This is why animal fur tends to be an ideal habitat for a flea, since it can remain hidden away, sometimes undetected. Unlike ticks, a flea will attempt to live on an animal for its entire lifespan, laying eggs and growing the population. If you see one flea, it’s nearly guaranteed that there are at least a few more around. While fleas can’t fly, they can jump six inches vertically, so they can easily hop onto a pet or from the carpet or floor onto your feet. Flea eggs and nymphs are even smaller and may resemble pale sand.Īlso, fleas move around quite a bit. If you were to look very closely at a flea, you would see that these creatures are dark brown and nearly flat from side to side, with many spines on their bodies and legs. ![]() In many cases, fleas look like nothing more than a small black or dark brown dot. Because of this, identifying a tick is incredibly important, as it is generally the first step to getting Lyme disease diagnosed and treated. Although some may have trouble differentiating bed bugs and ticks, because they are both tiny, darker-colored creatures, you should know that you’re more likely to find bed bugs indoors and in greater concentrations, whereas ticks will be outdoors until you or a pet unknowingly bring one or two in while attached to your bodies.Īlthough ticks don’t typically multiply indoors, they pose a serious health risk because they can transmit a variety of unpleasant diseases and conditions, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Ticks can be solitary, so you may only find one at a time. Once ticks have gotten their fill, they will fall off the host. They use this body part to anchor themselves onto their host while they feed. Ticks have a distinctive feature called a hypostome which can be thought of as a very small barbed wire. Once ticks have found a host, they typically latch on for several days while they feed. Additionally, ticks cannot jump or fly, but instead come in contact with a host by climbing up grasses and shrubs and then waiting for a human or pet to walk by so they can attach themselves. These creatures are oval-shaped, and adults and nymphs have eight legs, whereas larvae only have six. After a meal, ticks can appear dark brown, reddish or even black. ![]() Identifying TicksĪs you can see in the image above, ticks are medium brown and flat before they have fed. Let’s delve a bit deeper into what these pests look like and their behavior so you know more about each creature and the impact they can have on you, your family and your pets. On the other hand, fleas are considered true insects and are much smaller than ticks, rarely exceeding an eighth of an inch in size. So, what are the differences between ticks and fleas, and how can you tell which one you have seen?įor starters, you should know that ticks aren’t technically bugs at all but rather small arachnids, and while they can vary in size, once they have fed, they generally swell to a quarter-inch long and are clearly visible. You know that ticks are commonly found in tall grassy areas like the one you just visited, but you also know that it’s flea season. ![]() After a hike with your family and dog, you give Fido a belly rub and find a small, dark brown colored bug in his fur.
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