What do bed fleas look like and why do they appear in an apartment?

1. Appearance and characteristics of linen fleas
2. How to distinguish fleas from other insects
3. Causes of bed fleas
4. Where are they hiding?
5. How to understand that there are fleas in the apartment
6. The health hazards of fleas
7. Methods for controlling bed fleas

Linen or bed fleas are the popular name for pests that settle in human homes. This term combines various types of insects that feed on blood. More often they are found in fabric products.

Due to the fact that parasites multiply quickly and easily adapt to any conditions, it is difficult to cope with them. The sooner adequate measures are taken, the greater the chances of clearing the house of uninvited guests. Therefore, it is important to remember what fleas look like and where they come from in the apartment.

Appearance and characteristics of linen fleas

Fleas are parasites whose food is the blood of mammals. They settle in the fur of animals: cats, dogs, rodents, rabbits. Getting into the apartment, they find places in bed linen, carpets, curtains and other fabric products. From time to time they come out of hiding and bite a person.

It is difficult to see a flea with the naked eye. Its size does not exceed 2-3 mm. Juveniles are red in color. As they grow older, their body color changes to black.

Fleas move thanks to three pairs of legs. They navigate in space using a special antenna located behind the eyes. In the oral cavity, insects have a thin proboscis. It helps to bite into the skin of a mammal and drink blood

Pest control is difficult. Their body is covered with a dense shell. Because of this, crushing the insect is problematic. The lifespan of an individual is 4 months. Both males and females feed on human blood.

general information

Many are confident that fleas are blood-sucking creatures that parasitize only animals. It is worth saying that they really belong to parasites that prefer to feed on the blood of animals, but other points should be taken into account. When they are hungry, they absolutely do not care who they bite in order to get enough. Moreover, when the colony has settled into a living space, they require regular nutrition, which not only animals, but also people can provide.

These insects are quite small in size; the body of an adult does not exceed 5 mm. They have an elongated brown body shape, young individuals have lighter shades, adults, on the contrary, are dark. Regarding the period of the life cycle, much depends on the environment and living conditions. The minimum life period is about 2 months, and the maximum can reach 1.5 years. They are active at night, and during the daytime they hide in hard-to-reach places.

How to distinguish fleas from other insects

Insects are distinguished by visual characteristics. But due to the tiny size of the pest, this is difficult to do. Therefore, we focus on the following features:

1. Fleas are often confused with bed bugs. Juveniles are similar in size and behavior. The difference is that bedbugs bite only at night while a person is sleeping. The flea attacks at any time of the day. Adult bedbugs are larger, making them easier to identify.
2. Fleas differ from other pests in their manner of movement. They do not crawl, but jump over impressive distances. Therefore, if the insect instantly disappeared from view, then it is a flea.
3. Linen lice can infest fabrics. They are distinguished from fleas by their light color. These parasites bite into the scalp. Fleas attack human feet.

When parasites appear in the house, it is important to determine their species. This will help you choose the right fighting method.

Precautions when getting rid of fleas

When dealing with domestic parasites, it is necessary to strictly adhere to precautionary measures. This will help optimize work and reduce the risks of negative consequences. By ignoring strict rules, you can cause enormous harm to your body, as well as expose your loved ones, especially children and pets, to the risk of infection.

Personal safety measures

If you are planning independent actions to combat insects, you need to pay attention to the following aspects:

• take care of protective clothing. This is especially true for chemical control methods. It is necessary to have gloves, a respirator, shoes and clothing made of thick fabrics or polyethylene;
• provide for the presence of a vacuum cleaner, broom, iron, brush, rag, bags, etc. This is necessary so that during the work everything is at hand, since leaving the room or searching for the right thing will be inconvenient;
• make sure there is adequate ventilation. This is especially necessary after chemical treatment. You should immediately check how easily the windows and doors open.
• Chemical processing agents are highly flammable. It is recommended to keep this in mind and avoid open flames. When using electrical appliances, it is necessary to check the serviceability of sockets and wires to avoid sparks.

