How do bed fleas bite? - briefly
Bed fleas latch onto the skin, pierce it with a needle‑like mouthpart, and inject saliva that contains anticoagulants to keep blood flowing. The result is a tiny, itchy red puncture that can swell into a wheal within a few hours.
How do bed fleas bite? - in detail
Bed fleas (Ctenocephalides canis and Ctenocephalides felis) attach to a host by sensing heat, carbon‑dioxide, and movement. Once a suitable spot is located, the insect uses its specialized mouthparts—mandibles and maxillae—to pierce the skin. The mandibles cut through the epidermis while the maxillae act as a syringe, injecting saliva that contains anticoagulants and anesthetic compounds. This saliva prevents clotting and dulls the host’s immediate sensation, allowing the flea to feed uninterrupted.
During feeding, the flea draws blood into its distended abdomen. The process lasts from a few minutes to half an hour, depending on the flea’s hunger level and the host’s reaction. After engorgement, the insect detaches and drops off the host to lay eggs in the surrounding environment.
Key steps in the biting process:
- Host detection: thermal and CO₂ cues guide the flea to a potential victim.
- Skin penetration: mandibles create an entry wound; maxillae insert a narrow tube.
- Saliva injection: anticoagulants keep blood fluid; anesthetics reduce pain perception.
- Blood ingestion: the flea expands its gut with the drawn blood.
- Detachment: the flea leaves the host to complete its life cycle.
The bite site typically appears as a small, red, itchy papule. Reactions vary with individual sensitivity to flea saliva; some people develop pronounced welts, while others experience only mild irritation. Repeated feeding can lead to secondary infections if the skin is scratched excessively. Effective control requires eliminating the flea population in the sleeping area and treating any infested hosts.