The term “bed fleas,” which is widely used in everyday life, is not a scientific definition of blood-sucking insects that parasitize the body of animals and humans. This is a collective name that unites several different species of the extensive flea family.
The use of such a specific epithet as bedding is due to the peculiarities of the localization of small, ubiquitous insects. In search of a source of food, they can climb into beds and wardrobes.
Almost all types of fleas that consider humans as a potential source of food have identical habits and life cycle characteristics, but visual differences between representatives of individual types can only be determined using a microscope.
How to deal with bed fleas, what control methods are effective and how to prevent their occurrence in the future? Let's look further.
Bed fleas: what are they?
This popular nickname was given to insects that live near humans, whose blood is the main source of nutrition for small parasites. The appearance of these pests causes a lot of inconvenience and poses a danger to the health of people and domestic animals.
Fleas are small insects, the size of an adult does not exceed 3 mm. The scientific name of these parasites is translated from ancient Greek and means “pump” and “wingless”. Linen fleas belong to the order of blood-sucking insects and cannot fly. But the lack of wings does not prevent them from moving rapidly.
The locomotor system of these insects consists of 6 limbs, the hind ones are the most powerful, thanks to them the fleas are distinguished by their jumping ability. Moving in this way, the parasites easily find a victim and attach to it with the help of bristles that cover the insect’s abdomen.
The flea's powerful hind limbs allow it to make rapid jumps.
The height of a flea's jump can reach 50 cm, and its length can be up to 1.5 meters. Small pests move quickly and are almost impossible to catch.
Symptoms and body sensations
The presence of parasites in a home can be detected by the presence of bites on the body of a person or animal. It can be difficult to see because it is small in size, but some characteristic symptoms can help you determine if your pet has parasites: They do not have wings.
- They are small in size - from 0.1 to 1 cm, usually 3 mm.
- Long hind legs.
The insects are brown in color and have a round body. They are protected by chitin, which makes it difficult to kill the insect with your finger. Fleas can lay eggs on the fur of animals, as well as in secluded places in the apartment - the larvae look like grains of rice and are white.
Why are they dangerous?
Bites are characterized by manifestations of allergies.
Feeding on the blood of humans and small animals, fleas leave painful wounds on the body that are easily distinguished from the bites of other insects.
Petechiae appear on the skin - small hemorrhages. These red spots with a dark spot in the middle are painful and very itchy.
Flea bites cause an allergic reaction, especially in children and people with sensitive skin.
Victims may experience pulicosis or sarcopsillosis. These parasitic diseases cause swelling, pain, itching, and in severe cases, damage to the nervous system.
But the main danger from bed flea bites is the transmission of infectious diseases through the blood:
- hepatitis types B and C;
- bubonic plague;
- tularemia;
- typhus;
- encephalitis;
- tuberculosis.
Fleas can reproduce quickly, rapidly increasing their population indoors, so it is necessary to immediately respond to their appearance in order to prevent the consequences of the activity.
How to find them
Fleas can appear not only under unfavorable sanitary conditions in the room. Many people wonder where these insects come from. Maintaining cleanliness does not always save you from the invasion of blood-sucking pests.
The following factors can contribute to the spread of parasites:
- uncleaned entrance;
- unscrupulous neighbors;
- rats and mice living in the basement of buildings;
- dampness in the toilet room;
- pets.
Linen fleas do not live in beds or sofas. They live in dark corners, trash cans, behind baseboards, and on pet bedding. Here fleas have a resting place, lay eggs and shelter. Parasites climb into bed only in search of food.
You can find out about the presence of fleas in a house or apartment by the characteristic bite marks, especially on the legs. Unlike other insects, fleas do not have an anesthetic enzyme in their saliva. Their bites are painful and itchy.
It is easy to detect only dead fleas, for example, on the bedding of an animal after it has been treated.
You won't be able to see what fleas look like. These jumping parasites disappear at lightning speed. To make sure of their presence, you need to look in the house or apartment for traces of their vital activity. It is worth carefully inspecting the bed. Flea excrement in the form of small black grains of sand may remain on the mattress. The appearance of pests in a room is indicated by white hard balls that can be found in dark corners, behind cabinets, near trash cans.
