Flea Bites Pictures

Ask anyone who has ever owned a pet and they can at least tell you one good flea story.  Fleas are a flightless parasitic insect that feeds off of the blood of host animals.  There is a variety of flea species, and almost every type of warm blooded animal has a flea to go along with it.  The most common interaction of fleas with people is in those who have pets.  The summer months tend to bring infestations of fleas on animals, both indoor and outdoor, which tend to enter the home to feed on a dog, cat, or even a rat. 

Flea bites on people tend to be a small round welt that is usually red in color.  People are normally bitten when their home become highly infested with fleas, or directly after their animal has been treated.  Once an animal has been  treated, the fleas will attempt to find a new host animal.
Fleas use special parts of their mouth to dig into a host animal's skin, giving them access to the blood held underneath.  Once the flea is done feeding, the wound technically remains open since their saliva keeps the blood for coagulating immediately.
The bites cause itching in animals, like this flea bites picture of a cat.  The saliva tend to cause an itching sensation, which causes the animal to scratch and chase the bugs through their fur.  When they scratch, they tend to open up the bite more.
Flea feces, or flea dirt, is a common sign of a flea infestation on animals.  It tend to appear as tiny black or dark red chunks mixed in with the animals fur.  This image to the right shows the fecal matter from a  severe infestation.  Pets must be bathed to help get rid of this large amount of material.
Fleas are typically transparent, but will turn a red or dark brown color once they are finished feeding.  Their feeding time can range from seconds to minutes.  While many bug bites cannot be felt, many people do feel a flea when it is biting.
This is a close up image of an adult flea.  Since it hasn't fed recently, you can see most of its insides through its outer shell.  The flea's mouth is equipped with special parts that are designed to help the parasite break through skin.  Their long legs make them especially good jumpers, helping them evade animal paws and teeth.
This flea bite pictures shows multiple flea bites on a person.  It is rare for a person to have just one flea bite.  In most cases, multiple bites will occur since the flea are obviously looking for food.  Flea bites are most commonly found on a person feet and legs, since  fleas will stay closer to the ground when not on an animal.

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