Have you noticed some tiny jumping and flying bugs in your home that resemble fleas? While fleas themselves don’t fly, there are a few other common household pests that are often mistaken for fleas due to their appearance and ability to jump. Learning to properly identify them is key to getting rid of these nuisance bugs.
In this article, we’ll cover 3 common bugs that look like fleas but can fly, how to tell them apart, and effective control methods
Common Flying Bugs Mistaken for Fleas
Here are 3 bugs commonly confused with fleas due to their small size and jumping ability:
Springtails
Springtails, also called snow fleas, are tiny wingless insects only 1-2 mm long They are found in damp locations and get their name from their ability to jump via a spring-like mechanism on their belly Though wingless, springtails can propel themselves several inches into the air.
Fungus Gnats
Fungus gnats are tiny mosquito-like insects about 1/8” long. Unlike fleas they have long antenna legs, and a pair of clear wings. The larvae feed on fungus while adults eat plant nectar. They are commonly found around overwatered houseplants.
Thrips
Thrips are tiny slender insects 1-2mm long. They can be wingless or have fringed wings. Some species can jump and many thrips can fly. Thrips feed on plants by puncturing cells and sucking out the contents.
How to Tell Springtails, Gnats, and Thrips Apart from Fleas
While they may seem similar at first glance, a closer inspection reveals distinct differences between fleas and these other flying bugs:
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Appearance – Fleas are small, wingless, flattened insects about 1/16” long. Springtails are tiny and round-bodied. Gnats have clear wings and long legs. Thrips are even smaller and slender with fringed wings on some varieties.
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Jump height – Fleas can jump up to 8 inches vertically, which is 150 times their height! Springtails and thrips only jump a few inches. Gnats don’t jump at all.
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Habitat – Fleas live on animal hosts. Springtails inhabit moist soil and mulch. Gnats breed in moist potting soil. Thrips thrive on plants.
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Behavior – Fleas bite and feed on blood. Springtails eat mold and decaying plant material. Fungus gnats drink nectar. Thrips pierce plant cells and suck out fluids.
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Life cycle – Fleas go through egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. Springtails are born looking like mini adults. Gnats and thrips also go through complete metamorphosis.
Carefully observing the insect’s physical characteristics, behavior, and locations where they’re found will help correctly identify flea look-alikes. If needed, a pest control professional can positively identify the bug.
Effective Ways to Control Flea-like Pests
Once you’ve properly identified the bug infesting your home, you can implement targeted treatments to get rid of them:
For springtails:
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Fix moisture issues and leaks to eliminate damp habitat they need
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Improve ventilation and air circulation
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Apply desiccant dusts like diatomaceous earth in infested areas
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Use a dehumidifier and fans to dry out damp spaces
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Treat outdoor mulch beds and soil near the home’s foundation
For fungus gnats:
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Remove overwatered houseplants and correct watering practices
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Use sticky traps and pheromones to capture adults
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Apply Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI) to kill larvae in soil
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Allow potting soil to completely dry out between waterings
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Replace potting mix in severely infested plants
For thrips:
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Prune and dispose of heavily infested leaves and stems
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Use pesticides containing spinosad or pyrethrins
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Apply horticultural oils to suffocate thrips on plants
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Use blue or yellow sticky traps to capture the flying adults
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Release predatory mites (e.g. Amblyseius cucumeris) that eat thrips
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Use reflective mulches like aluminum foil to deter thrips
For serious infestations, calling a professional pest control service is recommended. They have access to stronger pesticides and treatment methods like fumigation to eliminate severe bug infestations.
While small jumping or flying bugs might initially look like fleas, examining them more closely and identifying key differences allows you to pinpoint what pest you’re actually dealing with. This allows you to take appropriate steps to get rid of springtails, fungus gnats, thrips, or other flea look-alikes and prevent future invasions.
Conclusion & Next Steps
We hope you have learned a bit about these annoying little jumping insects that remind you of fleas. Springtails have long been a nuisance in residential, commercial, and multi-family housing structures alike.
You learned a bit about their life cycle and what they are attracted to. We talked about how we get rid of these bugs using a liquid product that can be approved by both the FDA and the EPA and dries in one hour. Also, you learned about some of the exterior treatments that come with either a one-time service or an yearly service like the Peak Seasons Plan.
