# Can anyone tell me what this is please



## TashaD (Aug 4, 2021)

They jump quite far for their size, have six legs, are a brown / red colour I really have no idea what they're but since moving into a new home have had quite a few just sat on my clothing


----------



## jmon (Nov 5, 2012)

I am not sure, but google bed bugs or fleas. They are reddish brown and jump. There are many different types.

Do you have any pets?


----------



## TashaD (Aug 4, 2021)

No I don't have any pets but I don't know if the previous tenants had any I've lived here around a month


----------



## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

get some Diatomaceous Earth . put it under your furniture = sofa, bed, etc. leave it there and see if the bugs go away. after they are gone, vac it up.


----------



## TashaD (Aug 4, 2021)

Fix'n it said:


> get some Diatomaceous Earth . put it under your furniture = sofa, bed, etc. leave it there and see if the bugs go away. after they are gone, vac it up.


That's really helpful thank you very much 😊


----------



## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

TashaD said:


> That's really helpful thank you very much 😊


your welcome. and please report back, here, with your results.

oh = Welcome to the forum


----------



## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Do they look like this?
If so, I would flea bomb the place. It could be that the place was treated for fleas but that there are a few stragglers. If there were a lot, you would know it by bites. 

View attachment 660364


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

@TashaD I concur with @Fix'n it and his general advice, and note that you can tell if it's a flea by looking closely at it. And, welcome to the forum.

Fleas are designed to walk between the hairs on an animal, so they'll be "laterally flattened" i.e., from side-to-side. Pictures show a side view but looked at from front or back, they're skinny, literally like a sheet of paper.

Flea - Wikipedia

Fleas have "complete" metamorphosis, i.e., they have eggs that hatch into grubworm larvae that often live in carpets and similar places, after which they pupate and hatch into the jumping adults.

Growth inhibitors can be sprayed to stop the maturation of the immature stages, which is the best way to kill them, since it only hurts the fleas, not you or your pets.


----------



## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

I know diatomaceous earth is popular, but, I recently read that it can be harmful to your lungs. I didn't realize before that it is crystalline silica.

"Safety of Diatomaceous Earth
However, you need to be very careful not to inhale diatomaceous earth. Doing so *will irritate your lungs* much like the inhalation of dust — but the silica makes it exceptionally harmful. Inhaling crystalline silica can cause inflammation and scarring of your lungs, known as silicosis. Jan 7, 2019"
What Are the Benefits of Diatomaceous Earth? - Healthline


----------



## TashaD (Aug 4, 2021)

DoomsDave said:


> @TashaD I concur with @Fix'n it and his general advice, and note that you can tell if it's a flea by looking closely at it. And, welcome to the forum.
> 
> Fleas are designed to walk between the hairs on an animal, so they'll be "laterally flattened" i.e., from side-to-side. Pictures show a side view but looked at from front or back, they're skinny, literally like a sheet of paper.
> 
> ...


I've had a look and they don't look like fleas to me the most similar I've found is cockroach nymphs but I think they're smaller than them


----------



## TashaD (Aug 4, 2021)

Nik333 said:


> I know diatomaceous earth is popular, but, I recently read that it can be harmful to your lungs. I didn't realize before that it is crystalline silica.
> 
> "Safety of Diatomaceous Earth
> However, you need to be very careful not to inhale diatomaceous earth. Doing so *will irritate your lungs* much like the inhalation of dust — but the silica makes it exceptionally harmful. Inhaling crystalline silica can cause inflammation and scarring of your lungs, known as silicosis. Jan 7, 2019"
> What Are the Benefits of Diatomaceous Earth? - Healthline


Thank you won't be risking that then 😊


----------



## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

almost anything is harmful if breathed. just be careful with it. 

the flees like to hid under stuff, then come out when its quiet. 

we had flees 20+ years ago = ground floor condo patio with a wooded area behind it. the diatomaceous earth took care of them.

btw. did you see that the snow in Wizard of Oz was pure asbestos 😳


----------



## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

TashaD said:


> I've had a look and they don't look like fleas to me


doesn't matter, diatomaceous earth will get most any bug = exoskeleton


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

TashaD said:


> I've had a look and they don't look like fleas to me the most similar I've found is cockroach nymphs but I think they're smaller than them


Your initial description makes them sound like adult fleas. Cockroaches don't jump.


