How does flea droppings look? - briefly
Flea feces are minute, black specks roughly the size of a pinhead, resembling pepper grains. They typically accumulate on pet bedding, carpets, and floor cracks where fleas move.
How does flea droppings look? - in detail
Flea feces are tiny, dark specks that resemble pepper or coarse sand. Each droplet measures about 0.2–0.5 mm in diameter and is composed primarily of digested blood. When fresh, the excrement appears slightly glossy; as it ages, it becomes matte and may crumble into fine particles.
Key visual traits include:
- Color: deep black to dark brown, sometimes with a reddish tint from recent blood meals.
- Shape: irregular, often angular edges; not perfectly spherical.
- Texture: dry and brittle; can be brushed off surfaces easily.
- Distribution: clusters on pet bedding, carpets, or upholstery; isolated specks may be found near cracks and crevices where fleas hide.
Under magnification, the droppings reveal a granular interior with occasional tiny undigested blood cells, confirming their hematophagous origin. On light-colored fabrics, the specks are conspicuous; on dark textiles they may blend with the background but can be detected by their slight raised profile.