Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Flea

I'm some bug's moveable feast

egeanin — Sat, 02 May 2009 10:07:50 -0800

What the heck kind of bug has been biting me?? Sometime in the last 24 hours I've discovered about 12 bug bites (a bunch on my lower legs, three in my groin area, one on my back, a few on my knees) that are itchy as all hell!

The not knowing what caused it is far worse even than the itchiness, so if you could hear out the details and suggest real possibilities for what kind of bug feasted on me, I'd appreciate it. Especially if you have anecdotal experience that matches mine.

1. None of the bites are in a straight line, but some of them are in clusters. I've seen no signs of fleas.
2. I have THOROUGHLY checked my bed for bedbugs, there's no sign of them either on mattress or any linens
3. I have no pets
4. I just moved into an apt with hardwood floors that is very clean, no spiders or dust. All the furniture is clean and in good shape, i.e. we didn't pick up anything off a curb. We did all the moving ourselves, used no hired trucks that could have brought in bugs.
5. It's true I was wearing shorts yesterday, but how would the bugs get up to my groin area?? And the small of my back was covered by a shirt all day. Except--
6. I got a massage at a place I often go, and first noticed the itching sensation about 2 hours later. But I checked online reviews of the place and no one has complained of any bug bites following a massage there. However I did have scented oil on my body for several hours following it, which could have led to attracting bug bites.
7. I did spend some time outside in shorts, but not in high grasses or anything. I didn't sit down in grass or anything, just walked around the neighborhood.
8. My boyfriend has not had any bites, and he shares the apartment with me
9. The bites don't hurt, but they are dime-sized and itchy. I tend to be sensitive to bites.
10. I live in an area that doesn't have a bad mosquito problem, and certainly haven't noticed any flying around.

So was it a spider that roamed all over me while I was outside? Was it some sort of infestation at the Massage place? Are there some sorts of mites or midges that can get under my shorts during the day if they smell scented oil? I don't know how else to check for Bedbugs except the constant looking around the mattress seams, but there's been nothing suspicious there whatsoever.

Thank you for your help!

Please advise! I'm going nuts trying to figure it out. Thanks!

Some questions about flea markets

sidr — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 23:28:40 -0800

I have some questions about flea markets. So I have been to a few fleamarkets in my time, and after talking with people about them I find that opinions vary widely. So I have a few questions:

1. How do *you* define a flea market? I have read the dictionary definition and the wiki entry, asked people I know, I have my own theories etc., so tell me what you think. Do the antikvaari of Scandinavia and the fancier vintage stores of San Francisco count? Does it have to be outdoors? The residents of Budapest throw out what they do not need every now and then on the street, all of them at once. Is this a flea market? I guess I am looking for common threads in what the hive mind calls a flea market. Some of you might say "the internet" and I would agree, for example.

2. Do you know of any scholarly research or articles on flea markets? Do tell. I have looked at Google Scholar, perhaps you know other resources.

3. Recommend me some interesting flea markets to visit please. For example the Japanese take on second hand+vintage+flea market junk is interesting. Perhaps its crazier in the Congo or Chile? Dunno. Tell me.

4. How small can a flea market get? Are they self similar? Is a collection of flea markets a flea market too? Do they have some structure? Etc.

I hope this is not considered chatfilter. I'd like to know what the hive mind thinks of flea markets so I thought of some questions milling in my head which is quite the flea market itself. Some of these questions seem simple to me but might be wildly different in your minds. So yeah. Also it is nice that I can select 'grab bag' in Category.

Am I being a worrywart over one flea?

fructose — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:14:03 -0800

FleaFilter: Am I being paranoid after seeing one flea on my dog? I got a lhasa apso mix about 3 weeks ago. He was due for a flea treatment about one week ago, but we were waiting because he's going to the groomer tomorrow, and even though it's not supposed to wash off, we figured it would be more effective if we did it after his bathing and haircut.

Tonight I was rubbing his belly and saw one flea. I tried to get it, but those things jump too fast. I looked around and didn't see anymore, but I know that there usually aren't that many on the animal itself. This is the first time I've seen a flea on him.

Even though his groomer treatment is tomorrow, I put a small amount of Vectra flea preventative on (on the spot recommended) to see if that helps.

We have a weird shag-like carpet, and I'm worried about there being flea larvae in the carpet, or on (not in) our bed, where he sleeps.

We live in an apartment, and he only goes outside twice daily for 10 minute walks. He's the only pet in the house. He chews and licks his front paws a lot, but so did the lhasa I had growing up, who didn't have fleas. He goes to the groomer tomorrow morning for a bath and a good trim, so hopefully if there are any more fleas, or evidence of them, they will let us know.

Should I be worried? Would it be necessary at this point to spray the carpet and vacuum a lot to make sure we don't let any fleas breed? Or is one flea on a pet not really a cause for concern?