----------



## TashaD (Aug 4, 2021)

DoomsDave said:


> Your initial description makes them sound like adult fleas. Cockroaches don't jump.


Apparently the babies do 🤷🏻‍♀️but I really know nothing about pests etc I've never had a problem before I moved in this house


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

TashaD said:


> Apparently the babies do 🤷🏻‍♀️but I really know nothing about pests etc I've never had a problem before I moved in this house


Baby cockroaches don't jump. I've had them. Sounds a lot more like fleas.

It would help if you could get a closeup of them, though I realize that's hard given their teensy size.


----------



## TashaD (Aug 4, 2021)

DoomsDave said:


> Baby cockroaches don't jump. I've had them. Sounds a lot more like fleas.
> 
> It would help if you could get a closeup of them, though I realize that's hard given their teensy size.


I think you're right they do look like the baby fleas and when I find another ill do my best 😊


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

TashaD said:


> I think you're right they do look like the baby fleas and when I find another ill do my best 😊


They're not baby fleas. They're adults. The "babies" are grubworm-like critters, like fly maggots, with no legs. That's important, because if you have fleas, killing the adults where they are won't be enough to get rid of them. You'll have to address the immature stages, too.


----------



## TashaD (Aug 4, 2021)

DoomsDave said:


> They're not baby fleas. They're adults. The "babies" are grubworm-like critters, like fly maggots, with no legs. That's important, because if you have fleas, killing the adults where they are won't be enough to get rid of them. You'll have to address the immature stages, too.


I think they might be coming in from outside as I have a scruffy neighbour with two cats and a dog also there garden is scruffy and I have seen rats running though my garden from there's so how would I be able to get rid if that's what's causing them


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

TashaD said:


> I think they might be coming in from outside as I have a scruffy neighbour with two cats and a dog also there garden is scruffy and I have seen rats running though my garden from there's so how would I be able to get rid if that's what's causing them


It's possible, but before anything else, I'd look in your place and see if there's any evidence that previous inhabitants had animals (maybe ask the landlord), and, if they did, where the animals bedded down. That's where fleas are most likely to be. 

Also, where are you generally? City/state is enough. Some places get flea problems a lot worse than others. Sometimes fleas do hide in the grass and wait for hosts, though they really like cats, dogs, etc., a lot more than people.

Also, have you been bitten by little bugs lately? The picture below shows flea bites.

I know about this because I had a mama cat who had kittens and they had fleas and more fleas. Eventually, the mama cat and kittens got eaten by coyotes, and I was able to get rid of the fleas with the Diatomaceous earth.


----------



## TashaD (Aug 4, 2021)

DoomsDave said:


> It's possible, but before anything else, I'd look in your place and see if there's any evidence that previous inhabitants had animals (maybe ask the landlord), and, if they did, where the animals bedded down. That's where fleas are most likely to be.
> 
> Also, where are you generally? City/state is enough. Some places get flea problems a lot worse than others. Sometimes fleas do hide in the grass and wait for hosts, though they really like cats, dogs, etc., a lot more than people.
> 
> ...


I live in small town in Bishop auckland Country Durham there's lots of fields etc around. Yes I have been bitten several times and I'm extremely itchy although I don't know if that's just because I know they're there


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

TashaD said:


> I live in small town in Bishop auckland Country Durham there's lots of fields etc around. Yes I have been bitten several times and I'm extremely itchy although I don't know if that's just because I know they're there


Hmm.

