Flea
Order Siphonaptera

flea

I have no pictures of fleas so this is an article submitted by Aaron at Animal Lovers Forum.  Information
 submitted in this article is solely Aaron's material and further information can be found at the aforementioned forum.*

Wild and Wacky Flea Facts
From arctic regions to the tropics, fleas inhabit just about all environments and prey on warm-blooded vertebrates from bats and guinea pigs, to dogs, cats, polar bears and humans.  Let’s take a closer look at what’s been “bugging” your family pet.

    * Across the entire globe there are at least 2000 known species of fleas.  The most common species infesting domestic cats and dogs is the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis).

    * Fleas have been around for a very long time.  There have even been fossil fleas found in amber.

    * Although most fleas are quite small, at approximately 1/16” to 1/8” in length, a flea unique to mountain beavers in the US can reach lengths of almost 1/2”!

    * In just about all species of flea, the female is larger than the male.

    * Fleas have four stages in their life-cycle: egg, larva, pupa and adult.

    * In any given flea population only about 5% are living as adults on a host animal.  Approximately 50% of the population is at the egg stage, 35% are larvae and the remaining 10% are pupae.

    * Adult fleas suck blood from a host animal and are therefore considered hematophagous.  Flea larvae on the other hand do not yet suck blood, and rely on the feces of adult fleas as well as shed skin, hair and feathers for their meal.

    * An adult female must have a blood meal before she is able to lay eggs.  If she has eaten, she is able to lay approximately 40 to 50 eggs a day!  These tiny, white eggs are laid in the fur of the host animal, but shortly thereafter fall off and continue to develop in the environment.

    * Flea larva are blind but are also considered negatively phototaxic.  Although they cannot sea, the can still sense light, and move away from it.

    *  Without a blood meal from a suitable host adult fleas can only survive a very short time.  However, pupae are able to survive for several months.  It is important to remember this when trying to eradicate a flea problem.  Any flea programs must be continued for at least 6 months so that all remaining pupae are also killed.

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