A sticktight flea removed from the cheek of a two-year-old boy from Los Angeles

Species-level identification of an ectoparasite often requires outside expertise. Patients are increasingly turning to the internet for medical information, in part to gain access to experts. We present a case of a flea identified after contact was made between a patient's father and the authors via an insect-related forum on the internet. The flea had been attached for 12 hours without inducing symptoms before it was removed. The specimen was identified as a sticktight flea Ectoparasites in the differential diagnosis for this case are discussed.