A place like yours with an oceanic climate is more susceptible to outside flea trouble than where I live, which gets hot like a bloody furnace . . . (sorry). 

Do you see bites like the picture shows? I've had that, too, if misery loves company . . . .

It's nice to be able to locate where the fleas are concentrated so you can concentrate your eradication efforts effectively. You want, if at all possible, to avoid spraying poison all over unless there's no other alternative. Really try to find out, if possible: (a) did the previous occupant have pets; and (b) where they might have slept or been kept. As noted that's where fleas are likely to be. Ask the landlord, if you can, they can point you to possible places, in case they're not evident.

I use my case to illustrate:

Mama cat had kittens, and they were crawling with fleas, because I was: (a) irresponsible; (b) didn't really know how to deal with them; (c) mama was nursing and the babies were too small to use regular flea killer on the animals themselves. Mama and babies hung out in a spot in the basement, and the fleas got into the carpet. One day, my roommate and I were doing work down there, and the fleas hopped all over us; later that night, we had bites like in the picture above.

We put Diatomaceous earth down, and vacuumed and got rid of the fleas. We eventually had to do it for the whole house, but they were gone. We also used "flea bombs" from the store. It took a while, but the fleas haven't been back. It's been 10 or 11 years. Hooray. I have four cats that never go out, and still no fleas.


----------



## Jean4now (Jul 6, 2021)

I had an awful experience with bed bugs and fleas while traveling with my dog. Tried diatomaceous earth but it was really messy, not fast acting, and not what you want hotel housekeeping to encounter. I couldn't see what was chewing up me and my dog at night but the bites were increasing and each itched for days. I found this liquid https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0077CPANQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I read the Rutgers study and felt comfortable that it only worked on invertebrates. I was so desperate that I poured it on a wash cloth and wiped myself down every night. Sure enough I started seeing tiny dead bodies and eventually a few bigger dead bodies. I think the bigger ones were the female bed bug which has to be killed to stop the infestation. It's been a year but I'm so paranoid that when something bit me at night a few weeks ago I again wiped the stuff all over for a few nights. 
The EcoRaider comes in a spray bottle, water based, non staining. It doesn't even smell that bad, no chemical smell. It has residual action too. It kills fleas too because they are invertebrates. Flea eggs hatch I think every 28 days so any kind of flea treatment has to be continued for at least two months.


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Jean4now said:


> I had an awful experience with bed bugs and fleas while traveling with my dog. Tried diatomaceous earth but it was really messy, not fast acting, and not what you want hotel housekeeping to encounter. I couldn't see what was chewing up me and my dog at night but the bites were increasing and each itched for days. I found this liquid https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0077CPANQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I read the Rutgers study and felt comfortable that it only worked on invertebrates. I was so desperate that I poured it on a wash cloth and wiped myself down every night. Sure enough I started seeing tiny dead bodies and eventually a few bigger dead bodies. I think the bigger ones were the female bed bug which has to be killed to stop the infestation. It's been a year but I'm so paranoid that when something bit me at night a few weeks ago I again wiped the stuff all over for a few nights.
> The EcoRaider comes in a spray bottle, water based, non staining. It doesn't even smell that bad, no chemical smell. It has residual action too. It kills fleas too because they are invertebrates. Flea eggs hatch I think every 28 days so any kind of flea treatment has to be continued for at least two months.


I'd make it my business to find out exactly what the critter was.

Otherwise, you may end up doing the equivalent of taking antibiotics when your problem, for example, is a virus, to use the medical context.

Bed bugs are very very different from fleas. Fleas jump, bed bugs don't.


----------



## Jean4now (Jul 6, 2021)

DoomsDave said:


> I'd make it my business to find out exactly what the critter was.


Good advice but until the dead bodies started showing up I never saw a critter. Having grown up with dogs and cats I have had flea encounters and yes, they do jump. My most recent night-bite reaction to grab the EcoRaider was an extreme response - but until you have been subjected to bed bugs it may be hard to understand. Systemic flea and tick med for cats and dogs has made a great difference as far as fleas go, but fleas in some areas are becoming resistant to the topical med which is what I had been using on my dog.


