Fleas are not just annoying insects. They are a real threat to your health and the health of your pets. These are active jumping parasitic creatures that feed on animal and human blood. If pests are found in an apartment or house, their presence will not go unnoticed. Let’s find out what attracts fleas to avoid taking them into your house.
Fleas’ Favorite Smells
The parasites are mainly attracted to blood and heat emitted by humans or animals.
- Smell of blood and heat are liked by fleas;
- Type of food doesn’t influence on parasite’s choice;
- Particular light or color doesn’t attract these insects;
- Strong odors, essential oils, alcohol may help you to repel fleas and other insects.
What attracts fleas?
The only thing they live for is a potential host. They are attracted by the smell of blood and heat. When the parasite smells you or your pet, it immediately starts attacking.
What food attracts fleas?
What food attracts fleas? Adult parasites feed on blood (stabbing-sucking mouthparts), develop in animal hair or bedding. Larvae feed on plant debris, feces, and dry blood. Therefore, the only food for adults is you and your pets. Are fleas attracted to water? Absolutely not. They die within seconds in water, so a parasite will never get into vessels with water on its own.
What light attracts fleas?
Are fleas attracted to light? They are not attracted to the light itself, they are more interested in the heat that the light source can emit. Moreover, only cat fleas have an ability to see light sources. Therefore, a special light trap can be constructed at home from candles or a simple lamp. If you install a thing like that, parasites will fall into the trap and die there.
What color attracts fleas?
Since fleas can’t distinguish colors, your brightly colored clothes or the color of your cat or dog don’t affect their main target: your blood. The parasites respond only to heat.
Yesterday’s hibernating pupae come to life when they barely smell the body heat, movement, and exhaled air of a potential host. If the adult parasite does not eat immediately, it will die.
What Smell Attracts Fleas?
What do fleas like? If heat has an odor, it is what attracts them. You or your pet are known to emit carbon dioxide when you breathe. You could say that the smell of this gas attracts dangerous parasites.
FAQ
We collected the most asked questions about the topic:
Do fleas like certain blood types?
No, it is a myth. Insects have not yet learned to distinguish between different types of blood. They have no special preferences — any blood will do, especially that of animal origin.
Why do fleas bite me and no one else?
Factors such as odors and body heat are worth considering. For example, a person with a fever will be bitten more often than a healthy pearson.
What scent repels fleas on humans?
The parasites don’t like smells of smoke, alcohol, essential oils and other strong odors. Also you may try to use some anti-mosquitoes remedy – it’s pretty effective for all insects.
Favorite Things for Fleas
If you want to avoid getting these small parasites in your house, you shouldn’t care about food, light level in your room, or the color of clothes you wear – nothing of these matters. In contrast, you need to maintain your house in purity and wash your pet regularly. Take care of yourself and your pets!
Share your thoughts about the topic in the comments below. Have you ever had fleas bite you and not your relatives? What do you think this has to do with?
Also Read:
- Where Do Fleas Hide?
- How to Get Rid of Fleas in Basement: Everything You Wanted to Know
- Does Alcohol Kill Fleas? Detailed Guide
- Does Coconut Oil Kill Fleas? Detailed Guide
- Does the Dryer Kill Fleas? Step-by-Step Investigation
References:
- Can fleas see? (FleaScience)
https://fleascience.com/flea-encyclopedia/life-cycle-of-fleas/adult-fleas/can-fleas-see/ - Blood groups (National Health Service) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/blood-groups/#:~:text=There%20are%204%20main%20blood,there%20are%208%20blood%20groups.
- CatFlea (Entomology and Nematology Department) https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/occas/catflea.htm
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