The fact that fleas live on humans is a common misconception that has nothing in common with reality. Most of the time they live in hidden places located in close proximity to food sources. Insect larvae are also not grown on living things. Fleas do not reproduce on a person's head. During the growth process, the “fry” feed on rotting remains (to the question of the importance of hygiene in the apartment) or simply the excrement of adults. Until the larvae reach the appropriate age, they pose no threat to us.
Why don't fleas live on people? Their nature simply does not require this. Unlike lice, these insects are very mobile, and quickly changing their place of stay is not an issue for them. special labor. Fleas end up in human hair only to visit a food service outlet. The rest of the time they try to stay away from us. The standard body length of a representative of this species is 1.6-3.2 mm. The bite can last from a few seconds to two dozen minutes.
Why are bites dangerous?
We figured out whether fleas live on people, now let's talk about the danger of their bites. The standard reaction to contact is pulicosis. Its symptoms are similar to allergic ones:
- profuse rashes and inflammation appear;
- lymph nodes enlarge;
- ulcers form in the oral cavity;
- suppuration occurs;
- The temperature rises, insomnia occurs, headaches, and causeless irritability occur.
Other individuals
- call a professional team;
- use a special aerosol;
- apply insecticidal powders and dusts.
If you don’t want to bother with how to remove human fleas, exposing yourself and your family to the danger of coming into contact with toxic substances, it is better to invite professionals. Specialists will carry out a complete disinfestation of the premises, destroying all the larvae. However, getting rid of fleas from a person on your own is not so difficult and much cheaper. Products made from aerosols get good responses famous manufacturers Raid and Raptor. Powders are also quite effective. Dusts are used to combat larvae. Will fleas be able to live in human hair after such treatment? No, but nothing will stop them from returning soon if you do not pay enough attention to the sanitary condition of your home. 
Very often, the problem of how to remove fleas from a person is a consequence of his excessive love for outdoor recreation. If you regularly travel outside the city for hunting or fishing, always use insect repellent sprays. Ointments are offered as an alternative, but they are less effective. We know that fleas cannot live in human hair, but finding a harmless area will not be difficult for them. Spraying the spray onto the skin is much easier and faster than applying it to the body and head. Also, when going outdoors, dress appropriately. Avoid direct contact with animals.
They are famous for their miniature size, jumping ability and unpretentiousness regarding the choice of power source. And although adult individuals feed exclusively on blood, they do not remain faithful to one owner and are capable of parasitizing both animals and humans. The human flea (Pulex irritans) is no exception, but still prefers human blood. Presumably, her historical homeland is South America, from where it spread across all continents and now you can find it everywhere.
Distinctive features of the human flea
Like related species, the human flea cannot boast of large dimensions and attractive appearance. What fleas look like on humans:
- length from 1.5 to 3 mm;
- color in brown tones, from light to brown shades;
- strongly flattened body on the sides and on the back, which makes the insect invulnerable to mechanical stress;
- 3 pairs of well-developed five-segmented limbs, covered with bristles and hooks, providing comfortable movement for fleas in hair and fur.
- there are no wings.
Human fleas are distinguished from their fellow fleas by the absence of ridges on the head and thoracic segment, as well as by the location of the eye bristles, located below eye level. But these differences can only be seen under a microscope or in photographs. What a human flea looks like in the photo is shown below.
On a note!
Fleas in people's homes hide in cracks, under baseboards, in the pile of carpets and rugs. They love places with high humidity, their accumulations are often found in bathrooms.
Human fleas reproduce quite quickly. The productivity of each female is estimated at 400-500 eggs.
- Oviposition is very peculiar. The female can even squeeze embryos out of herself during a jump, due to which they end up in the most unexpected places. The shell of the eggs is not sticky, and they easily roll off vertical surfaces. The dimensions are very tiny and do not exceed 1mm.
- Under favorable conditions, after just 2 days, light, worm-like larvae emerge from the eggs, which as they grow become darker in color and molt three times. At this stage, flea offspring feed on organic remains or excrement of the imago. The larvae are very mobile, you can find them in an apartment in flower pots, under baseboards, furniture, near household waste bins.
