Fleas are more common and feed on blood. Lice are less common and typically feed on skin debris.
Lice and flees are both wingless insects but they are truly different in every aspect. While fleas belong to the order Siphonaptera, Lice come in the order Phthiraptera. The fleas are true parasites that live on the blood of mammals and birds.
The short answer is no. There are more than 2000 types of fleas around the globe. However, there is no evidence that these insects can live on the human body or scalp. Unlike what you may know about treating head lice, these insects only live on other species.
Treatment of all in-contact pets
Many insecticides kill lice. Most flea shampoos contain pyrethrins or organophosphates and do a good job of getting rid of louse infestations. Topical insecticides like imidacloprid (Advantage) applied topically every 2 weeks will also kill lice.
Fleas, like lice, are small wingless insects. Unlike lice, which can only crawl, fleas can jump from one host (such as a pet) to another.
Fleas will appear as small black spots moving around on your pet's fur, while lice will be small white or yellow bugs attached to the hair itself.
The most common product used to kill fleas on dogs instantly is Nitenpyram, more commonly known as Capstar.
Fleas have a complex life cycle. At some stages of their life cycle they are resistant to insecticides and other flea control products. In order to get rid of fleas in all stages of the life cycle, two or more follow-up treatments within 5-10 days after the first application are needed.
These pests are very hard to get rid of. Fleas have flattened bodies so they can move through the fur of their hosts easily. They also have very strong exoskeletons, making them very hard to crush. They also leap out of danger quickly and are very small, so if they do get away they are hard to find again.
Fleas do not live on humans. They generally bite down at the feet, ankles, and legs by jumping from an infested pet or other animal, but it is most likely to be from an infested pet bed.
THE HUMAN FLEA
This flea does live its adult stages of life anywhere on the body where there is hair. This can be the eyelashes, eyebrows, armpits or pubic areas.
Head-to-head contact with an already infested person is the most common way to get head lice. Head-to-head contact is common during play at school, at home, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp). Although uncommon, head lice can be spread by sharing clothing or belongings.
Can Fleas Live in Your Bed? These pests infest multiple areas in homes, especially mattresses, cushions, and carpeting. Pets transfer fleas to the beds and furniture where they sleep. From here, the insects quickly spread around the house.
Fleas like to live on a blood host. They won't take up residence in your bed, but they will leave evidence that they've been there. If your pet has fleas, the eggs may roll off their fur and onto your bed, where they'll hatch. Adult fleas can jump long distances and may make their way onto bedding.
Covering skin with long-sleeve clothing and pants will minimize exposure to bites. Flea bites often occur on the lower legs and feet, protect these areas with long socks and pants. Treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin.
Vinegar does not kill lice, nor does it harm lice eggs.
They are considered to be safe [21, 22] and broad-spectrum ectoparasiticides for pets, with a demonstrated activity against several species of ticks, Demodex, Sarcoptes, Otodectes, fleas and sucking lice of dogs and cats [20, 23].
Permethrin kills live lice but not unhatched eggs. Permethrin may continue to kill newly hatched lice for several days after treatment. A second treatment often is necessary on day 9 to kill any newly hatched lice before they can produce new eggs.
Once on the primary host of a cat or dog, adult fleas remain there. They feed, mate and lay their eggs directly on the host. In contrast, when fleas feed on people, they'll take a blood meal and then immediately leave. Fleas don't breed on humans.
You might be asking yourself will fleas eventually go away? While some could last 2 – 3 weeks, they could also live for up to 12 months on the host it finds, so it is unlikely they will go away on their own. Fleas can also reproduce very quickly by laying eggs in carpet, bedding, or garden prolonging the infestation.
Sand fleas are the only fleas that burrow into your skin to feed on blood. Other types of fleas land on the surface of your skin to temporarily feed on your blood. You may have multiple flea bites, or small red bumps on your skin.
On other human victims, fleas tend to hide in the hair and bite the host's scalp or neck. This could lead to intense itching.
While fleas can technically lay eggs on our scalp, the possibility of this happening is extremely rare. Given how much these small parasites can disrupt a household, however, knowing all you can about fleas can help you avoid an infestation or manage an existing flea problem.
Undisturbed and without a blood meal, a flea can live more than 100 days. On average, they live two to three months. Female fleas cannot lay eggs until after their first blood meal and begin to lay eggs within 36-48 hours after that meal.
According to extensive studies conducted at Ohio State University, vacuuming is indeed an effective way of getting rid of fleas! Through these studies, scientists discovered that vacuuming killed 96% of adult fleas from carpets and 100% of the flea pupae and larvae.