What's the difference between flea bites vs bed bug bites?

Both flea bites and bed bug bites are frustrating and uncomfortable, but they have key differences that can help you determine the type of pest you're dealing with. Whether you're experiencing the discomfort of bites yourself or noticing your pets in distress, it’s crucial to understand how to distinguish between these two common pests.

Learn more about the major differences between flea bites and bed bug bites so you can identify which one is causing the problem—and more importantly, how to treat and prevent bed bugs and fleas.

How do you know if you have a flea bite or bed bug bite?

Knowing whether you're dealing with flea or bed bug bites can help you choose the right course of action to eliminate the problem. The most effective way to identify what caused the bite is to positively ID the culprit so if possible do take a picture of the pest. Here's what to look for in each type of bite:

Bed bug bites

Appearance

Reactions to bed bug bites can vary and in some cases, there may be no obvious reaction at all.  They commonly appear as small, red, swollen bumps on the skin, At first glance, they might be confused with mosquito bites due to their similar size and color. These bites often become itchy and irritated.

Development

When bed bugs bite, they inject a numbing agent, which allows them to feed without causing immediate pain. As a result, you won’t feel the bite right away. In fact, it can take anywhere from a few hours to two weeks for the bumps to fully develop, depending on individual skin sensitivity. For some people, the bites may not appear at all, while others may develop a severe allergic reaction.

Location

Bed bug bites often occur on areas of the body that are exposed during sleep. Common bite locations include the neck, face, arms, legs, hands, and torso. These pests are nocturnal, so they typically feed while you’re sleeping, and they don’t bite through clothing.

Dangers

While bed bug bites are not known to transmit diseases, they can cause significant discomfort. In some cases, excessive scratching of the bites can lead to secondary infections or skin inflammation. People with severe allergic reactions may experience anaphylaxis, which requires immediate medical attention.

Flea bites

Appearance

Flea bites can appear smaller than bed bug bites and tend to show as tiny, red, raised spots on the skin. They are sometimes surrounded by a small red halo, though reactions can vary. Flea bites are more likely to develop into an itchy rash, especially if you scratch them excessively.

Development

Flea bites cause immediate discomfort. You’ll often feel a sharp sting as the flea bites, followed by intense itching that can last for days. The reaction to flea bites is due to the saliva the flea injects, which can cause an allergic reaction in some people. If left untreated or scratched, flea bites can become infected.

Location

Flea bites tend to appear on areas that are closest to the ground or in direct contact with an infested area, such as floors or pet bedding. The most common bite locations are the ankles, feet, and lower legs. However, fleas can also bite on the arms or waistline if they jump from your pet’s fur or bedding.

Dangers

Flea bites can cause more than just itching. Fleas are known carriers of diseases like typhus and the plague, although these cases are rare in modern times. Cat fleas, in particular, can transmit bacteria, which may cause severe infections in both humans and pets. It’s essential to monitor any flea bites for signs of infection or unusual allergic reactions.

Which is worse, bed bugs or fleas?

When comparing bed bugs and fleas, neither pest is pleasant to deal with, but they have different impacts on your health and home.

Bed bugs can cause psychological stress, sleep disturbances, and allergic reactions due to their nocturnal feeding habits. They multiply quickly, and infestations are challenging to eradicate without professional help. Fortunately, they are not known to transmit diseases.

Fleas, on the other hand, can transmit serious diseases to humans and pets. Infestations can lead to severe discomfort for your pets, potentially resulting in hair loss, skin infections, or flea allergy dermatitis. Additionally, flea eggs spread easily throughout the home, making it difficult to completely eliminate the infestation without treating both pets and the home environment.

Ultimately, the pest that poses the most threat depends on the context. Bed bugs are harder to eliminate and can disrupt your home life, while fleas can be more dangerous to pets and, in rare cases, humans.

Treatment for bed bug and flea bites

Regardless of which type of bite you’re dealing with, effective treatment will reduce discomfort and prevent complications such as infections.

• Clean the area: Wash with soap and water, then pat dry to reduce infection risk.
• Avoid scratching: Scratching can cause infections; consult a doctor if itching persists.
• Watch for infection: Seek medical help if bites become red, swollen, painful, or show signs of pus.

Treating the bites won’t stop them from coming back if you don’t address the root cause. It’s best to call a professional bed bug exterminator like Ehrlich Pest Control, who can inspect your home and eliminate the infestation.

For fleas, you’ll need to treat your pets with flea medication. Our flea control experts will work with you to develop a customized flea treatment plan that meets your needs. They will discuss solutions NS provide practical advice which includes vacuuming floors and laundering bedding (especially pet bedding).

Both bed bug and flea bites are uncomfortable nuisances, By knowing what to look for and understanding the appropriate treatment options, you can protect yourself, your family, and your pets from further discomfort.

Home remedies for bed bugs

So, which home remedies for bed bugs actually work? And what can you do to help stop them from spreading? Jump to a specific method to see if it is works.

• Ultrasonic devices

• Baking soda

• Mothballs

• Wash bedding

• Talcum powder

• Rubbing alcohol

• Freezing

• Tea tree oil

• Dryer sheets

• Vacuuming

• Diatomaceous earth

Ultrasonic devices

Method:

The high frequencies of the sound waves emitted from the ultrasonic device are believed to be uncomfortable for bed bugs, forcing them to leave the area.

Myth or Fact:

Myth. Like with most theories of using ultrasonic devices as home remedies for pests, these devices have no effect on bed bugs whatsoever. Michael F. Potter, an entomologist at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, explains that ultrasonic devices have never proven themselves to be effective control tools. "If anything, I would expect the bugs to utilize them as a haven since they often emit small amounts of heat."

