What is the difference between Fleas and Gnats?

The difference between Fleas and gnats is that fleas are a parasite that stays on their host to survive and they do not have wings while gnat is tiny insects that can fly. Fleas are Siphonaptera, while gnats are Nematocera suborder. Gnat does not bite while fleas bite. Fleas have plain eyes, while gnats have complex eyes. Fleas and gnats have different sizes, and they vary from 1.5mm to 15 mm.

Fleas have their eggs on the host. The egg comes in white and oval shape while gnats lay their eggs on land and water. Fleas have a flat surface and a strong body, while gnats have long legs, fragile bodies, and they have one pair of wings.

Fleas are small wingless insects that are parasites to a myriad of organisms. Their bodies are flattened sideways to help them exist on the organism's feathers or the fur it calls home. Their little but strong legs grab onto the animal and hold on for a ride.

Fleas are notorious for being a nuisance to many dogs and outdoor cats, and fleas will also suck blood from the human body. When they reproduce, they lay small oval, white eggs. Gnats are flying insects, and they are lighter, long-legged insects with six legs.

They are sectioned into three body parts, and they have a single pair of wings. Only female gnats feed on an organism's blood, as it is necessary for the development of their eggs, while the male gnats consume plants. Gnats lay their eggs on the water or land, they can be pollinators, as they feed upon crops pests, or they will become pests themselves.

Some may assume that fleas and gnats are the same, but you should know that they are different from each other. Gnats are insects that can fly, whereas fleas cannot fly, but they would hop whenever they would need to move from one place to another. There are also some differences in terms of size, although there are times when their sizes are the same. For fleas, they are expected to grow up to 3.5 mm, but gnats can be longer.

The adult gnats can grow up to 15mm. If you would check closely, their appearance is also a bit different. You will notice that gnats will have wings and long legs while you can barely see the legs of fleas.