARE THEIR TYPICAL BEHAVIORS?
Fleas move differently from bedbugs, usually jumping from place to place.
PRIMARY BLOOD MEAL SOURCES
Fleas tend to reside on furry pets in the home, but if they cannot feast there, they will bite and draw blood from humans. Flea bites are usually clustered around the lower legs and ankles of humans.
When undisturbed, fleas can live for over 100 days without a blood meal.
BEDBUGS
WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE?
Bedbugs are brown, oval-shaped insects that are usually no larger than 9.5 mm in length. If the bedbug recently fed, it may appear red.
WHAT ARE THEIR TYPICAL BEHAVIORS?
Bedbugs crawl and are unable to jump. They are typically found around beds, mattresses, and other furniture.
PRIMARY BLOOD MEAL SOURCES
Bedbugs usually prefer to feast on human blood instead of animal blood. Bedbug bites can be anywhere on the body since you’re usually lying down in bed when bitten.
Bedbugs can normally go up to a few weeks without a blood meal.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF THERE ARE FLEAS IN MY BED?
If you have fleas in your bed, begin by removing all the bedding and washing it in hot water. Don’t forget pillow shams and bed skirts. This will kill the fleas and larvae living in the bedding.
Vacuum your bedroom thoroughly, and then throw away the contents outside. For bagged vacuums, throw away the entire bag, and for bagless vacuums, wash out the canister with bleach and hot water to get rid of any remaining fleas, larvae, or eggs.
If you’ve discovered fleas in your home and have pets, they likely have fleas as well. Consult with your veterinarian to get recommendations for an immediate flea bath and combing, and then set up a monthly flea preventative for your pet as well. This will help prevent future reinfestations.
It’s also a good idea to consult with a pest control professional to treat your entire home and prevent fleas from spreading from one room to another.
LET US HELP YOU GET RID OF FLEAS
For assistance eliminating fleas inside your home or in your yard, a professional pest control expert can help. At Joshua’s Pest Control, we offer pet- and family-friendly treatments to get rid of fleas wherever they may be hiding. Give us a call today to get a free quote.
SOURCES
- https://www.vetwest.com.au/solving-fleas
- https://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/scientific-resources/biodiversity/uk-biodiversity/british-flea-distribution/flea-biology/index.html
- https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/bed_bug.htm
- https://www.cdc.gov/fleas/index.html
Author Bio
Courtney Enzor has worked in the pest control industry for about a decade. From helping you build a fly trap to giving you the best tips for identifying various bugs, she loves answering all your pest-related questions and sharing her pest-related expertise through writing. At the end of the day, she hopes her content will help people avoid mishaps and keep families happy and healthy!