Differential diagnosis
Flea and bedbug bites on humans have the following distinctive features.
- Localization: if fleas are without a system, then their competitors make punctures in a “path” a few centimeters from each other.
- Feelings: fleas bite painfully, but bedbugs bite painlessly. In both cases, the affected areas itch, may swell, and hyperemia appears.
- Attack time: fleas - at any time, not just late at night.
Are mosquitoes ruining your life? In winter and with the availability of protective equipment, this option can be easily excluded. The Internet is full of pictures; just find a photo of flea and bedbug bites on a person to see the difference.
Try to catch the parasites in the act. Before going to bed, set an alarm for 3-4 hours, turn on the lights sharply and look through the bed linen, you may see a parasite. Well-fed individuals become inactive, and you may accidentally crush them in your sleep.
How to distinguish flea and bedbug bites? Lay a white cloth on the floor, stand on it and see fleas jumping to your feet if there are any in the room. They are very mobile and cannot be easily caught.
In the next article we will tell you: How to get rid of bedbugs in bed? How to treat bed linen?
Chemical flea control products
If blood-sucking parasites are found in the house, it is necessary to promptly begin to destroy them. The most common way to control insects is with special chemicals. But before using them, it is necessary to thoroughly clean and ventilate the home: inspect the closet, wash the bed linen in hot water and iron the bed linen. Hanging your laundry out in the cold in winter will also help.
If you have pets, you must take them to the veterinarian. The doctor will select an effective and safe product (drops or shampoo) for them to remove fleas.
After completing these activities, you can begin the main stage of the fight - treating the apartment with insecticides. Modern chemicals will help quickly rid your home of parasites.
"Cucaracha"
A potent product of domestic production. It contains melation and cypermethrin. The drug is available in the form of gel, powder and emulsion. When used correctly, it is harmless, has a low level of toxicity, and the drug is economical and accessible. The chemical has an unpleasant odor that can persist for a long time.
It should not be used to treat children's bedrooms and hospital wards. The drug "Cucaracha" acts only on fleas and is harmless to their eggs.
"Ziper"
This insecticidal agent is intended to combat insects closely associated with human habitation (bugs, fleas, cockroaches). “Ziper” is used for sanitary treatment of residential and commercial premises, public transport, and waste accumulation. Affects all stages of insect development.
It has a long-lasting effect and remains effective under intense external influences (sunlight, rain).
The drug is safe for humans.
"Delta Zone"
A modern insecticide with a good effect on parasites, practically odorless.
This gives the Delta Zone product an advantage over other preparations for treating residential premises. The active ingredient is deltamethrin, which causes nervous paralysis in parasites.
One 50 ml bottle is enough to treat a small one-room apartment.
The Delta Zone is safe for humans. Even if accidentally ingested, it quickly disintegrates and is excreted from the body.
"Cifox"
A strong acaricidal-insecticidal agent. The main substance – cypermethrin (25%) has a paralyzing effect on insects, which die 20-30 minutes after contact with the drug.
The Zifox solution is used to disinfect not only houses and apartments, but also summer cottages. If you follow safety precautions, the product can be used independently, but it is mainly used by exterminators.
The product is safe for animals.
"Combat"
This insecticide comes in spray, gel and trap forms. It contains cyphenothrin and imiprotrin.
These substances paralyze the nervous system of parasites, which leads to their death. “Kombat” is minimally toxic; it can even be used to treat clothes and linen. After the first cleaning, the insects die.
The drug is safe for humans and pets.
Despite its effectiveness, it has a number of disadvantages:
- smells unpleasant;
- harmless to parasite eggs;
- can be removed by wet cleaning;
- high price.
To treat premises with Combat, you need to stock up on a respirator, gloves and a protective suit.
"Raid"
One of the most commonly used means of combating parasites. It is produced in the form of an aerosol and has a nerve-paralytic effect. “Raid” kills both the adult and its larva, but the drug does not immediately affect the pest eggs, so the aerosol disinfestation procedure must be repeated.
The product should be used to treat furniture, beds, carpets, floors, baseboards, walls, all cracks and openings. All windows and doors must be closed during the procedure.
After disinfestation, it is necessary to ventilate the room for at least 3 hours. The effect of "Raid" lasts for a month.
