Identification, Symptoms & Treatment for Sand Flea Bites

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Everything you need to know about the different types of sand fleas

Co-authored by Farah Khan, MD and Jennifer Vasquez, BA, MA

Last Updated: September 22, 2026 Fact Checked

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What are sand fleas?

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Identifying Sand Flea Bites

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Symptoms

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Treatment

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FAQ

If you have red, itchy bumps along your lower legs, they may be sand flea bites. But the sand flea that bit you may not be what you think. The term “sand flea” can refer to a small crustacean, biting midge, or the more harmful chigoe flea. In this guide, we’ll explain what sand flea bites look like, symptoms to watch out for, and more.

What is a sand flea bite?

Sand flea bites look like small, red, itchy bumps and are usually located on your feet, ankles, or lower legs. There may be swelling, itching, and some pain or discomfort around the bite area. The bites are typically from biting midges, but can be from chigoe fleas if you travel to tropical areas where they’re found.

Section 1 of 4:

What are sand fleas?

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A true sand flea is a chigoe flea (Tunga penetrans). It’s a parasitic insect and the smallest known flea, measuring around 1 millimetre (0.039 in) long. These sand fleas can transmit a serious skin disease called tungiasis. Females typically sting the skin between toes or the soles of the feet and become embedded to its host to suck blood and lay eggs.^{[1]
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- The chigoe flea is not usually found in the United States and is more common in the tropical areas of Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Africa.
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Sand fleas can also refer to mole crabs or biting midges. It’s a general term used by many people in the United States, especially those who live along the Gulf Coast. Mole crabs are small crustaceans found on the beach. They don’t have claws, so they can’t bite or pinch people.^{[2]
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Research source} Biting midges (also called no-see-ums or sand flies) are small, blood-sucking flies that do bite humans, pets, and other animals.^{[3]
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- Since chigoe fleas aren’t typically found in the United States, when someone says they’ve been bitten by a sand flea, it’s more likely they’re referring to a biting midge.
- Sand hoppers are also sometimes called sand fleas and are crustaceans belonging to the order Amphipoda. They hop like fleas, but they don’t suck blood.^{[4]
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Section 2 of 4:

What do sand flea bites look like?

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Bites from chigoe fleas look like a white patch with a black dot. Since true sand fleas can’t jump very high, they usually bite the feet or ankles. There’s sometimes redness and swelling around the bite area. A lesion develops and can be about 4–10 millimetres (0.16–0.39 in) in diameter. The lesion is where the female embeds itself to feed on blood and lay its eggs, which fall to the ground through the opening.^{[5]
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DermNet NZ
Online clinical resource website written and run by dermatologists providing evidence-based information about dermatology and skin health

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- A female can stay burrowed in the skin for up to 2 weeks, but in some cases it can remain for up to 6 weeks.^{[6]
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Sand flea bites from biting midges can cause small red bumps. These red welts can be about ¹⁄₈ inch (0.32 cm) in diameter. The bumps look like red clusters on your skin. In some cases, they can form water-filled blisters.^{[7]
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- The bites can appear on your ankles, feet, lower legs, or behind your knees.
- The bites may cause painful, itchy lesions in more sensitive people.
- Biting midges are most active during the summer at dawn or dusk and are found near water, like beaches, lakes, swamps, and ponds.

Section 3 of 4:

Symptoms of Sand Flea Bites

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Chigoe flea bites can be itchy and painful. There may also be swelling and blistering around the affected area. As the embedded female burrows, feeds, and lays eggs, the growth can cause more discomfort, which can lead to minor skin irritation or, in more serious cases, the skin infection tungiasis.^{[8]
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- Tungiasis usually causes itching and pain, but symptoms aren’t always immediately visible.^{[9]
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  DermNet NZ
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- If treated right away, tungiasis symptoms don’t typically worsen. However, if it’s not treated, it can lead to more serious infections, like tetanus, and cause disfigurement or death in rarer cases.^{[10]
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- Tungiasis is more common in areas with high levels of poverty.^{[11]
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Sand flea bites from biting midges cause itching. Their bite can also cause an immediate sharp pain. Reactions to the bites can vary, but itching and irritation are usually the main symptoms. The welts may be slightly raised or swollen. If you have a stronger allergic reaction to the bite, you may experience intense itching.^{[12]
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- Itching can worsen the more you scratch the bite area.
- The bites and their symptoms usually clear up within a week.^{[13]
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  University of Missouri Extension
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- Biting midges in Central and South America and Cuba can transmit a virus called Oropouche that causes fever and body aches. The only cases found in the United States are of individuals who traveled to these more vulnerable areas. ^{[14]
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  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Section 4 of 4:

Treating Sand Flea Bites

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See a doctor to have your bug bite examined. This is especially important if you traveled to an area that has true sand fleas (chigoe fleas) and think you may have been bitten by one. A medical professional can determine what type of bite you have and the best treatment for you. If you have tungiasis, possible treatments may include:^{[15]
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DermNet NZ
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- Using forceps or needles to remove the flea.
- Applying topical antiparasitic medications, like ivermectin, metrifonate, or thiabendazole.
- Using wax or jelly to suffocate the flea.
- Freezing the bite area with liquid nitrogen.
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Clean the area with alcohol and apply hydrocortisone cream. To treat common bug bites, board-certified family nurse practitioner Julia Eze, NP-C, recommends dipping a swab in rubbing alcohol to clean away germs and bacteria from the bite area. Eze also says over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream can relieve itching. Aloe vera and witch hazel have cooling properties and can work as well, she adds.^{[16]
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Julia Eze, NP-C
Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

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- Apply a cold compress to reduce swelling and dab on calamine lotion to minimize itching. Over-the-counter antihistamines may help as well, but either apply a topical ointment or take an oral medication—don't do both.^{[17]
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  Cleveland Clinic
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- Don’t scratch at any type of bug bite, says board-certified allergist and immunologist Farah Khan, MD, because it only makes the itch worse.^{[18]
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  Farah Khan, MD
  Board Certified Allergist & Immunologist
  
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- When to seek medical attention: If you experience severe symptoms, like difficulty breathing or worsening irritation, see a doctor.
- For more advice on treating sand flea bites, check out this guide.

Common Questions: Understanding Sand Flea Bites

Are sand flea bites dangerous?

Bites from true sand fleas (chigoe fleas) can be dangerous because they can transmit the skin disease tungiasis.^{[19]
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Research source} On the other hand, bites from biting midges are usually much less severe and can be very itchy at most.^{[20]
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Can sand fleas burrow under your skin and cause an infection?

The female chigoe flea is known to burrow under a host’s skin to feed and lay its eggs and can cause a skin infection called tungiasis.^{[21]
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How can you prevent sand flea bites while at the beach?

Wear shoes or some type of protective footwear and don’t let exposed skin touch the sand. Since it’s common to go barefoot on the beach, apply an insect repellent and sit on a beach towel or lawn chair.^{[22]
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