- 14 days after birth, having reached a size of 4-5 mm, the larva is sealed into a cocoon. Depending on the conditions, this phase lasts from 7 days to 8 months.
Why are jumping insect bites dangerous?
Due to duty I had to go down to the basement. I didn’t even suspect that fleas could attack me. I immediately began to feel that someone was biting me painfully, and an unbearable itch appeared. Further we go, worse it becomes. The bite sites merged into a huge red spot. I had to take Suprastin and treat my legs with Fenistil. The torment continued for a week.
Marina, Volzhsky
How to protect yourself from human fleas
Jumping bloodsuckers live in their natural environment; you can encounter them in basements, on walks in the park and even on landing. The best protection fleas will be prevented by wearing closed clothing and using repellent sprays based on DEET. You can use flea remedies for humans:
- Gardex;
- Off Extreme;
- Biban.
Bouquets of tansy, mint or decoctions of them will help protect against the bites of hungry bloodsuckers.
If the insect attack could not be avoided, the following manipulations will help:
- Bite areas should be washed with antibacterial soap.
- To relieve itching, apply ice or apply a paste of soda and baking soda.
- Antiseptics are used to disinfect the wound.
There is no special flea medicine for humans in pharmacies. To eliminate swelling and itching, use Psilo balm and Zvezdochka ointments. Rescuer, Fenistil is suitable for children.
In case of fever, difficulty breathing, or allergic reactions, you should seek medical help.
We recently purchased an apartment on the second floor. The joy of the housewarming was overshadowed by the constant bites of insects unknown to us at that time. They covered the floor with duct tape and discovered that they were human fleas. We started looking for information on how to remove fleas from a person at home, since we didn’t want to call exterminators. We purchased inexpensive Medilis Cyper concentrate and carried out
Of course, there are also fleas that feed exclusively on the blood of their natural “hosts,” for example, canine fleas - they bite mainly dogs, as well as their closest relatives. And fleas appear on a person by chance when he finds himself in close proximity to a hungry bloodsucker.
The human flea is different from its closest relatives large sizes– the length of her body is on average 3 mm. But such impressive dimensions do not prevent it from jumping at a distance of about 50 cm. This insect has no wings, its back is painted dark brown. The body of a human flea is slightly flattened on the sides, thanks to which it can move quite quickly in the hair and not be caught or crushed when scratching the bite site.
Fleas leave the body of their owner so quickly that it is impossible to detect the moment of jumping with the naked eye. Only the presence of some small grain is visible and after a moment it is no longer there.
Quite often the question is asked: do fleas live on humans? In fact, these insects spend most of their lives in secluded places, and people are attacked only to get enough. Moreover, their habitats will always be located in close proximity to a person’s location. Setting up their nests in nooks and crannies, insects reproduce there, and their larvae during the development period feed on rotting waste or waste products of adult individuals.
When a feeling of hunger sets in, fleas bite a person, suck blood from a blood vessel, completely immersing their head in the skin, and then quickly leave the body of their owner.
All about flea bites
As mentioned earlier, other fleas can attack humans. Among the 1,500 species, several main ones can be distinguished:
- felines - they bite humans most often;
- canine - since the dog is the main four-legged friend and is always close to its owner;
- rats - rarely attack in a metropolis, more often in the outback;
- rabbits - as a rule, attack humans in the wild.
Signs and consequences of flea bites
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- increased body temperature;
- allergies, which can cause serious swelling;
- rashes around the affected area.
As a rule, after an attack by bloodsuckers, itching and sometimes pain occurs at the site of the lesion.
Important! Under no circumstances should you scratch the bite sites, as an open wound can become infected, causing the affected areas of the body to fester and become inflamed. And in a neglected state, such pustular inflammations often develop into pyoderma and ulcers.
Fleas are carriers of dangerous diseases
Main danger fleas for human health is that these insects can provoke the emergence of such deadly diseases as:
- plague;
- encephalitis;
- trypanosomiasis;
- anthrax;
- relapsing and typhus.
And, unfortunately, this is far from full list. It can be extended infectious diseases– salmonellosis, fungal diseases, listeriosis.
