Fleas are a common pest that can infest homes and bite both people and pets. When fleas make their way into your bed, it can be worrying to think about how long they might survive there. Understanding the flea life cycle and knowing how to thoroughly clean your bedding can help eliminate these pests.
Quick Answer: How Long Do Fleas Live on a Bed?
Adult fleas can live on a bed without a host for around 100 days, as they are resilient insects that can survive without feeding for extended periods. However, flea eggs and larvae will die within days without a host animal to feed on. Thoroughly washing bedding and vacuuming mattresses can help kill fleas in all life stages.
The Flea Life Cycle
To understand how long fleas can live on a bed, it helps to know the basic flea life cycle:
- Adult fleas live on host animals and feed on their blood. A female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day.
- Eggs fall off the animal onto carpets, beds, upholstery etc. Eggs hatch in 2-14 days.
- Larvae feed on organic debris and adult flea feces for 5-11 days before spinning a cocoon.
- Inside the cocoon, the larvae metamorphose into pupae. This takes around 1 week.
- Pupae can remain dormant for weeks to months before emerging as adult fleas when stimulated by vibration, warmth, and carbon dioxide from a potential host.
- Newly emerged adult fleas jump onto hosts to feed. The cycle repeats.
Adult Fleas
Adult fleas are the longest living stage of the flea life cycle. Adult fleas can survive without a host for approximately 100 days under optimal conditions of temperatures around 70-80°F and higher humidity. During this time, adult fleas remain in a kind of hibernation where they don’t eat or breed until a host animal comes along.
On a bed, adult fleas may find their way into tiny crevices in the mattress or bed frame. Here they can live for weeks to months before dying. Keeping the bedding area warmer and with higher humidity can potentially prolong adult flea survival.
Flea Eggs
Adult female fleas start laying eggs within 24-48 hours of having their first blood meal from a host. A single female flea can produce up to 50 eggs per day, laying them directly onto the host animal. These tiny white eggs become dislodged and fall onto surrounding areas like beds and furniture.
Without a host animal for newly hatched larvae to feed on, flea eggs will die fairly quickly. Flea eggs generally hatch within 2-14 days. After hatching, larvae require organic debris and flea feces to survive the next 5-11 day phase. On a bed without an animal host, loose flea eggs will likely die within several days to a week.
Flea Larvae
Flea larvae are tiny, worm-like creatures about 2-5mm long. After eggs hatch, the larvae rely on organic debris like dead skin cells, flea feces, and other detritus to survive. Living for around one week, the larvae crawl deep into carpets, furniture, pet beds and other protected areas to feed.
Without a host animal living in the environment, flea larvae on a bed will not have adequate food sources. The larvae will die within a week or less when kept on a bare mattress or exposed bedding. Keeping bedding tucked in tightly and reducing opportunities for organic debris can help limit larval development.
Flea Pupae
The pupal phase of the flea life cycle is the longest lasting stage besides adults. After feeding for 5-11 days, mature flea larvae spin silky cocoons and metamorphose into pupae. This pupal phase can last from days up to many months, depending on environmental conditions and availability of hosts.
In an indoor environment like a bedroom, the pupal stage may last 1-2 weeks before newly emerged adult fleas appear. The pupal cocoons are sticky and adhere tightly to surfaces. Vacuuming them up can help remove some pupae from beds and carpeting.
However, without a host animal that lives indoors to stimulate adult emergence, most pupae will simply die off given enough time. Maintaining cleanliness for a few weeks and preventing pets or other hosts from accessing the area will ultimately kill pupae.
Complete Flea Life Cycle Takes Around 1-3 Months
Looking at the full flea life cycle, development from an egg through pupation into an adult flea can take between 2 weeks and 3 months. However, adults can live for several months without a host animal to feed on.
This means that if fleas infest a bed where no host animals sleep, the adults may survive for 100 days or more. But eggs, larvae, and pupae will likely die off within days to weeks without an animal host available.
Therefore, thoroughly cleaning bedding, vacuuming, and keeping pets away for a few weeks can help kill a flea infestation. Adult fleas will die out given enough time once the full life cycle is broken.
