What Eats Fleas – 5 Bugs That Help You Get Rid of Fleas

Published Categorized as About Fleas

When it comes to fleas, almost all homes are at risk to them. Most people believe that it is almost impossible to have a flea infestation without having a pet, but really this isn’t true and fleas can in fact come into your homes through a number of methods.

Fleas can be found, as expected, living on other people’s pets. However, they can also be found in your garden, in the moisture of any vegetation in a park or a field, and so you can pick them up from just about anywhere and can’t always blame our fluffy friends for it!

Quite often fleas cling to our clothing and before you know it, they’re living in your sofa or your carpet and the problem is a lot trickier to handle than it could have been if caught early.

There are a number of methods to get rid of fleas, whether it be pesticide, vinegar, Dawn dish soap, or special oils and scents. However, one of the easiest and most efficient methods to getting rid of the little pests are by using other creepy crawlies to help us remove them.

This is a particularly successful method if it is done in the early stages of the infestation before they have began breeding and spreading.

Whilst we often remove bugs from our homes, a lot of the time they are in fact there for a purpose. So, what kind of bugs eat fleas? Well, in this article, I am going to go over some of the top bugs that will help you with your flea infestation and prevent these itchy crawlies from spreading through your home.

what eats fleas

What Bugs Eat Fleas?

Earwigs

First up we have earwigs. When it comes to what eats fleas naturally, earwigs are right up there with one of the bugs that naturally likes to snack on other bugs smaller than them.

Whilst earwigs aren’t the most attractive bug to look at, they are an extremely useful bug when it comes to keeping your garden free of smaller pests.

Unless you have a large mass of earwigs, spotting them in your garden could be a god send. They do not come with any infestation threat to your own home or garden as they do not live in colonies nor do they breed and multiply anywhere near as quickly as other bugs.

However, although seeing an earwig in your garden could be a good sign that your garden and home are being protected, earwigs also do love to munch on flower petals. So whilst they are doing you a huge favor when it comes to smaller pests such as fleas, it is important to keep an eye on your pretty petals as well if you do notice earwigs roaming your yard.

Nematodes

Next up, we have the less-commonly known bug – the nematode. 

Not only are nematodes really useful for flea control, but they are also excellent for termite control

Now, you might be reading this and wondering what on earth a nematode is. They are teeny, tiny, microscopic worms that are perfect for outdoor bug control. 

Unlike earwigs, you purchase nematodes for the exact purpose of removing termites and other pests. You simply plow the soil around where you have noticed fleas hiding, or where you suspect there may be some, and then wet the ground with water using a sprinkler.

Nematodes come in a packet and are so easy to use! Once the soil is plowed and wettened, mix the nematodes with some water in a lawn sprayer and spray the necessary area. 

The moisture in the soil will absorb the worms and they will begin hunting for other bugs such as fleas, termites and caterpillar larvae. Nematodes love flea larvae and eggs as well which means that quite often they can tackle the flea infestation before it has even had a chance to hatch!

Nematodes work best away from direct sunlight and so for the best results, sprinkle them over your lawn around sunset and they will get to work whilst you go in and relax for the evening!

Spiders

Yep, you guessed it, of course spiders are making this list.

Whilst being one of the creepiest crawlies out there, spiders are known for eating any bug that’s smaller than its own size. More often than not, fleas are much smaller than spiders and make for a lovely snack!

We all know that spiders are there to catch the annoying flies and other beasties that roam our houses but, if you are anything like me, you will still remove the spider before anything else. Well, simply don’t! They are there for a reason and they are serving a fantastic purpose to your home and garden.

Spiders are fantastic because whilst they eat lots of smaller insects, they pose absolutely no threat to anything else. You will never see spiders snacking on plants, or nibbling their way through clothing or bedding, they simply just want to help out. 

Whilst they may be scary, having a couple of spiders here and there really can make the world of difference!

Praying Mantis

Similarly to spiders, praying mantises are massive insect eaters and have an even bigger appetite for fleas.

Again, they do not pose any threat to your plants and, much like many breeds of spider, they are completely harmless to humans and our pets.

