Fleas and bed bugs both leave itchy bites, but the clues differ. Fleas usually come with a pet and leave small, hard, red spots with one puncture point, often in clusters or lines. Bed bugs can bite anywhere, often the face, neck, arms, legs and chest, and some people do not react at all. Health Canada describes the signs of each.
How the bites differ
| Fleas | Bed bugs | |
|---|---|---|
| What a bite looks like | Small, hard, red and itchy spot, slightly raised and swollen, with one puncture point in the middle | Small skin reactions in some people; some people do not react at all |
| Pattern | Often in clusters or lines | Can happen anywhere on the skin |
| Where on the body | Not specified by Health Canada | Often the face, neck, arms, legs and chest |
| How long it lasts | Can stay itchy and inflamed for up to several weeks | A bite can take as long as 14 days to appear, depending on the person |
| When to get help | If the flea problem persists, contact a licensed pest control operator | Not known to spread disease and bites do not generally require medical attention, but a licensed professional is strongly recommended for the infestation |
Sources: Health Canada, Fleas and Bedbugs: what are they? (see the sources below).
Pets are the biggest clue for fleas
Health Canada says adult fleas prefer to stay on pets and only leave after feeding. A pet that is scratching, or that has black particles about the size of ground pepper on its skin near the tail, points to fleas. Checking sleeping areas, dog houses and kennels is part of the inspection.
Signs that point to bed bugs
Health Canada lists the signs of bedbugs as black or brown spots (dried blood or feces), white spots (eggs, which are very hard to see) and live or dead bedbugs. Adult bedbugs have an oval, broad, flat body and a short, broad head. They are brown and darken to blood red after feeding. Bed bugs are not tied to pets, and Health Canada advises being very cautious with second-hand or refurbished items.
Why bites alone cannot settle it
Bed bug bites can take as long as 14 days to appear, and some people never react, so the timing of a bite does not tell you when or where it happened. Flea bites can stay itchy for several weeks. Two people in the same home can also react differently. The reliable way to tell the pests apart is to find the insect, or its signs, and confirm it. A licensed pest control operator can identify which pest it is.
How each pest lives, and why it matters for the bites
| Fleas | Bed bugs | |
|---|---|---|
| Where adults live | Mostly on pets; adults prefer to stay on the animal and leave only after feeding (Health Canada) | In the home, usually within 6 feet of where people sleep (University of California IPM) |
| When they feed | On a host, such as a pet or a person | Adults feed every 5 to 7 days, mostly while people sleep, and can survive many months without feeding |
| Eggs | Hatch in about 2 to 5 days and fall from the pet onto bedding and carpet | Hatch in about 10 to 15 days at room temperature |
| Young stages | Larvae feed for 8 to 15 days, then spin cocoons; fleas can stay in cocoons for up to 12 months at cool temperatures | Five nymph stages, each needing a blood meal |
| Full life cycle | About 18 days at normal room temperature | Five weeks to four months |
Sources: Health Canada, the University of California IPM program (fleas and bed bugs).
Why bites alone should never be used to diagnose
The University of California IPM program says raised welts, blisters, rashes or any other skin symptom should never be used to diagnose bed bugs, because several household pests bite humans and reactions vary widely between individuals. A bed bug infestation can only be confirmed by finding the bugs or their signs: fecal spots, blood spots, egg cases and shed skins. Bites can take as long as 14 days to appear according to Health Canada, and some people never react, so two people sleeping in the same bed may differ.
How to confirm which pest it is
For bed bugs, the University of California IPM guide recommends a flashlight, a magnifying glass and a small mirror: look for the bugs, dark fecal spots that range from reddish brown to black, and light-brown shed skins along mattress seams and tufts, box spring joints, bed frames, headboards and baseboards. Interceptor cups under the legs of the bed catch bed bugs on their way to a sleeper, and in research trapped six times more than visual searching.
For fleas, check the pet: Health Canada describes black particles the size of ground pepper on a pet's skin near the tail. Check sleeping areas, dog houses and kennels. Flea larvae live in the places where adult fleas have left dried blood and feces, in bedding and carpet, according to the University of California IPM program.
A note on DIY dusts
Diatomaceous earth and boric acid are common DIY choices in cracks and crevices for several pests, but they do not work equally well on all of them. The University of California IPM program notes that bed bugs may not groom themselves as much as cockroaches do, so dusts that must be eaten, such as borates, may be less effective on bed bugs than anticipated. For fleas, the same program says control on pets has to go together with regular, thorough cleaning of pet resting areas, and vacuuming for 10 days to 2 weeks to catch fleas that keep emerging from cocoons.
What to do about each
If it is fleas: Health Canada advises treating pets with a flea control product, washing pet and family bedding in hot, soapy water every 2 to 3 weeks, and vacuuming carpets and cushioned furniture daily. If the flea problem persists, it recommends contacting a licensed pest control operator.
