sand fleas
Tiny shore crustaceans
Sand fleas are small crustaceans that live in beach sand and hop when disturbed, resembling fleas in their jumping motion.
The term also applies to biting flies found near beaches.
In tropical regions, sand flea sometimes refers to the chigoe—a parasitic insect that burrows into skin, especially feet: I picked up sand fleas walking barefoot in the Caribbean.
- bitesCuts with teeth
- jumpPropel oneself airborne
- amphipodsSmall laterally-flattened crustaceans
- burrowAnimal's dug dwelling
- hopSmall, quick jump
sandhopper · parasites · crustacean · sandy beaches · tropical beaches · beach · beach vacation · animals · mole crabs · rash · skin irritation · high tide line · no-see-ums · itching · tide · scratching · bug spray · pest control
- arthropodsarthropod, arthropods, Arthropoda, insects, insect
- outdoor hazardsbears, heatstroke, snakes, blisters, sunburn
- animal parasitesticks, mites, lice, worms, ear mites
- fishing baitworm, worms, nightcrawlers, nightcrawler, live bait
- fleaslife cycle
- intertidal zonetide pool, tide pools, rock pool, rockpool, rockpools
size within beach fauna
sand fleaswhales
Massive marine mammals
sea lions · elephant seals · sea turtles · giant squid · horseshoe crabs