What do household bed fleas look like? - briefly
Adult household bed fleas measure 1.5–3 mm, are dark brown, laterally flattened, and can jump several centimeters. Their immature forms are tiny, white, legless larvae that resemble small worms and feed on organic debris.
What do household bed fleas look like? - in detail
Household bed fleas are tiny, wingless insects that belong to the order Siphonaptera. Adult specimens measure approximately 1.5–3.5 mm in length, with a laterally compressed, oval body that facilitates movement through fur and fabric. Their coloration ranges from reddish‑brown to dark brown, often appearing darker after a blood meal. The exoskeleton is smooth and glossy, lacking visible hairs or scales.
Key morphological features include:
- Six jointed legs, each ending in a pair of strong, curved claws adapted for grasping hair shafts or textile fibers.
- Long, slender antennae concealed beneath the head capsule, used primarily for detecting carbon‑dioxide and host vibrations.
- A short, piercing‑sucking proboscis (about 0.5 mm) capable of penetrating skin to ingest blood.
- Large, compound eyes that are relatively reduced in size compared to other insects, reflecting their nocturnal activity.
Developmental stages differ markedly in appearance:
- Eggs – oval, white, 0.5 mm long, laid singly on host fur or in bedding crevices; they hatch within 2–5 days.
- Larvae – blind, legless, creamy‑white grubs up to 5 mm long, with a hardened head capsule; they feed on organic debris and adult flea feces.
- Pupae – encased in a silken cocoon within the environment; the cocoon appears as a small, brownish mass that can be mistaken for lint.
When comparing bed fleas to similar household pests, note that they are considerably smaller than bed bugs (which are 4–5 mm long and have a flattened, shield‑shaped body) and lack the segmented abdomen and visible breathing spiracles of lice. Their rapid jumping ability—up to 150 mm in a single leap—distinguishes them from crawling insects such as carpet beetles.