If it is bed bugs: Health Canada says bedbugs are very hard to get rid of and strongly recommends a licensed professional. In the meantime, wash and hot-dry bedding for at least 30 minutes, vacuum daily, enclose the mattress and box spring in a zippered encasement, and, as a light DIY step, apply diatomaceous earth and boric acid in cracks and crevices where bed bugs travel.
How AstraHive Pest Control gets rid of bed bugs
Bed bugs hide in seams, joints, box spring frames, plumbing voids, wall voids and behind electrical outlets, so every treatment starts with a careful inspection. We offer two treatments and choose between them by situation: Aprehend is our first choice for homes where people live and sleep and for severe infestations, and the standard chemical treatment is the right choice for Airbnbs, hotel rooms and vacant units.
How an AstraHive bed bugs treatment works
Inspect and confirm
We inspect the bed, furniture seams, baseboards, outlets and surrounding areas, confirm the insect and tell you which treatment fits, with the preparation list for that treatment.
Aprehend: for homes where people live and sleep
Aprehend is our premium bed bug treatment, a biopesticide built on a naturally occurring fungus. We apply it with a dedicated machine as a continuous band along baseboards, bed frames, box springs and the pathways bed bugs travel, and we put Drione dust into wall voids and outlets. Bed bugs pick up the spores as they cross the barrier and carry them back to the colony, where the fungus reaches the bugs a spray cannot, including pyrethroid-resistant bed bugs. It takes real knowledge to apply well, so only our experienced, trained technicians do it. Preparation is light: strip the beds, move them a little away from the walls and clear under the bed.
Standard chemical treatment: for empty units
For Airbnbs, hotel rooms and vacant units we take the bed apart, steam every seam and joint, vacuum with a HEPA vacuum, apply a residual spray (Temprid SC, which combines two active ingredients) according to its label, which stays active for about 90 days, and put Drione dust into wall voids and outlets. Nobody, pets included, stays inside during the treatment or for at least 6 hours afterwards, and the preparation is thorough, so it suits spaces nobody is living in. Mattress encasements are available as an optional extra.
Follow up 4 to 6 weeks later
We return 4 to 6 weeks after treatment to check the results and re-treat where needed. It is normal to still see live bed bugs for up to about 6 weeks, because bed bugs spread slowly, hide well and eggs laid before treatment keep hatching. If you still see live bed bugs after 6 weeks, call us.
Document everything and back it with a 90-day warranty
Where we found bed bugs, what we found and every product used goes in the service report. If bed bugs come back within 90 days, we re-treat at no charge.
Our products are Health Canada approved and safe for kids and pets, and we apply every product according to its label. AstraHive is licensed by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Ontario requires a ministry-approved certification course before it issues an exterminator licence, and that training is delivered through the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus.
We choose one treatment per home, so you only prepare once. The two are not steps in one job: the standard residual spray is water-based, and water or steam deactivates Aprehend, so surfaces treated with Aprehend should not be wiped, mopped or steamed afterwards. In our experience live bed bugs drop in stages after Aprehend, roughly 50 to 55 percent fewer by week 3, 80 to 85 percent fewer by week 4 and 90 to 95 percent fewer by weeks 5 to 6. These figures are our own experience, not from the product label, and results vary.
In condos and apartments, neighbouring units and the building manager should be told early, because bed bugs travel through shared walls, ducts and plumbing chases.
Typical cost: Starting at $450 CAD, with final cost depending on property size and severity of infestation - there is no fixed upper limit. Call 905-925-8427 for an exact free quote.
Why Choose AstraHive
- Licensed & Insured: Certified by the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.
- Fast response: Same-day service available, with a callback within 5 minutes.
- 90-Day Warranty: If pests come back within that window, we re-treat at no additional charge.
- Proven track record: 5.0 stars on Google across 200+ reviews.
- Family & pet safe: Health Canada approved products on every job.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell flea bites from bed bug bites?
Flea bites are small, hard, red, itchy spots with one puncture point, often in clusters or lines. Bed bug bites can happen anywhere, often on the face, neck, arms, legs and chest, and some people do not react at all.
Do I have fleas or bed bugs if I have no pets?
Fleas usually involve a pet, since adult fleas prefer to stay on pets and only leave after feeding. Without pets, bed bugs are more likely, but only finding the insect or its signs confirms it.
What do flea dirt and bed bug spots look like?
Health Canada describes flea signs as black particles the size of ground pepper on a pet's skin near the tail, and bedbug signs as black or brown spots of dried blood or feces, white spots of eggs, or live or dead bedbugs.
Do bed bugs spread disease?
Health Canada says bedbugs are not known to spread disease and their bites do not generally require medical attention. Its flea guidance focuses on treating pets and cleaning, and it advises contacting a licensed professional if the problem persists.
Should I call a professional for fleas or bed bugs?
For bed bugs, Health Canada strongly recommends a licensed professional. For fleas, it advises calling one if the problem persists after treating pets and cleaning.