Insecticidal preparations for pets
It will not be possible to completely destroy fleas without treating pets, since insects can hide in the fur of animals after disinsection of a living space. For the procedure, it is recommended to use special products that will not harm the pet, but will be harmful to fleas.
Main types of funds
Today, many different means have been developed that can quickly and effectively kill fleas that parasitize pets:
- insectoacaricidal powder (for example, “Clandestine”) is the most gentle preparation, since the percentage of insecticides in its composition is minimal. The advantages of this remedy include the fact that the animal does not need to be wet, because many tailed animals do not like this. The disadvantage is the short validity period (about 7–10 days);
- anti-parasitic shampoo - suitable for animals that like to bathe. The most popular and inexpensive drugs are: “Bars”, “Clandestine”, “Fitoelita”;
- sprays. These drugs are no less popular, because they are very easy to use. To do this, simply spray the product over your pet's fur and let it dry. The most famous and inexpensive drugs of this type include: “Foline”, “Bars”, “Harts”;
- flea drops occupy a leading position because they are easy to use and give a long-lasting effect (“FleaNet”). Each package is designed for a certain weight of the animal, so the owner does not have to worry about an overdose.
To avoid re-infestation, after treating your pet, put on an anti-flea collar (for example, “Doctor Zoo”), which will repel parasites.
Photo gallery: antiparasitic agents for animals
Anti-flea collar "Doctor Zoo" is used to protect animals from fleas
Flea spray "Foline" is sprayed over the animal's fur and allowed to dry.
Antiparasitic powder “Clandestine” is the most gentle insecticidal agent
Flea drops "BlochNet" are applied to the withers of the animal
Folk remedies against bed fleas
In addition to specialized chemicals, folk remedies are widely used for a comprehensive effect on pests. Fleas have a peculiarity - they cannot tolerate strong odors. By taking advantage of this weakness of insects, you can quickly survive them from your home and protect yourself and your pets from the invasion of parasites for a long time.
Strong odors will help get rid of insects.
Wormwood tincture
This plant takes root almost everywhere. Among its 400 varieties, only wormwood is the most common and useful herb. It is an excellent remedy for domestic parasites. Wormwood has a specific smell and is used to repel fleas. Insects are afraid of it and quickly leave places where they smell a bitter smell.
The fresh plant must be placed in the favorite places where pests live: under the carpet, behind the sofa, bed, closet, near the baseboards.
To protect pets, wormwood is hidden in their beds and bedding, and hung in cages.
The tincture of the plant is used to wipe the floors, especially near the front door and in the corners. A decoction of wormwood can be sprayed indoors.
Sprigs of pine needles
The smell of pine needles in the house creates not only a festive mood. With the help of thorny branches you can protect yourself from bed fleas. Pine needles and cones with their aroma will repel parasites for a long time. Using sawdust, they are placed in corners and on pet bedding.
A decoction should be made from pine branches and sprinkled in living rooms. The needles are poured into fabric bags and hung around the apartment.
Citrus
The bright, strong smell of citrus fruits repels blood-sucking parasites. The aromatic peel of lemons, oranges, limes, and grapefruits will help get rid of harmful insects. Dried crusts are laid out in places where fleas may live: behind furniture, near baseboards, behind cabinets and bedside tables.
Citrus fruits should be used with caution if there are cats in the house. Their sense of smell may be impaired by the strong smell of the aromatic peel.
Essential oils
These products have a strong odor due to the volatile substances in their composition. Essential oils are an effective natural insecticide. They do not destroy insects, but scare them away from places where pests live.
Essential oils repel fleas due to their strong aroma.
Bed fleas cannot tolerate the smell of the following oils:
- tansy;
- peppermint;
- lemongrass;
- thyme;
- wormwood;
- tea tree;
- pine trees;
- anise
Essential oils are used only to control fleas indoors. These aromatic products should not be used on pets. They can lick oil from their fur and become poisoned.
To prepare a solution for treating a room, add a few drops of the product to water and spray it. Caution is advised for people with asthma and allergies.
Tar soap
Tar is a natural antiseptic that helps fight pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The phenol contained in birch tar is toxic to the nervous system of blood-sucking parasites.