A flea's revenge

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 05:04:17 -0800

We've had a sudden attack of fleas on our pets. That's been dealt with (with liberal doses of Frontline), but it's left me with a huge number of flea bites on my legs. Any suggestions for calming and healing them? My wife is not bothered by flea bites, but I see to be somewhat allergic. My legs are covered in red blotches that itch like crazy. Although the fleas themselves are gone, their bites remain, and they are driving me mad. Anybody got any suggestions for calming the bites and quickly healing the scars from the ones I've scratched at already?

Locking the barn door ...

the luke parker fiasco — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 01:38:43 -0800

FleaFilter: Yes, it's another flea question, but with some unique circumstances. You know the general story: adorable stray kitten, brought home, later found to be covered in fleas. (I think they're fleas, anyway--they can jump pretty far.)

The specifics: I checked her over once I got home, and didn't think I found any fleas, but I have zero experience with them, and was wrong. After letting her crawl all over me, and sleep on the couch with me last night (!!), I've discovered that she's got quite a few fleas.

The problem: I'm currently living in Romania. There are scant resources where I am for the kind of commercial flea-removal products that have been recommended in the other flea questions. I also don't have a vacuum, and as such can't vacuum the house. I don't want to get rid of the kitten, as there is no such thing as a shelter here, and if I just let her go outside I may as well just take her to be euthanised.

I'm going to bathe the kitten, of course, and will continue to do so regularly (is weekly good? or more often?). I'm washing all the clothes, including the bedclothes, that she came in contact with. However, there is still the issue of the rug, the couch, me, and the general environment.

How screwed am I? I was just building a fire in the bathroom to shower the hell out of myself, and saw a tiny black thing on my arm, which disappeared a nanosecond later--I assume this means there's a baby flea, running around somewhere, which means there's more. I can keep the kitten in the kitchen area, which is tiled, but it'll be next to impossible to keep her away from ANY fabric in the apartment.

I've read in previous questions that heating the place up can kill them, as well as sprinkling yeast? I'm looking for alternative options/"home" remedies, as I won't be able to vacuum, bomb, or Frontline anything here.

Thanks in advance.

(Yes, I'm aware how monumentally stupid my behaviour was. Feel confident that I have Learned My Lesson.)

Boston Flea Markets?

yet.another.boston.question — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 18:43:18 -0800

Are there any cool outdoor flea markets in Boston (or the suburbs)?

Sleeping with the enemy

-harlequin- — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 10:33:33 -0800

How do you eliminate fleas in a bed? I'm under the vague impression that flea-killing products have limited to no success against the eggs (is this correct?), which hatch 3 weeks later, so what is Standard Proceedure? Put the matress in a plastic bag for a month with some flea product inside and sleep on the couch? I have no experience with fleas. My reason for thinking there are fleas in the bed is that ever since my girlfriend let her cats sleep on the bed in the midst of a heatwave-induced flea epidemic last summer, I've periodically noticed insect bites in the mornings. Cats were banned from bedroom, but it's been months now and I still get bites. They're not going away on their own.

Any firsthand success stories?

Do flea bombs work for eggs in beds?

The bed has a duvet, any duvet-treatment tips? (I really wouldn't know where the fleas are, just that they're somewhere).

Itchy itchy itchy

WCityMike — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 10:50:34 -0800

How can you tell the difference between mosquito bites and flea bites? (Does one heal quicker than the other?) I have been rather thoroughly bitten by some sort of insects ... more so than I ever have in the past.

(I never see them, nor do I really ever feel the sensation of being bitten. I do, however, sleep without a shirt, and, during the last few hot evenings in Chicago, I slept without a covering sheet on me.)

I think that these are mosquitoes -- but I wonder if they might be fleas, since I have a cat. However, he does not show any signs of scratching (and is an indoor cat), which makes me think that fleas are unlikely.

I'm suspicious only because I seem to have been more vehemently attacked (in number and in coverage) by the little buggers (of whatever species) than I have in the past, and I wonder if such more widespread behavior might indicate flea origin and not mosquito origin.

Canine flea/tick preventative treatment?

jerseygirl — Mon, 24 May 2004 09:06:23 -0800

Canine flea/tick preventative treatment? I have a rough and tumble pup (18 pounds, 18 months old). He's quite an outdoor companion, and I find ourselves walking more wooded trails this year. I expect fleas, and especially ticks, are going to be a concern this summer. I am staying completely away from Hartz in all shapes and forms. I am very open to the idea of natural/herbal/homeopathic flea and tick preventatives as long as they work well. I am also interested if anyone has any experiences with Frontline or Advantage. Whatever the treatment, it would have to withstand bathing, as he is groomed professionally once a month and usually is rinsed down or bathed at home once a week (depending on how much mud he gets into). I will consult with the vet before going ahead with anything, obviously, but would really appreciate any of your personal feedback.