Fleas

Human Flea

The human flea is a common flea that tends to bite humans and other mammals like cats, dogs, pigs, and more. Located in hot and warm climates, this flea loves warmer weather. These fleas can grow between 2-2.5mm for males and 2.5-3.5mm for females and tend to have a small head with a long abdomen and back.

Dog Flea

As the name infers, this type of flea species is most commonly found on dogs. They can bite humans and cats though. The most defining characteristics of dog fleas are their sharp teeth that can penetrate through skin and hair. They are between 2-3.25mm. They have seven to eight pairs of teeth on each of their 6 legs!

Cat Flea

Like the dog flea, this flea is named after its main victim, cats. This species too can appear on dogs as well. Cat fleas are strong and can jump long distances, which makes it easy for them to jump from host to host in a matter of seconds. Without a host, though, these fleas die in a matter of hours.

Bird Flea

The bird flea is commonly found on birds but can be seen on poultry, humans, and other animals. Reaching 2.5mm in length, these fleas also have strong teeth to pierce the skin. These types of fleas are found in bird nests. If they don’t find birds nearby, they might latch onto humans.

Sand Flea

Sand fleas are found near beaches or bodies of water, attaching to humans and dogs. They look like very small crabs or shrimps and can often be mistaken as sea creatures. These are the smallest types of fleas that only reach about 1mm in length. Sand fleas leave very itchy bites that may be more serious than the other types of fleas, as females can lay their eggs under your skin.

Sticktight Flea

Sticktight fleas can be found on poultry, but other mammals and humans can fall victim to these fleas. When it comes to these fleas, they are perhaps the most dangerous type because they stick so tight to your skin that it’s almost impossible to remove. They attach their head under the skin of the host. This can lead to several health complications.