The last thing you learned about springtails was what they look like, what they eat, and some questions that people often ask about them.
If you have any questions ever, give us a call! 651-342-9489. Ultimately we want to help you with your pest problems, offering solutions unique to each property and circumstance.
We can’t wait to help.
Done Right Team
Have you ever had springtails, which are little jumping bugs? If so, what did you do to get rid of them? Let us know in the comments!
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How We Treat for Springtails – Springtail Control
Done Right Pest Solutions uses a range of products that kill springtails to make sure you get complete control. All products we use are EPA and FDA approved and safe once dry (within the hour).
We would first advise you to eliminate the water source, because springtails will go where the water is. If you can get rid of the water source (not a drain or something), then you don’t need to call a pest control company.
But if these pests are bothering you and you can’t get rid of them, we have good ways to get rid of them for the season.
A one-time crawling insect treatment should do the trick. Each option, whether it’s just the inside or the outside and inside, comes with a two-month warranty.
Our Peak Seasons Plan includes treatments for both inside and outside at different times of the year. It also comes with a 12-month warranty that lets you call us at any time if you have any pest problems like these.
We so look forward to helping you out.
A lot of folks usually have questions when it comes to these little jumping insects in their home. Below we break down the most frequently asked questions about springtails.
Are springtails dangerous?
Springtails are not dangerous. Although springtails and fleas look a lot alike, they are not the same. They don’t need a host, they don’t drink blood, and they don’t bother people or animals.
Are springtails seasonal?
Springtails can be seasonal, or seem seasonal. They are most common in the spring, and any rainy season. Springtails like it when it’s wet, so water that pools in the sliding door track can be a common place for them during certain times of the year.
That said, they really can inhabit your home, sinks, tubs, drains, year-round. For this reason, it is nice to have a year-round preventative pest control program.
Are springtails common?
Springtails are very common, especially in rainy seasons.
Are springtails pests?
Springtails are considered pests because they are annoying and a nuisance.
Where do springtail bugs come from?
Springtails often live in mulch or on the ground near homes. When it rains, they thrive. If it doesn’t rain, they can sneak into homes and check sinks, tubs, and drains for water.
Where do springtails come from?
Springtails live in the mulch, flower beds, or simply on the ground near your home. Springtails can actually alert you to a problem with a leaky pipe in a wall void. So don’t discount an infestation.
Will springtails go away on their own?
While springtails can go away on their own, it’s really unlikely. With daily use of sinks, tubs, drains, etc. Because our homes are always damp, like in kitchens and bathrooms, springtails may always be drawn to certain areas of your home.
Will springtails ever go away?
Springtails can go away on their own. But it isn’t likely that they will go away on their own. Springtails are attracted to damp areas, and sinks, tubs, and drains are always a little damp and moist. Springtails typically need pest control before they go away.
Will springtails die in the winter?
Springtails can die in the winter. If they made their home in an external wall void they may die in the winter. It is possible that they might just hibernate in the winter.
Springtails in your home would stick around through the winter, too.
What spray kills springtails?
Done Right Pest Solutions’ expert technicians have quality products that will kill off springtails.
When do springtails come out?
As their name suggests, springtails often come out in the spring. Spring, with the melting of snow and rainy season, is the perfect time for springtails to come out.
When is springtail season?
Springtail season is spring through fall, typically. But, springtails can inhabit homes year-round.
Why do springtails come inside?
Winter is when springtails come inside because they want to find a damp place to live. They are attracted to the damp areas of hour homes like sinks, tubs, and drains.
Why are springtails so hard to kill?
Springtails are so hard to kill because they are so small. They also like to jump. Insects with long legs, or jumping insects do not come into contact with chemical pest control products easily. Therefore, it is hard to kill springtails on one’s own.
Have springtails in your home? Give Done Right Pest Solutions a call for a free quote today! 651-342-9489.
How often do springtails breed?
Springtails do not breed frequently. A single female springtail typically lays single eggs or a few eggs in a cluster. In other words, springtails are not like cockroaches, which lay eggs that are then hatched by dozens or even hundreds of other insects.
How often do springtails reproduce?
A single female springtail lays a single egg or a few eggs in a cluster. She can lay several clusters at a time, but they don’t reproduce as quickly as some insects.
