A reader recently reached out to us about a worm-like organism he discovered on a mattress. He explained that the mattress is known to have beg bugs. He wants to know if this specimen could be related to the bed bugs, and what kind of organism it is. The photograph he sent us shows a thin creature. Its body is black and translucent in some places:

We do not think our reader is dealing with bed bug larvae. Bed bug larvae, also known as nymphs, are tiny creatures that are white/yellow or slightly translucent in color. Nymphs are so minuscule that they cannot always be seen by the naked eye. So, if this isn’t a bed bug larva then what could it be?

We believe the creature our reader discovered in his bed is a flea larva. He didn’t mention if he has a cat or dog, but if so we think the pet might be the source of this larva. We recommend he take his dog or cat to the vet in order for it to be properly diagnosed and treated for fleas. In addition to this, there are several steps he can take to eliminate fleas in his home.

First, he needs to throughly clean his home. This includes vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping to eliminate eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult fleas. He should throw away the bag each time he uses the vacuum, because flea pupae can hatch in the vacuum bag. Next, he will need sweep and mop any wood flooring in his home. Fleas love dark places and sometimes hide out in baseboards. He will also need to wash all of his bedding and any bedding his pet sleeps on. Washing just the cover of the bedding won’t be sufficient because fleas can hide in the stuffing as well. Finally, he will need to wash all of his pet’s toys. If the toy can’t be washed we recommend he just throw it out rather than risk re-infestation!

To end, we believe a reader discovered flea larvae in his bed. In order to get rid of fleas, our reader will need to do some thorough cleaning and get his pet treated!

Summary

Article Name

Worm on Mattress Probably Flea Larva

Description

We believe a reader discovered flea larvae in his bed. In order to get rid of fleas, our reader will need to do some thorough cleaning and get his pet treated!

Author

Dori Franklin