General safety measures when there are children and animals

Particular attention should be paid to the points below if you have children and pets. Elderly people also need help and need to be taken care of:

1. Decide on the choice of means. To do this, you need to familiarize yourself with the necessary information and instructions for use. It is recommended to pay attention to the timing of the procedure and assess the situation. You will have to leave the premises for some time, so you should take care in advance about who will be there and where. You may have to set up a crib and pet house in another room, since chemical disinfection takes a long time.
2. At the end of processing and keeping for a certain time, it is necessary to thoroughly ventilate the room. Even if there is a slight odor, the return to the premises should be cancelled. Children's bodies and animals' bodies are particularly sensitive to toxic substances.
3. Thoroughly treat with a soapy solution and soda those places that the child will come into contact with or that the animal can reach.
4. When using the powder, you must make sure that neither a child nor a pet can get it.
5. If there are any unspent funds left for disinfestation, they must be hidden in places inaccessible to children and animals.

Video: flea trap

Causes of bed fleas

Bed fleas appear even in the apartments of people who carefully monitor hygiene. There are several ways insects can enter your home:

1. On a person's clothes. This happens after visiting a basement, landfill or other place where sanitary standards are not met.
2. On animal fur. Fleas cling to dogs and cats outdoors. Together with them, they end up in an apartment, where they begin to reproduce.
3. On the body of rodents. Mice and rats become carriers of pests.
4. From dysfunctional neighbors. Insects crawl through ventilation holes, cracks in the floor or ceiling.

If the apartment is on the ground floor, pests enter it from the basement. Fleas also live in hallways where it is warm and humid enough.

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:

1. The drugs used by the organization must be safe for humans and animals.
2. The time for the procedure is chosen by the customer, not the company.
3. The service clients are explained in detail the disinfection process, the chemicals used, and safety measures.
4. Conscientious organizations work without prepayment.
5. 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.

Where are they hiding?

Penetrating into an apartment, fleas choose a secluded corner for themselves, where they quietly breed. They are found in the following places:

1. In bed linen.
2. On a pet's bedding.
3. In cracks on the floor and baseboards.
4. Dark corners where dust accumulates are rarely cleaned.
5. In cages of birds and domestic rodents.
6. On the carpets.
7. On the interior parts of upholstered furniture.

It is important to regularly carry out wet cleaning in all places where parasites can settle. You cannot store old unnecessary clothes, carpets, or fabric interior items in the apartment. They become places where parasites accumulate.

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.

How to understand that there are fleas in the apartment

Before insects begin to actively reproduce, it is difficult to determine their presence in the apartment. This can be done based on the following criteria:

1. Contamination appears on the bed linen. This is parasite excrement. To make sure, white paper is placed on the bed. The appearance of black dots on it after some time indicates the presence of pests.
2. Animals become restless and often itch. At the moment of a flea bite, the pet twitches in pain.
3. Tiny larvae appear in the coals of rooms and in garbage. They are inactive. Their body is translucent.

A clear sign of the presence of pests in the house is the discovery of bite marks on the body. Red dots are found mainly on the legs. They itch and cause discomfort.

The health hazards of fleas

The appearance of fleas in an apartment brings suffering to the owners. Their bites are painful and leave behind swelling and redness on the skin. In addition, insects cause the following health problems:

1. Severe allergic reactions. The bite sites swell greatly, and unbearable itching appears. In severe cases, anaphylactic shock or Quincke's edema is possible. Such conditions threaten human life and require immediate medical attention.
2. Brucellosis is an infectious disease accompanied by fever and headaches. The lymphatic system is affected, causing bradycardia and dyspeptic disorders.
3. Tularemia. This infectious disease has several forms, the most dangerous of which is generalized. It affects the respiratory, nervous and cardiovascular systems.
4. Hepatitis. This disease is characterized by liver damage up to complete loss of its functionality.
5. Typhus. A group of diseases characterized by damage to the nervous system.

Insect bites provoke neuroses and sleep disorders. A person constantly wakes up at night from painful bites. As a result, he cannot fully rest, becomes lethargic and irritable, and his performance decreases.

