Do you like being bitten by insects? Isn't it fun to scratch endlessly at little red bumps? No? So you keep waking up with itchy bites that drive you crazy, but you aren't sure what is biting you. Well, if those bites are concentrated around your ankles, you may be dealing with fleas, and if you have found this article then you are probably looking for information about how to identify these tiny little monsters. Read on to learn what fleas look like, and some tips on how to keep them out of your home.

So what do these tiny bugs look like?

At about 2.5 mm long, an adult flea can be dark brown, or a yellowish or reddish color, depending on how recently they have had a blood meal. With a thin, flat body, a flea is easily able to maneuver through an animal's fur. Seen with the naked eye an adult flea appears as a shiny, very small, dark-colored, oval shaped bug with a hard shell. If you are looking for fleas on your pet, turn him or her over and search the fur on their belly, or where their legs meet their body. It may also help to get your pet wet.

Fleas under a microscope:

Magnified, the image of a flea is brownish-red with edges of yellow. A flea has 6 legs, a striped shell, and a small head with 2 eyes. Also seen is a pair of short, three-segmented antennae and tube-like mouthparts which the flea uses to pierce the skin and suck blood from animals and humans. If you notice spiny, hair-like structures located on the front of the face and on the upper thorax behind the back of the head, these are "combs," which occur in some flea species.

If you look closely at the mouthparts of a flea under a microscope, you may be able to distinguish species. Stick-fast fleas have thick, long, straw-like mouthparts designed to pierce deeply through the skin. A stick-fast flea is aptly named because its long mouthpart allows it to hang on tight, causing an animal to scratch and bite, trying to dislodge it. Other fleas have shorter, weaker mouthparts and are easier to dislodge.

Now that you know what fleas look like, let's talk about how to keep them out of your home, and how to get rid of them if they have already invaded.

• Remove brush, rock piles, and any other clutter from around your home. Rodents and wildlife love to hide in these places, and these animals carry fleas.

• Do not leave food sources outside that will draw flea-carrying animals onto your property.

• Keep all trash cans tightly sealed.

• Apply flea control products to your pets, with the help of your veterinarian.

• Have a pest control company, like Thomas Pest Services, apply treatments to target these pests.

If you have identified that it is fleas that are biting you in your home then it's time to call in the experts to exterminate those little biters. Fleas are notoriously difficult to get rid of, often reinfesting a home time after time.

The team of experts here at Thomas Pest Services have been serving our clients faithfully and successfully ridding homes of fleas, and any other common household pests found here in Albany. You don't have to live one more day with fleas. Contact us today.