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Jean4now said:


> Good advice but until the dead bodies started showing up I never saw a critter. Having grown up with dogs and cats I have had flea encounters and yes, they do jump. My most recent night-bite reaction to grab the EcoRaider was an extreme response - but until you have been subjected to bed bugs it may be hard to understand. Systemic flea and tick med for cats and dogs has made a great difference as far as fleas go, but fleas in some areas are becoming resistant to the topical med which is what I had been using on my dog.


My younger brother has experience with bed bugs. I'm pretty sure he got them from his church. This is not to be mean to him or the church. He had a helluva time getting rid of them, but he finally did. The fleas and roaches are "cake" if you will by comparison.


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Well, "pets" and "pests" are only one letter apart, in so many ways. 

But the love the pets give is worth dealing with the pests, though some do test that severely at times.


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)




----------



## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

DoomsDave said:


> Your initial description makes them sound like adult fleas. Cockroaches don't jump.


Some cockroaches can fly.


----------



## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Jean4now said:


> Good advice but until the dead bodies started showing up I never saw a critter. Having grown up with dogs and cats I have had flea encounters and yes, they do jump. My most recent night-bite reaction to grab the EcoRaider was an extreme response - but until you have been subjected to bed bugs it may be hard to understand. Systemic flea and tick med for cats and dogs has made a great difference as far as fleas go, but fleas in some areas are becoming resistant to the topical med which is what I had been using on my dog.


I would bet the previous resident had a pet with fleas. I stayed in one place where the fleas were so bad, they jumped in the full tub with me. They were floating on the water!


----------



## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

@TashaD - ask your landlord if the place was treated recently. It sounds like the fleas are left over from a previous treatment.


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Nik333 said:


> Some cockroaches can fly.


Not the same.


----------



## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

DoomsDave said:


> Not the same.







I don't think they're roaches, just sayin'


----------



## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that fleas are hard shelled.
You cannot squeeze them hard enough to kill them.
From your description you most likely have a flea problem.
If bad enough, you will have them on your feet when you walk on the carpet.
When I was young and broke I had a cat that had fleas, and a house with fleas.
The cat stopped walking on the carpet and just jumped from pieces of furniture to keep them away.
The flea bomb did work. I put the cat in the garage when I did it and left for a few hours.
Your landlord _*may oppose the use of bombs*_ in the apartment.


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

Nik333 said:


> I don't think they're roaches, just sayin'


Off on a tangent we go


----------



## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

When you catch another one, take it to the state Ag office, and ask there what it is.

They will have a definite answer and a definite remedy.

I'm sure that Australia being a democracy, has taxes that you pay for this service, use it.


ED


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

de-nagorg said:


> When you catch another one, take it to the state Ag office, and ask there what it is.
> 
> They will have a definite answer and a definite remedy.
> 
> ...


She’s in England.


----------



## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

You're in england so search for images of common bugs there. Then compare by looking at it with at least magnifying glass. 1st photo seems to show a bug with elongated body? Both the photo and my eyes are out of focus. Could be just common beetles which may jump. Looks to be too big for tick or fleas and the bedbugs I know have flat/roundish body. BTW, tiny crickets?


----------



## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

DoomsDave said:


> She’s in England.



Not much difference, both have nearly the same type government. 

I knew that flag looked familiar, and if my memory is correct they look similar. 

Oh well, no harm done , I hope.


ED


----------



## DoomsDave (Dec 6, 2018)

de-nagorg said:


> Not much difference, both have nearly the same type government.
> 
> I knew that flag looked familiar, and if my memory is correct they look similar.
> 
> ...


Well

Don’t tell em in a bar right before closing time


----------



## bob22 (May 28, 2008)

Try this.


----------



## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

In England fleas are called "lil' buggers".


----------