Methods for controlling bed fleas

Bed fleas cause moral discomfort and pose a serious danger to human health. Therefore, at the first signs of their presence in the apartment, it is important to take adequate measures. Among the methods of combating parasites are:

1. Contact a specialized service. This is a simple and effective way to get rid of fleas. An employee of the company will come to the apartment and treat it with insecticides. After a few hours you can return home. All that remains is to clean up and get rid of dead insects.
2. Use of chemicals. Pets are treated first. Today, sprays and shampoos are produced that help deal with fleas in one application. Popular products include Bars, Blokhnet, and Frontline. After this, the entire apartment is sprayed with potent insecticides. They are available in the form of concentrates, which are diluted with water. They use Chlorperimac, Sinuzan, Biorin, Agran. Flea remedies are also produced in the form of dusts and sprays.
3. Folk methods. They are effective only against small numbers of insects. Such techniques are best used for preventive purposes.

Bed fleas are dangerous parasites that are difficult to control. To avoid them getting into your apartment, always keep it clean and tidy. Get rid of unnecessary things. Treat pets with special anti-parasite medications. When the first signs of the presence of insects appear in the house, take measures to prevent their active reproduction.

Getting rid of fleas on pets

Pets suffer from annoying flea bites even more than their owners. The parasites overwhelm the helpless animal, which is unable to get rid of them on its own. If even one insect remains on the fur, there will be no peace for all the inhabitants of the house. Shampoos, sprays, drops and collars are used to fight. Each product has its pros and cons, so before use you should consult a veterinarian, read information on the Internet, and also study the instructions:

• shampoo will help get rid of annoying fleas in one session. It is necessary to carefully read the instructions and monitor your pet’s behavior after using the drug. The process requires an individual approach, since the product can cause allergies in the animal. The downside is the lack of protection from relapse. If there is an external flea source, the insect may settle on the fur soon after washing. Therefore, it is recommended to “take baths” once a month in the summer, and once every three months in the winter;

  
  Shampoos instantly relieve pets of fleas, but there is a possibility of recurrence

• The spray kills fleas the first time. After treatment, you can not be afraid of a relapse for a long time, since parasites are afraid of a specific smell and sense it from a distance. The difficulty is in applying the product to the surface of the skin. Firstly, animals do not like such procedures. Secondly, the product can cause allergies or nervous disorders in your pet. Therefore, it is recommended to carefully read the contraindications in the instructions and pay attention to the behavior of the animal. If your pet reacts negatively to the product, you should choose another method;

  
  Most often, sprays are applied to the animal’s withers, where it cannot reach with its tongue.

• a collar is an effective measure, since insects react to the smell and do not approach the animal. A well-chosen collar will serve as reliable protection. But if its size is not chosen correctly, the consequences can be disastrous. A small headband will put too much pressure on the animal’s neck, making it difficult to breathe freely, leaving wounds and wearing away the fur. Large - will provoke a situation in which the pet can get caught on a sharp object. The pet itself can also react negatively to the smell of the collar - there are cases where poisoning occurred in animals wearing a collar. Therefore, this choice should be taken as responsibly as possible;

  
  Collars can be both effective and dangerous.

• Drops are the most harmless and effective method and are the most convenient. It is enough to apply a few drops to the withers, and your beloved pet will be freed from pests. The only condition is to carefully study the instructions and observe the animal’s reaction after using the drug.

All of the above remedies will be effective if they are used in combination with other methods. That is why it is recommended to follow the step-by-step instructions below:

1. Treat the room where fleas live using chemical or folk remedies. Allow the required time to ensure the absence of not only living insects, but also their larvae. Do not allow animals into the treated area.
2. Carefully treat the animal's habitat (rug, house, basket, etc.). It is advisable to boil the textile item in a soapy solution or wash it in a machine at high temperature. If the house is large, it must be treated along with general disinfection. The final point can be steaming with an iron.
3. Treat the animal using the chosen method. After washing, let the wool dry naturally. Then it is recommended to carefully comb out the remaining insects with a special brush or glove.

   
   During the necessary procedures, it is worth giving the pet the maximum amount of attention, because a temporary refusal from its usual place and a set of measures to care for its body are a huge stress for the pet

4. Once you are convinced of the final victory over the parasites, you can allow the animal into its usual habitat.