Sources
- Health Canada: Fleas — A flea bite is a small, hard, red and itchy spot, slightly raised and swollen with one puncture point in the middle; bites often appear in clusters or lines and can stay itchy and inflamed for up to several weeks; adult fleas prefer to stay on pets and only leave after feeding; a sign of fleas is black particles the size of ground pepper on a pet's skin near the tail; wash pet and family bedding in hot, soapy water every 2 to 3 weeks and vacuum carpets and cushioned furniture daily; if the flea problem persists, contact a licensed pest control operator.
- Health Canada: Bedbugs: what are they? — Adult bedbugs have an oval, broad, flat body and a short, broad head, are brown and darken to blood red after feeding; bites can happen anywhere on the skin but are often found on the face, neck, arms, legs and chest; a bedbug bite can take as long as 14 days to appear, depending on the person; some people do not react to the bites at all, others have small skin reactions and in rare cases a severe allergic reaction; bedbugs are not known to spread disease and their bites do not generally require medical attention.
- Health Canada: Bedbugs: how do I prevent an infestation? — Be very cautious with second-hand or refurbished items; signs of bedbugs are black or brown spots (dried blood or feces), white spots (eggs, very hard to see) and live or dead bedbugs.
- Health Canada: Bedbugs: how do I get rid of them? — Bedbugs are very hard to get rid of and a licensed professional pest control operator is strongly recommended; operators can use liquid and aerosol insecticide sprays, insecticidal dusts, diatomaceous earth, pressurized carbon dioxide snow, and steam and heat treatments; bedbugs perish at 50 degrees C and steam cleaners emit at least 100 degrees C; freezing needs 4 days of consistent cold at minus 19 degrees C and may not eliminate all bedbugs; a hot dryer needs 30 minutes or more; use only products with a Health Canada PCP registration number, never homemade pesticides, and never apply pesticides to people, pets, bedding, cribs, playpens or toys unless the label allows it; Health Canada warns against ozone generators; treatment is only effective if physical control methods and preventative measures are used together; preparation means emptying storage furniture, bagging belongings, washing all clothes and bedding and moving furniture from walls.
- Ontario.ca: Pesticide licences and permits — Ontario's Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks issues exterminator licences after a ministry-approved certification course, delivered through the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus.
- UC IPM: Bed Bugs (University of California Statewide IPM Program) — Females lay 200 to 500 eggs, usually two to five a day; eggs hatch in about 10 to 15 days at room temperature; there are five nymphal stages that each need a blood meal; the life cycle takes five weeks to four months and is fastest at 70 to 82 degrees F; up to four generations a year; adults feed every 5 to 7 days but can survive many months and 20 to 400 days without feeding; about 85% of bed bugs are in or near the bed and common hiding places are within 6 feet of where people sleep (mattress seams, box spring wood joints, bed frame cracks, behind baseboards and headboards, under loose wallpaper, behind picture frames, inside furniture, appliances and electronics), they can use crevices as thin as a credit card, and they prefer wood, paper and fabric to metal or plastic; eggs need a hand lens to see; interceptors under bed legs trapped six times more bed bugs than visual searches; a single vacuuming rarely gets all bugs and eggs and should be repeated; wash bedding and clothes in hot (120 degrees F) water and dry on the hottest setting for at least 10 to 15 minutes; steam can kill all life stages if it penetrates the hiding places; commercial heat needs at least 140 degrees F for two hours or 130 degrees F for three hours (minimum lethal 113 degrees F); encasements are effective in laboratory research and bugs inside die of starvation; dusts cling to the cuticle and wear away the wax or poison the insect when it grooms, but bed bugs may not groom as much as cockroaches so dusts that must be eaten, including borates, may be less effective than anticipated; the most effective bed bug pesticides are available only to commercial applicators; insecticide alone will not control an infestation and must be combined with cleaning, nonchemical tactics such as steam or heat and ongoing monitoring; after professional treatment keep monitoring daily, keep clutter down and vacuum regularly; never use bite symptoms to diagnose; confirm only by finding the bugs or their signs; if you remove an infested mattress do not leave it on the curb; renters should contact the landlord and tenants have rights; it is much easier to manage a small infestation.
- UC IPM: Fleas (University of California Statewide IPM Program) — Flea eggs hatch in about 2 to 5 days, larvae feed and crawl around for 8 to 15 days before building cocoons, at cool temperatures fully formed fleas can remain in their cocoons for up to 12 months, and at normal room temperatures the whole life cycle can take about 18 days; flea control on pets must occur together with regular thorough cleaning of pet resting areas indoors and out; continue to vacuum for 10 days to 2 weeks to kill adult fleas that keep emerging from cocoons.
Areas We Serve
AstraHive Pest Control proudly serves 75+ communities across the following regions:
- Toronto: Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, East York, York, Leslieville, Lakeview
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- Peel Region: Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon, Malton, Port Credit, Streetsville, Meadowvale, Cooksville, Bolton, Palgrave
- Extended Service Area: Peterborough, Lindsay, Port Hope, Barrie, Bradford, Innisfil, Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Orillia, Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Hamilton, Grimsby, St. Catharines, Welland, Niagara Falls
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