Dog Flea vs Sand Martin Flea

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Dog Flea	Sand Martin Flea
Scientific Name	Ctenocephalides canis	Ceratophyllus styx
Order	Siphonaptera	Siphonaptera
Family	Pulicidae	Ceratophyllidae
Size	2-3.5 mm	2-3 mm
Habitat	Underground	Rivers & Streams
Diet	Blood Feeders	Blood Feeders
Regions	Europe, Asia, Africa, North America	Europe, Western Asia
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Dog Flea

A flea historically associated with domestic dogs but actually less common on dogs than the cat flea. Distinguished by its more rounded head profile.

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Despite being called the dog flea, this species is often outnumbered on dogs by cat fleas at a ratio of ten to one.

A flea species specific to sand martin colonies in their bank-nesting burrows. It can accumulate in large numbers in nest chambers.

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Colony-nesting birds like sand martins provide an ideal environment for flea population explosions in shared burrows.