Fleas prefer living on furry animals such as cats and dogs, typically around their neck and belly areas. However, they may bite people incidentally, after jumping off a host. In humans, flea bites generally appear on the legs and ankles.
Bed bugs prefer to eat the blood of humans. They typically will live in beds and other places that give them easy access to human blood. They cannot jump or fly.
The table below shows some key differences between flea bites and bed bug bites:
| Fleas | Bed bugs | |
| Bite symptoms | Flea Bites cause small bumps that tend to be very itchy. | Bites may appear as small red spots that may or may not itch. |
| Bite development | Bites may have a dark red center. They may also develop into blisters. Scratching these bites can lead to infection. | Over time, bed bug bites may produce a hard, white swelling that may bleed. |
| Bite pattern | Flea bites may group into clusters or lines. | The bites sometimes appear in a straight line of three or four bites. |
| Bite frequency | Fleas bite whenever they get the chance. | Bed bugs tend to feed every 3 days and are more likely to feed at night. People who have bed bugs in their home may notice a regular pattern to bites. |