Flea Development is Faster With Host Animals
The flea life cycle speeds up significantly when host animals are readily available. The larvae can feed on organic debris and adult flea feces. Pupae rapidly generate into more adults. And female fleas can continue laying many eggs each day.
When pets sleep with humans, hotspots like beds often become infested with fleas. The movement and body heat from hosts stimulate the fleas. A heavy infestation can develop in just days or weeks under ideal conditions.
Ridding a bed of fleas quickly becomes much more difficult when pets have constant access to it. Successful treatment requires addressing infested animals along with the bedding and environment in these scenarios.
How to Get Rid of Fleas in Beds
Killing fleas at all life stages is important when trying to eliminate them from beds and bedding. Strategies include:
- Wash all bedding – Sheets, blankets, covers, pillows etc. should be washed in hot, soapy water and dried on high heat. The wash and dry cycle will kill all stages of fleas.
- Vacuum thoroughly – Use a vacuum with an attachment to get into crevices in the mattress, box spring, bed frame and baseboards where fleas may hide.
- Use flea treatment products – Sprays, foggers, powders and other specialized flea treatments can be used on mattresses, furniture and carpeting.
- Steam clean – Steaming with high heat kills fleas hiding in upholstery, carpets and hard to reach places in the bed frame or furniture.
- Prevent pets from accessing beds – Don’t allow pets into bedrooms to prevent further infestation while you work to kill fleas.
Following an intensive cleaning routine at least weekly for 3-4 weeks will help kill off fleas in all life stages. Be sure to also treat your pets with effective flea control products to eliminate the infestation completely inside and outside of the home.
Preventing Fleas in Beds
Once you’ve eliminated fleas from the bed, take proactive steps to keep them out:
- Use pet flea treatments – Work with your vet to maintain monthly flea control on your cats and dogs.
- Wash pets often – Bathing them weekly can reduce flea burden and discourage infestations.
- Vacuum frequently – Go over floors, upholstery and pet beds to pick up flea eggs and debris.
- Launder bedding routinely – Wash sheets and blankets at least every other week.
- Use deterrents – Flea sprays, powders and plants like lavender may help discourage infestation.
- Check for fleas – Periodically inspect pets and bedding closely to help identify early signs of fleas.
Catching and eliminating a flea problem quickly is key. Stopping the life cycle before it can get established helps keep these pests out of beds and off your skin.
Fleas Can Transmit Disease
Beyond being a nuisance, fleas can transmit a variety of infectious diseases and parasites:
- Plague – Fleas can carry the bacterium Yersinia pestis which causes bubonic plague in people. Cases are rare in the US, but plague is found in wild rodents and their fleas in many parts of the country.
- Typhus – Fleas spread Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis, bacteria which cause murine typhus and flea-borne spotted fever in humans.
- Tapeworms – Animals and people can get tapeworm by accidentally swallowing fleas carrying tapeworm eggs.
- Cat Scratch Fever – Fleas can transmit the bacterium Bartonella henselae, which can cause cat scratch fever symptoms of fever, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes.
- Mycoplasma – Fleas may spread Mycoplasma haemofelis and Mycoplasma haemominutum, bacteria which can cause hemolytic anemia in cats.
While not common, these illnesses are another reason to avoid flea infestations around the home whenever possible.
Flea Allergy Dermatitis
Some people and pets develop an allergic reaction to flea bites, called flea allergy dermatitis (FAD). This can result in severe itching, hair loss, scabs, and skin infections at flea bite sites.
Flea allergy dermatitis often gets worse with repeated exposure. Just one or two flea bites can trigger intense itching that lasts weeks in those with FAD. Keeping fleas completely out of your bed and off your pets is especially important if FAD is a concern.
Conclusion
Adult fleas can survive for weeks to months without a blood meal deep in the nooks and crannies of a mattress or bed frame. However, eggs, larvae, and pupae will die off within days to weeks without contact with the usual debris and feces associated with a host animal.
By washing all bedding, thoroughly vacuuming the bed, spraying insecticides, and preventing pets from access for a few weeks, you can fully break the flea life cycle and eliminate these pests from beds. Consistent prevention is key to avoid recurring infestations and health risks associated with fleas.