Fleas, like many other blood-sucking parasitic insects, are attracted to ankles. If you are currently dealing with a severe infestation in your home, there’s a good chance that fleas will bite your ankles. Using their long legs, they will jump from the floor up to your legs, where they make their way down to your ankles for a fresh blood meal.
A single flea bite on your ankle probably isn’t going to cause much pain or discomfort. As the flea population grows and their numbers multiply, though, you’ll begin to notice more and more bites around your ankles and other parts of your body. To prevent this from occurring, it’s recommended that you take immediately action to eradicate fleas and their eggs from your home.
Note: read our previous article on flea allergy dermatitis (FAD) if you are suffering from multiple bites.
Why Do Fleas Prefer To Bite The Ankles?
The truth is that no one knows exactly why fleas — or any other blood-sucking parasite for that matter — prefer to bite the ankles. However, there’s some belief that the soft, blood-filled tissue of the ankles offers an attractive meal for them. You have to remember that blood flows down to your feet, so this is naturally a prime area for fleas, mosquitoes, ticks and similar pests.
Your ankles are also close to the ground, meaning fleas have a very short distance to travel in order to reach them. A flea can jump nearly a foot into the air, leaving ankles and even the bottom part of your legs vulnerable to their painful, itching, bites.
How To Keep Fleas Off Your Ankles
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to prevent fleas from biting the ankles due to their small size. A typical flea is just 1-3 mm long, providing them with the ability to crawl their way under pants and socks to reach the ankles. And considering the fact that most people don’t wear shoes when they are home, fleas have a remarkably easy time making their way to a host’s ankles.
The only sure-fire way to keep these blood-sucking parasites off your ankles is to eliminate them from your home. The includes vacuuming the floors, washing all pet bedding, blankets and other linens, and using a flea treatment/prevention medicine on your pet(s).
Have you been bitten by a flea on the ankle? We’d love to hear your story in the comments section below!