Flea Bites On Humans
Facts About Flea Bites on Humans
Flea bites on humans can be unattractive, uncomfortable and embarrassing. Every year many people are plagued with flea bites. On humans, flea bites are very visible and show up as groups of small red marks where the fleas have bitten. In this article, we will discuss how to prevent flea bites, how to identify if your pet is infested with fleas, and how to rid your home and yard of these nasty little pests.
The only real way to prevent flea bites is to prevent contact with fleas in the first place. Often times, pets become infested with fleas during the summer months. Once your pets carry these into your house, the fleas multiply and it becomes more difficult to rid yourself of the fleas because the fleas can live in numerous places including your carpet and on your pet’s body. With bad infestation, the humans in the household will also begin to experience flea bites and discomfort.
Flea bites on humans are easily recognizable due to their pattern and color. Often flea bites will first appear on the feet and ankles when the fleas are living in your carpeting. If you begin to experience groups of small red bites with no bull’s eye pattern (flea bites do not have a white center as spider bites and other insect bites do) and you have a pet, the first thing you should do is carefully examine your pet for fleas. Fleas are highly visible if you part the hair and examine the skin of your animal’s body. They appear as small and dark insects that jump when disturbed. They are extremely itchy and you may notice your animal scratching as the fleas are biting them. If the fleas infest the human’s hair, this will also make your scalp extremely itchy. Do not confuse this with lice, which are tiny and white parasites that attach to the hair shaft near the scalp and also cause extreme itching when they bite.
As noted above, the best way to prevent flea bites is to take preventative measures and keep fleas off of your pets and out of your house. Many commercial products are available to prevent fleas on your pet. Such products as Frontline, K-9 Advantix, and flea collars have all proven to be effective in preventing fleas from infesting your pets.
Even if you do not have pets, your house still could be infested with fleas. Depending on the weather, there are some years when fleas are particularly bothersome. This is especially true after a very mild winter. In such a case, you may want to take preventative measures and rid your yard of fleas before they can enter your house. An environmentally friendly method for keeping fleas out of your yard is by placing eucalyptus leaves in various locations around your yard and with particular attention paid in areas near your home. The smell of the eucalyptus leaves deters fleas and helps to combat an infestation of your yard. Eucalyptus leaves may also be placed inside your home for the same reason and they also provide a great aroma.
Another method of dealing with fleas in your yard is through the use of pesticides. Consult your local home center or pet shop to determine which products are best suited to your needs.
In conclusion, you will find that vigilance pays off when it comes to fleas. Flea bites on humans are both unsanitary and unsightly and it is best to prevent them in the first place. However, if you do experience an infestation of fleas, there are methods of controlling them and ridding them from your home.