Their favorite place to live is amongst tall grass, the perfect breeding ground for fleas. One praying mantis is enough to clean up all of the fleas living in your yard and so putting up with one of these guys really can go a long way when it comes to protecting your garden and home from fleas.

Ladybugs

Finally, we have ladybugs.

Whilst they are some of the best flea eaters out there, ladybugs multiply fast and a couple of ladybugs can turn into thousands within a matter of weeks.

Although being extremely fast multipliers, they do not actually cause any harm to plants or flowers. So whilst you don’t want an infestation of them, having a few ladybugs hidden in and around where your fleas might be can be a great way to entirely clear your garden from fleas within a matter of days.

What Animals Eat Fleas

Not only do a number of bugs out there eat fleas, but there are some handy animals to keep an eye out for too if you want to get rid of fleas. Whilst certain animals, such as snakes, are excellent for removing pests, they are often the animals we don’t necessarily want to keep around in our garden.

However, there is one animal in particular that can be very useful when it comes to fleas removal.

Birds

Lots of people ask the question ‘do birds eat fleas?’ And if so, what birds eat fleas? When it comes to birds, many of the smaller ones such as starlings and robins will actually hunt for fleas.

They love to find them in the grass, whilst also picking off and eating any fleas that have already attached themselves to their body.

In addition, certain birds will actually pick fleas off other animals.

In short, whilst most of us love having birds in the garden, they come with a lot more than just pretty singing and so attracting and keeping birds around can be a fantastic way to also remove the pesky fleas from both your garden and your pets!

What Flea Eaters to Avoid

Although these 5 insects, alongside birds, are all fantastic in the way they remove fleas, there is one particular bug that, whilst loving to eat fleas for dinner, they are extremely harmful to have around

Fire Ants

Fire Ants are extremely effective at clearing up any fleas, but are also very destructive to our home and garden.

They can be fantastic as they not only eat ants, but they clear up roaches, termites and almost any other little pest you can think of.

Sounds ideal, right? Wrong. Fire ants are extremely harmful to plants and trees.

They are naturally omnivores and so alongside fleas, they also eat lots of plants whilst destroying many of them and the plants’ opportunity to spread seed.

Not only do they destroy plants, but they often bite humans and pets, and love to nest amongst wire junction boxes causing damage to electrical wires and plugs.

Overall, whilst eating fleas, they come with a lot more problems than benefits and so fire ants are definitely one to be avoided as they are just as much of a winter pest to have around than the fleas, if not worse.

What Eats Fleas? Plenty of Things, Actually!

Overall, there are a number of animals, particularly insects, that are a massive benefit to have around.

Almost all of them pose no threat to humans, pets or plants, but will still remove your flea infestation and, in some instances, prevent the flea eggs from hatching and spreading.

If you have noticed fleas, or you simply want to prevent fleas in your garden or home, your best bet is to stop removing the spiders and praying mantis and let them do their job.

On top of this, keeping birds around can be an excellent help, alongside some other smaller creepy crawlies such as earwigs and ladybugs.

So, whilst there are some insects to look out for, such as fire ants, many of them can be a great benefit to your home and so researching them and their purpose is your best bet, especially i you want to use them to your advantage and get rid of any fleas!

What Eats Fleas FAQs

What eats fleas food chain?

Any spiders, praying mantises and most earwigs are guaranteed to eat your fleas, so long as the fleas are smaller than them. 

What bird eats fleas?

There are a number of small birds that will eat fleas, and in some instances eat fleas off of other animals as well.

What happens if a human eats fleas?

Humans consume many bugs without knowing so during their lifetime. If you do happen to eat a flea by mistake, which many people will have done, it is not anything to worry too much about. 

What happens when a pet eats fleas?

Similarly to humans, pets will consume fleas without meaning to. In fact, pets will consume many more as they tend to pick at fleas using their teeth. This is not anything to worry about, but it is also not an effective method of flea removal and so if you do notice your pet picking at fleas then you should look into finding an appropriate treatment. 

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