Insect parasites like fleas and ticks can cause serious health problems for humans and animals. They can spread germs and illness but otherwise differ greatly. The most notable distinction between fleas and ticks is the host species they choose to infiltrate. Ticks are more of an outside pest, but they occasionally attach to your pet like fleas do and cause problems inside the house. Read more to figure out how to identify each type.
Difference Between Fleas and Ticks
In most cases, flea and tick treatments will be administered jointly. However, they are distinctly different; they differ in fundamental ways. Parasites are annoying, yet each species has peculiar behaviors, life cycles, and illnesses. This article will discover the key distinctions between fleas and ticks.
Size and Appearance
- FLEAS: Adult fleas only grow around the size of a pinhead or 1/8 of an inch in length. Since fleas are so tiny, a microscope is required to make out their finer features. Adult fleas can be seen with the naked eye, typically as little brown specks in infested hair, fur, and fabric areas. It’s possible that the brown specks you’re seeing are not fleas but rather “flea dirt,” another name for flea excretions.
- TICKS: On the other hand, ticks tend to be bigger. Ticks come in a variety of colors, including red, brown, yellowish, gray, and black. Arachnids are spherical and obscured by their eight legs most of the time, especially after a good meal. Ticks grow to the size of grapes after feeding on a host.
Movement
- FLEAS: Fleas are excellent leapers despite their lack of wings. Their maximum vertical and horizontal leaps are 7 and 13 inches, respectively. Due to their small size, flea infestations are generally not noticed until a critical mass is achieved, and a huge number of small, brown specks are spotted on their host, typically a dog or cat. If you notice fleas on your pets, bring them to the vets in Greensboro NC, to treat them.
- TICKS: Ticks, which also lack wings, search for a host by crawling, climbing, balancing, and dangling from unsecured items until a passing host brushes against them. They have a well-deserved reputation for being cunning and relentless. They seize their prey when it is weakest, such as while it is sleeping or unable to defend itself.
Demeanor
- FLEAS: When finding a host, fleas are in it for the long haul. Once they do, they’ll stay in the fur of a single warm-blooded animal for the remainder of their lives, where they’ll feed, sleep, and reproduce. The female flea can produce 50 eggs at once, and in a single day, the fleas can consume enough food to equal fifteen times their body weight. Fleas are a common pest seen on pets and in homes, and they nearly always find their way inside on a furry host. Consider having a pet wellness plan to protect your pets. This page can show you more information.
- TICKS: Ticks don’t stick to one host but hop from one living creature to another. Ticks descend to the ground when they have finished feeding, where they may seek a mate, reproduce, or wait for another host to pass by. When it comes to waiting for food, ticks are unrivaled; they can go months without consuming anything. Humans and animals will likely be bitten by a tick when out in the open. Ticks are notorious hitchhikers; they can travel for hours in clothing or accessories before attaching themselves for a blood meal. Visit some websites like guilfordjamestownvet.com to learn more information.
