Flea Bites

Flea Bites on Humans and Pets

Facts About Fleas

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If you happen to be a pet lover or even own one yourself, then there are some little facts about fleas you must have heard or come across. While some of these are true, some others are just myths. In order to fully exterminate fleas from your household, these facts about flew must be known to you.

What Are Fleas

Fleas are wingless insects that feed on the blood of warm-blooded mammals. Morphologically, they have a compressed body that measures about 1.5-4mm in length. And like all insects, they have six legs and the normal three body segments.

Fleas are one of the most important external parasites in North America and may also represent one of the most important ectoparasites in the world. There are more than 2000 known species. Of the over 300 species in the United States, cat fleas are the most common species.

Cat Flea

Some Facts About Fleas

  1. Fleas have a rapid life cycle/Breeding cycle: Their life cycle consists of four phases: The egg, larva, pupa and adult. The egg is usually laid on the host, that is on your pet. Because these eggs are not sticky, they fall off into the surrounding. Next, the eggs turn into larvae. The larvae will go through numerous molts until they spin a cocoon and become pupae. When conditions become favorable, such as heat and vibration, the pupae emerge into adults, seeking new hosts for a blood meal. This entire process may take about 21 days if optimum conditions such as warmth and moist temperatures are present.
  2. Fleas can go a long time without eating: This ability makes fleas really difficult to exterminate. They can stay up to 100 days without a blood meal. They are also indiscriminate feeders, eating whatever warm-blooded animal that comes its way. That is why humans will turn to their next prey when their favorite pet host is no longer available.
  3. Their female fleas can lay up to 50 eggs per day. So, in her lifetime, the female fleas can lay 2,000 eggs.
  4. The adult fleas are known to suck blood from our pets or any other animals. Not so with their larvae who survive on organic debris from the surrounding.

More Facts

  1. Flea larvae are blind.
  2. Fleas are one of the best jumpers of all known animals. This is in relation to their body size. Second only to the froghopper. They are able to jump to about 150 times their body length. That’s some Olympic-caliber leap right there.
  3. The female fleas will consume on an average 15 times her own body weight in blood daily.
  4. The female fleas cannot lay eggs until her first blood meal. After this meal must have been taken, the egg-laying will commence within 36-48 hours.
  5. Fleas are able to transmit diseases to humans. You can cast your mind back to the bubonic plague in England of the Middle Ages. Fleas were largely responsible for the spread of the disease.

Fleas the Facts

Fleas have been devastating since we can readily remember. Some educational facts about fleas are not just for keep’s sake. This practical knowledge can help you wipe out these bloodsuckers from your home and save your household from their nuisance.