To avoid sand fleas while traveling, stay off the sand during peak activity times and use a physical barrier like a towel or elevated chair. Most sand fleas are active at dawn, dusk, and night, so plan your beach time accordingly.
What Are Sand Fleas?
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Sand fleas are small insects that feed on blood. Like mosquitoes, they bite a living body and suck blood from the veins of their hosts. Besides sandy beaches, they are also found in desert sand and swamps.
Sand Flea Bites
It may be difficult to tell immediately if you get bitten by sand fleas. Some bites may be painless whereas others can be insanely searing. A sand flea bite can also be itchy.
They are parasites that live on blood. If you get bitten, you’re just another unlucky prey. Most sand fleas are active at dawn, dusk, and night. If you prefer swimming at night or strolling at dawn searching for seashells, these are the times you are most susceptible to a bite.
What do Flea Bites Look Like?
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They resemble red bumps or black spots depending on how long it has been since you got bitten.
Normally, a sand flea bites for two reasons:
1.
High affinity for fresh blood
Getting a taste of fresh blood is all that matters for a sand flea. Sand fleas have special saliva that keeps the blood of the host from clotting. Most blood-sucking pests including mosquitoes use this mechanism to feed on their prey.
As the fleas draw blood from you, your nerves react to the bite causing pain followed by an itchy inflammation at the spot bitten.
2.
The female sand flea sees your skin as a perfect nesting ground
The female flea sees your body as an environment to squeeze into for brooding. They burrow deep under your skin, where they lay eggs and eventually hatch them. This leaves your skin swollen with black spots.
Flea bites occur mostly around the lower body, especially the legs, because fleas can only jump to forty centimetres high from the ground.
Flea bites are dangerous and can cause tungiasis, a skin disease.
Effects of Sand Flea Bites on You
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A sand flea attacks often in bunches. When you get attacked by fleas you are likely to suffer multiple itching bites. Their bites are painful and can initiate allergic reactions.
If your body responds negatively to sand flea bites, you are at risk of developing allergic reactions. A flea bite allergy can result in dizziness, fever, nausea, headache and swelling on the lymph node. Sand fleas should be kept at bay by all means.
Are Sand Flea Bites Treatable?
Fortunately, yes.
Flea bite rash can be extremely itchy and tempting to scratch. Avoid scratching them at all cost as it would cause wounds which might result in infections.
The most viable immediate treatment is to apply a topical cream made of hydrocortisone and calamine to the wound. The two are proven medicinal jellies that will relieve you of the itchy feeling immediately.
If you miss out on the topical cream, an alternative is a homoeopathic baking powder paste. Seek medical attention for more specialized treatment if the condition on your skin gets worse.
How to Avoid Sand Flea Bites
Prevention is always better than cure. The following are ways to keep yourself safe from sand fleas:
Avoiding the beach after rains
Refrain from visiting the beach, especially after rainfalls. Rainfall is often accompanied by cool, which triggers an adrenaline rush in crustaceans and sand fleas. This excites them and enhances their hunger for the next blood meal, setting them out in droves.
Use lounge chairs
Lie on lounge chairs elevated above the sand, or use a towel or blanket as a barrier. When you lay directly on a towel, you are closer to the sand and fleas will easily crawl on to your skin and bite you.
Applying DEET repellants
DEET repellants drive fleas away and some have smells that are toxic to fleas. Consider your feet up when applying the repellant.
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How To Get Rid Of Sand Flea Bites
Here are some helpful steps to get rid of sand flea bites:
- Identification: identify locations or your properties that could be infested by sand fleas. This will help prevent more bites. It could be your luggage, carpet or bed.
- Seal entry points: Sealing the possible holes and crevices that fleas may use to get to you will deny them entry.
- Treatment: An easy first aid treatment is applying a topical cream made of hydrocortisone and calamine to the wound.
- Clean up: Keep your luggage, carpets, and bedroom clean.
- Pets: If you have pets, take them to the vet for treatment for flea infestation.
- Prevention: This is where diatomaceous earth comes in handy. You may scatter it across the front yard to help keep the fleas at bay.
The Bottom Line
It's common to hear complaints about sand flea bites from friends and family while on vacation at the shores. While these bites can be awfully painful or itchy, they can be prevented.
If you suffer a flea bite, don’t panic because it can be treated and the pain can go away in minutes.
Related travel guides: 5 Cool Ways To Stay In Touch With Family While Travelling, Your Guide To Deception Pass State Park, Washington, and How Far Is Cane Garden Bay From Cruise Port.