On a note! Of course, it cannot be said with certainty that one of these problems will occur after the first flea bite. However, although this probability is small, it exists.
Be careful - children!
Not only the child’s skin, but also the body itself reacts more intensely to flea bites. This manifests itself in the following symptoms:
- migraine;
- intense rash;
- swelling in the affected areas;
- significant enlargement of lymph nodes;
- neuralgia;
- nervous disorders.
Flea bites are especially dangerous for children who have not been vaccinated. Often, standard vaccines protect the human body quite effectively, but the youngest, without receiving this protection, are in the main risk group.
As for the pregnancy period, there is also a certain danger here. Body reaction expectant mother may be insignificant, but the consequences for the fetus may not be the most favorable. Therefore, pregnant women need to properly protect themselves from encounters with these bloodsuckers.
Most of us naively believe that fleas exclusively pester animals, live in their fur and, by biting them, feed on the blood of the owner, while not touching people. But man is also a mammal, so he too is not deprived of flea attention. Moreover, the human flea is known to science under the name “Pulex irritans”.
What’s worse is that not only fleas are able to take a liking to the human body for their constant feeding, but also fleas of other species, usually living on rodents, birds, dogs and cats. Fleas from large and small ruminants, chickens, geese, and rabbits brought from the farmstead into the house, having left their former owners, successfully rebuild and settle in people’s homes for a long time, now feeding on their blood.
What do fleas look like when they bite a person?
If larvae, cocoons or eggs are found within the home, this is a sure sign that pests have taken up residence in the house.
Important! Bloodsuckers move so quickly that they can only be seen on people’s bodies at the moment of their bite and saturation with blood.
Symptoms of flea bites
Unlike some other bloodsuckers, which, when biting, inject an anesthetic into the victim’s body, the flea does not have this property. Therefore, a flea bite in a person causes a number of obvious symptoms and consequences.
Subjective sensations during a flea attack.
- Pain during the bite.
- Severe itching immediately after, lasting from an hour to several hours.
External signs of flea bites.
- Swelling at the site of the bite.
- A small internal hemorrhage under the wound, which is noticeable for several days.
Consequences of flea bites.
- Allergic manifestations.
- Pulicosis (skin lesion after a bite exclusively by a human flea).
- Infiltration of bite sites, suppuration.
- Dermatitis.
Threat to humans due to flea bites.
- Infection with helminths.
- Infection with dangerous infections (their science is based on this moment I've already counted about 200).
Causes of flea attack
The appearance of fleas in a house or apartment is not uncommon, especially if you have pets. But even in their absence, an insect can enter the house with shoes or clothing. In the same way, eggs, larvae and cocoons of fleas enter a person’s home.
Treatment for flea bites
Immediately after discovering a bite wound, the affected area must be treated with an antiseptic:
- iodine;
- greenery;
- alcohol;
- hydrogen peroxide.
If there are signs of allergy development, then it is necessary to take antihistamines and sedatives. The best way out In case of serious symptoms, you will need to consult a doctor.
For prevention when hiking, outdoor recreation, staying on a farm or in the field, or when hunting, it is best to use special creams and sprays with repellent and wear trousers to protect your legs.
And of course, you will need a set of measures to completely eradicate fleas from your home.
Most often, pet owners encounter fleas. As a rule, they do not give special significance all the dangers that these insects cause to pets and people. Some believe that they are canine or cat fleas don't attack people, but that's not true. In this article we will talk in detail about existing types fleas, their lifestyle and habitat, as well as the harm they can cause to people and animals. Here are tips on how to get rid of fleas in the house on your own using insecticides or traditional methods. Students will be able to find a lot interesting moments to compile an essay on fleas.
Interesting! During the process of evolution, many animals have changed in appearance. Scientists have found that the modern flea looks almost the same as its ancestors.
Fleas do not have wings, and they move by jumping with the help of three pairs of long and strong limbs. Some species have shorter paws, so they are constantly on the host's body. The paw consists of five segments and ends with sharp bristles-claws, forked at the end.
