The chances are that if your dog has been restless for a while now, it may be because of some flea bites. As they are quite itchy, they can cause your pet to scratch incessantly and be uncomfortable. If you have noticed this, now is the time to start searching for those pests. But, are fleas visible? Can you even find them?
There are a few facts you should consider before trying to answer the question in the previous paragraph. You can only argue about the existence of fleas if they’re making you (or your pet) uncomfortable. Some people believe that they do not exist.
This belief may be due, in part, to the fact that they’ve not suffered from fleas infestation. Sadly, this belief is not true. Here are a few facts to prove this:
- Fleas are wingless parasites that survive by depending on their hosts for food – usually blood. These insects, however, do not feed on blood alone
- Fleas can go about a month without feeding on your pet. For survival, they will depend on body waste and dirt in the environment
- A female flea lays up to 35 eggs in one day. These eggs can be laid directly on a host or in the host’s environment
- With their strong hind legs, they can jump over 500 feet at once. This is what enables them to hop onto moving hosts
- In our world today, there are over 2,000 species of fleas
- Fleas are not limited to pets alone. They can also migrate from feeding on pets to feeding on humans
- While feeding, a female flea can take in as much as 15 times its body weight. And this feeding mode occurs every day.
These are more-than-enough facts to prove that fleas do exist.
Are Fleas Visible?
The answer to this question is yes. However, because of their size and their covert mode of operation, fleas are not easily noticeable. Trying to find them out is tricky; tricky, but not impossible.
Fleas do not like light. As such, they tend to hide for most of their lives. Wouldn’t make a lot of sense if they were in the open, sucking blood, would it? If they’re not spending time in your pet’s fur, they’re living in the bedding and in debris around your environment.
You will also find them in grasses and on sidewalks – where they can easily hop onto their next target. These are the places where they spend most of their time. And if you’ll find them, you have to look very closely. You have to pay close attention.
You can find out fleas in two ways:
- By searching for them
- By looking out for signs of their existence
- By Searching for Them
If you have a pet that shuffles in between spending time on your sofa and playing fetch in the woods, the chances are that you may have a few fleas to deal with in your home. And to make fleas visible, you have to search them out actively.
Some of their favorite spots have been mentioned above. While some of these are unreachable (the cracks in the floor), others (the grass, the debris) are easily accessible. Search them out carefully. If you have dogs, you may want to comb their fur slowly and thoroughly to find these parasites.
What exactly does a flea look like?
They’re usually between 2-4 millimeters long. They’re wingless and have mandibles with which they pierce the skin of their victims. A flea has hair-like bristles on its bodies and legs. They are dark brown.
By Looking Out for Signs of Their Existence
There are several signs you can watch out for to determine if fleas exist in a particular area.
If you have noticed itchy bumps around your legs and feet, the chances are that you’ve suffered flea bites. A flea bite can also cause skin irritation.
If your pet has been scratching itself incessantly in recent times, that’s a possible sign of fleas. These parasites can cause your pets to be uncomfortable, making them lick or bite themselves incessantly to soothe areas where they’ve suffered flea bite.
If all of these are happening, you should start preparing to deal with fleas by using DIY methods or by calling the pest exterminators.
In summary?
Fleas do way more harm than good. If they’re not handled well, they can spread and cause an infestation that will make life difficult for you. Have you ever wondered and asked, “Are fleas visible?” Now you know better and should take action as swiftly as possible, where necessary.