Small Magpie Moth vs Dog Flea

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute	Small Magpie Moth	Dog Flea
Scientific Name	Anania hortulata	Ctenocephalides canis
Order	Lepidoptera	Siphonaptera
Family	Crambidae	Pulicidae
Size	26-30 mm wingspan	2-3.5 mm
Habitat	Underground	Underground
Diet	Herbivores	Blood Feeders
Regions	Europe, Western Asia	Europe, Asia, Africa, North America
Conservation	Least Concern	Least Concern

Small Magpie Moth

A pretty white moth with black spots and a yellow head. Despite its name, it is a crambid rather than a geometrid like the true Magpie Moth.

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The caterpillar lives inside a rolled leaf shelter that it spins shut with silk.

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.