Pet hair is treated with tar soap. Use a soapy solution to wash floors, especially in hard-to-reach places. Thanks to its antiseptic effect, tar soap not only gets rid of fleas, but also promotes the speedy healing of bites.
Precautionary measures
To prevent the appearance of parasites, you need to clean your apartment more often and ventilate the rooms. Of course, these are general and familiar tips, but they really help. The condition of the house is also the responsibility and consciousness of the residents. The basement serves as a breeding ground for fleas. It is necessary to inform utility services more often and require disinfection of the basement and waste disposal chute, if it is located in the house.
It seems that parasites attacking residential premises are a thing of the past. In fact, the problem remains relevant today. Simple rules and tips will help you avoid an unpleasant neighborhood with fleas in your apartment.
Room treatment
To clean the room from blood-sucking pests, it is necessary to carry out a general cleaning of the room. It is necessary to clear the walls and floors of carpets and furniture and clean them thoroughly. Collect and throw away all trash.
Treatment is carried out after general cleaning of the premises.
Treat the room with chemicals, especially at the joints of the floor and baseboards, near the furniture. Close the room for 2-3 hours for the drugs to take effect. After disinsection, thoroughly ventilate the room.
Types of insecticides
There are many ways to get rid of fleas: using aerosols, solutions or folk remedies. When working with them, use a respiratory mask. After treating fluffy surfaces, clean them with a vacuum cleaner, and then disinfect it too, so that it does not become a breeding ground for a new generation of pests.
Flea aerosols are quite widely available. You can buy products from the brands “Perol”, Raid, “Raptor”, Get, “Sinuzan”. The aerosol is sprayed according to the instructions on all surfaces where fleas prefer to settle. To treat a room you may need more than one can, so when purchasing, read the instructions and check the area of the apartment.
Products for solutions are available in the form of concentrates, which must be diluted with water yourself. These include “Deltsid”, “Tsifoks”, Get, “Executioner”, “Cucaracha”, “Tetrix”, “Butox 50”, “Medilis”. When purchasing a concentrate, it is also worth calculating the square footage of the room and, based on this, determining the required number of bottles.
Folk recipes for fleas are safe, chemically neutral remedies. But be careful with herbal-based formulations - plants can cause allergies.
The simplest folk remedy for fleas is a solution of salt and soda. The powders are mixed in equal quantities and infused in water for 10 hours. After this, the product is poured into a spray bottle and sprayed onto the floor covering. After 8 hours the floor needs to be vacuumed.
Another popular remedy is garlic. Its smell is believed to repel fleas. Chop into slices and place throughout the apartment. After some time, the fleas will leave the room.
You can treat your house with a mixture of herbs. Take 2 tsp. dry wormwood and tansy and 4 tsp. eucalyptus, pour 250 ml of boiling water, stir and leave for 10 hours. Then pour the infusion into a spray bottle and spray the entire room. The strong smell repels insects. To further prevent their spread, sew the herbs into a sachet and place them around the apartment.
Tips for choosing a disinfection service
The most reliable method of getting rid of bed fleas is the help of a professional disinfection service.
Specialists will quickly deal with parasites. This will save time and eliminate the need for contact with insecticides.
When choosing a disinfection service, you should pay attention to:
- The drugs used by the organization must be safe for humans and animals.
- The time for the procedure is chosen by the customer, not the company.
- The service clients are explained in detail the disinfection process, the chemicals used, and safety measures.
- Conscientious organizations work without prepayment.
- If the cleaning is unsuccessful, the customer does not pay for this event.
Services whose employees care about their reputation provide quality services, after which they receive only positive reviews.
Preventing fleas
Prevention will help prevent an unpleasant neighborhood and protect yourself and your pets from pest invasion.
Compliance with the following rules will eliminate the appearance of insects:
- Maintain cleanliness in the linen closet at all times.
- Regularly treat carpets and upholstered furniture.
- Ventilate and dry pillows, blankets, and mattresses in the fresh air.
- Use high temperatures to wash and iron clothes.
- Dry-clean your outerwear periodically.
- Choose a flea collar for pets.
- When cleaning premises, do not miss hard-to-reach places.
- Avoid accumulation of garbage in the apartment.
By adhering to these rules, you can protect yourself and your home from bed fleas and other blood-sucking pests.
