Bed Bug Or Flea Bite – How To Know The Difference

Bed Bug or Flea Bite – How to Know the Difference

UK Holidays Parks, Hotels and Spas are now open for business after months of being closed due to Covid 19 and thousands of British tourists are expected to visit the UK’s most beautiful tourist spots over the next couple of months. However, as many British tourists choose a staycation over a holiday abroad and the UK in the middle of both flea and bed bug season, we ask the question – how clean is your BED, and is that bite from a bed bug or flea?

Should we be looking under that mattress of that cosy hotel room before going to bed? 

UK Hotels, Spa’s and Holiday Park have had no guests for several months due to the UK lockdown, and these unusual circumstances have led to the ideal breeding ground for bed bugs to multiply rapidly. As hotels, spas and holiday parks rush to open so that they can resume business for the last couple months of the 2020 summer season, are bedrooms as clean as you think?

Has a Flea or Bed Bug bitten you? 

BED BUG bites may seem similar to flea bites, but there is one key difference. If you are unsure as to the culprit, the answer lies in the location of your bite.

Bed bugs are roughly the size of an apple seed, but they can still cause a nuisance. The parasitic insects can be difficult to get rid of once they set up camp, and they have a taste for human skin. Annoyingly, it can be difficult to distinguish bed bug bites from other insect bites or rashes.

Here at Contego, we have established one key way to distinguish a bed bug bite from a flea bite, however.

‘Bed bugs tend to feed on exposed skin such as that on your arms and shoulders, which you may tend to leave uncovered while sleeping.

Fleas, on the other hand, tend to bite around the ankles.’

What do bed bug bites look like?

Bedbug bites usually are red, often with a darker red spot in the middle.

Other characteristics include:

• Itchy
• Arranged in a rough line or a cluster
• Located on the face, neck, arms and hands

Some people do not react to bedbug bites, while others experience an allergic reaction that can include severe itching, blisters or hives.

A severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) is also possible but rare.

How to treat a bed bug bite

Bedbug and flea bites usually clear up on their own in a week or so, but there are things you can do to aid your recovery.

One key tip is to put something cool, like a clean, damp cloth, on the affected area to help with the itching and any swelling and to avoid scratching the bites to stop getting an infection.

Additionally, antihistamines may help if the bites are very itchy and you’re unable to sleep.

What to do if the bed bug is in your home or business – 

How to eradicate bed bugs

Removing bed bugs can be difficult because they hide so well and can live several months without eating. You are best to call out a professional pest control company such as Contego, who will use a combination of insecticides and non-chemical treatments. Our train professionals will be able to get rid of these pesky bed bugs safely and quickly, allowing you to enjoy your bed bug free again.

To prevent bed bugs from coming back, always wash any affected bedding and clothing – using a hot wash (60C) or tumble dry on a hot setting for at least 30 minutes.

Alternatively, put affected clothing and bedding in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer (-16C) for four days.