While fleas and ticks are both parasites that feed on blood, they have key differences between them that allow you to tell which one is on your property. Fleas are tiny, brown insects, around 1/8th of an inch long, with strong back legs for jumping and sharp mouths and claws to dig into the host’s flesh and stay attached so they can feed. Fleas are known to lay up to 50 eggs at a time, building up large populations in the fur of animals like dogs or cats, as well as inside pet bedding and anywhere else inside the home. Fleas might bite a human, but they vastly prefer the blood of animals. 

Meanwhile, ticks are arachnids who love the humid climate of Myrtle Beach and are not picky about hosts, attaching themselves to both humans and pets. Tick infestations are typically noticed quicker before they can spiral out of control like flea infestations will. While fleas cause itchy bites and can spread infectious diseases, (fleas were partly responsible for the Black Plague), ticks can also spread serious illnesses like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Ticks will strike when you are outside, stealthily attaching themselves to you or your pet, then feeding on the blood of their host for days.