Baking soda

Method:

Sprinkle baking soda around the areas that bed bugs typically inhabit, such as the mattress and the area around your bed. After a few days, vacuum it up and repeat the process.

Myth or Fact:

Myth. There is no scientific evidence to suggest that baking soda is a successful home remedy for bed bugs.  Baking soda actually breaks down when it comes into contact with water, so the idea that it can absorb the thick fluids found on a bed bug shell is quite questionable. Although it may seem to work in some instances, it is not a guaranteed fix to fully remove a bed bug infestation from a property.

Moth balls

Method:

Place a handful of mothballs around common bed bug hotspots such as underneath your bed, sofa, or other furniture.

Myth or Fact:

Myth. Studies have been conducted to test the effectiveness of mothballs as a home remedy for bed bugs. Changlu Wang and his research team at Rutgers University in New Jersey tested the effectiveness of this DIY bed bug treatment option. The results showed that the mothballs failed to wipe out bed bugs after seven days. Although between 44-60% of the adult bed bugs died, the eggs and bed bug nymphs still survived.

Wash bedding

Method:

Strip the bedding from your bed, place it in a garbage bag and transfer it to the washing machine. Wash the bedding at a high temperature of at least 140°F, ideally for at least 90 minutes.

Myth or Fact:

Washing your bedding is an effective method to get rid of bed bugs. The use of heat is a great way to eradicate bed bugs and is one of the main features of our professional solution of bed bugs. However, it is important to note that although washing your bedding is a good home remedy for bed bugs, it is not a 100% guaranteed fix. Yes, it can reduce the number of bed bugs in your home but it will not fully remove them.

Talcum powder

Method:

There are two methods for using talcum powder to get rid of bed bugs.

1. Sprinkle talcum powder around the bed bug hotspots such as underneath bedroom furniture. Similar to baking soda, it is believed that talcum powder will get rid of bed bugs by causing them to dehydrate.

2. Create a trap by putting some talcum powder in a bowl and placing it underneath your bed. Bed bugs will be able to get into the bowl, but the talcum powder will make it too slippery for them to get out.

Myth or Fact:

Myth. Like with baking powder, there is no scientific evidence to support the idea of talcum powder getting rid of bed bugs by causing them to dehydrate. This is because the powder is not sharp enough to penetrate a bed bug’s exoskeleton. Using talcum powder as part of a bed bug trap can have some success, but it does not fully eradicate a bed bug problem.

Rubbing alcohol

Method:

Pour rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle and apply the solution to the common bed bug hotspots such as underneath furniture and on your bed frame.

Myth or Fact:

Myth. It all depends on the alcohol percentage. Another study conducted by Changlu Wang and his research team at Rutgers University showed that after being sprayed with rubbing alcohol, half of the bed bugs still survived after four days.

Freezing

Method:

Place infested items such as pillows and duvets into your freezer.

Myth or Fact:

Fact. Freezing infested items is an effective home remedy for bed bugs. For this bed bug home remedy to be successful, the temperature of the freezer must remain at or below 0°F, and the items should be left in the freezer for at least four days. However, like with most home remedies, it is not a foolproof solution to fully remove bed bugs from your home, but it is an effective way to help reduce the number of bed bugs in your home.

Tea tree oil

Method:

Dilute around 20 drops of tea tree oil in a spray bottle filled with water and apply the solution to the common bed bug hotspots.

Myth or Fact:

Myth. This bed bug home remedy is only partly effective when it is sprayed directly onto the insect and will not fully solve a bed bug problem. Furthermore, it is argued that only undiluted tea tree oil will work, which is something that can be harmful to humans and pets and is NOT advised.

Dryer sheets

Method:

Place scented dryer sheets underneath your mattress, in cupboards, and drawers, underneath sofa cushions and any other areas you might expect bed bugs. The idea behind the success of this DIY bed bug treatment is the scent of the dryer sheets repels bed bugs.

Myth or Fact:

Myth. There is no scientific evidence to support the success of dryer sheets repelling bed bugs. Even if the scent of the dryer sheets does repulse bed bugs, they will often find a way around them to get to their food source.

Vacuuming

Method:

Vacuum your home thoroughly. Pay close attention to the bed bug hotspots such as underneath furniture and between wall joints. Once finished, empty the contents of the vacuum in an outside trash can.

Myth or Fact:

Fact. Vacuuming is an effective DIY bed bug control solution. Unlike other home remedies, this process can help remove both adult bed bugs and nymphs as well as the eggs. It is important to remember to empty the vacuum in an outside trash can to help reduce the possibility of them returning. However, like most DIY pest control solutions, vacuuming will not fully eradicate bed bugs from your home, but it can help reduce the numbers.

Diatomaceous earth

Method:

Apply a fine amount of diatomaceous earth along the seams of your mattress, bed frames, and furniture. This home remedy for bed bugs is believed to work by causing the bed bugs to die of dehydration.

Myth or Fact:

Fact. Diatomaceous earth can be an effective DIY bed bug treatment. However, there are a couple of elements that lead to its success.

1. It has been suggested that the amount of diatomaceous earth applied affects how well this home remedy for bed bugs works. Too much and the bed bugs will simply navigate around it, and it can also be bad for your health if inhaled.

2. A study detailed on the Pest Control Technology website examined the effectiveness of diatomaceous earth to get rid of bed bugs and the results showed that as a stand-alone treatment, it’s not a foolproof solution. The most effective way to use diatomaceous earth to get rid of bed bugs is alongside other bed bug control options.

Professional bed bug control

The best way to get rid of bed bugs is with the help of a pest control professional. At Ehrlich, we have environmentally safe bed bug solutions to eradicate bed bugs from your property.

Think you have a bed bug problem? Get in touch with Ehrlich today.