At the back of the abdomen is the pygidium, a sensory organ covered with tactile hairs. They react to small changes in air and warn of danger.
The reproductive system of the female consists of the oviduct, ovaries and spermatic receptacle (in the shape of a curved flask), and of the males - the genital claw (copulatory organ).
There are antennas behind the eyes. With them, males hold onto females during mating. The rest of the time they are in the antennal fossae.
The type of oral cavity is piercing-sucking. After biting the skin, the flea enlarges the wound, secretes saliva, which prevents blood clotting, then penetrates deeper and moves to the blood vessel, where it sucks blood. A flea cannot crawl completely under the skin.
Lifestyle and behavioral characteristics
Interesting! A flea's jump is about 100 times longer than its body length.
Types of fleas
There are about 22 families of fleas, which include various species.
The species is distinguished - bed flea, which lives on upholstered furniture, bed linen (another name for linen). They bite a person at night in the areas of the body with the thinnest skin.
Where do fleas live?
Fleas live on all continents, including Antarctica, in nests and burrows, on the body of animals and humans. They are active at any time of the year.
- egg;
- larva;
- chrysalis;
- imago (adult).
Most comfortable temperature for breeding 18-25 degrees (then they breed all year). In cold weather they live but do not reproduce. Before mating, partners eat. The female climbs onto the male's back and takes the genital claw into the spermatic receptacle. Mating lasts several hours, and the seed moves into the female’s body within 15 minutes.
Eggs are laid in small portions. The female ejects small white eggs from her body; they are located quite far from each other. After two weeks, they hatch into translucent larvae without legs, similar to worms. They make their way inside the nest and feed on rotting organic matter, skin epithelium, and blood residues from the excrement of their parents. After three molts, the larva becomes a pupa (it wraps itself in a silk-like cocoon). This stage lasts from 5 days to several months (it depends on the climate). When a flea emerges from a pupa, it immediately looks for its owner.
How long do fleas live?
On average, life expectancy ranges from several months to two years. It depends on the type and climatic conditions. The higher the temperature, the less flea live. At low temperatures, fleas slow down in their development, which means they live longer.
The danger of fleas to humans and animals
The main danger of insects is the various infections, bacteria and diseases they carry. In the body of some species there are more than two hundred viruses and bacteria that cause fatal diseases. In addition, you may develop an allergy to flea enzymes with characteristic symptoms(inflammation, itching, fever).
What diseases are carried
Fleas can infect humans with pulicosis and sarcopsillosis. They carry:
- plague;
- encephalitis;
- hepatitis;
- salmonellosis;
- fungal infections and others.
Fleas suck the blood of not only healthy organisms, but also sick and dead ones. Viruses enter the blood through a bite with saliva and spread throughout the body.
Interesting! In the Middle Ages, the bubonic plague claimed the lives of many people. The source of the disease was fleas, which were brought along with rats on ships.
How do fleas bite humans?
Each person reacts to a bite differently. For some, the itching goes away quickly, while for others, signs of inflammation persist for several days. With pulicosis, the skin swells, ulcers appear on the oral mucosa, and the central nervous system. At allergic reaction Human bites cause fever, chills, and stomach upset.
Where do fleas come from in an apartment?
How can you tell if there are fleas at home?
House fleas are not certain species. This is the name given to insects that have settled in an apartment. They are not detected immediately. To determine whether there are insects at home or not, you can conduct an experiment. You need to spread a white sheet on the floor and look at it after some time. Dark insects are clearly visible against a light background. Another sign of the appearance of " uninvited guests"serve - red, slightly swollen spots that appear in the morning and are very itchy.
How to get rid of it?
Chemicals
The most popular and effective are:
After killing insects, you need to do wet cleaning by adding to water ammonia or essential oil eucalyptus. It is advisable to place branches of wormwood and lavender under the bed.
Folk remedies
You can get rid of insects using folk remedies. They can be combined with chemicals or used for prophylactic purposes.
Important! If you are unable to remove the fleas on the second attempt, it is recommended to contact the sanitary and epidemiological service.
Thus, fleas pose a great danger. They affect not only animals, but also humans. At the first sign of insects, disinfestation should be carried out.