![]() Fleas can remain dormant in the larval and pupal stage for many months without feeding. Fleas are often found in long grass, under bushy plants, open areas under the house, woodpiles and under piles of leaves.įleas are attracted to heat, vibrations, humidity and carbon dioxide, most of which are detected using their antennae. outside where it is warm, humid and shady.soft furnishings, especially in crevices and seams, underneath pillows and cushions, beds and bedding.along skirting boards, window sills, and other areas of the house where dust and other particles collect.animal bedding and housing such as kennels and chicken coups. ![]() Fleas can be specialist feeders, feeding primarily on one type of animal or generalist feeders, feeding on a variety of different animals. Depending on the species and environmental conditions, the flea life cycle is approximately 2 weeks to 8 months.įleas are found anytime of year however peak season is spring and early summer, when conditions are warm and humid, favouring larvae and adult growth and development.įleas can be found living and feeding on warm-blooded animals such as humans, cats, dogs, rabbits, rats, mice, birds and various other animals. After pupating, fleas emerge as the adult form. After 1 to 3 weeks of feeding and moulting, larvae spin a silk cocoon for pupation which is often covered in skin, animal fur/hair or carpet fibre for camouflage. At each of the 4 stages of growth development (instar) larvae shed their skin (moult). Unlike adult fleas which feed on blood, larvae feed on dead skin remnant and excreted blood from adult feeding and other material available on the host. Eggs are laid directly on to a host in a nest and hatch within 1 week. Eggs are generally less than 0.5 mm long and similar in appearance to grains of salt. Eggs are oval, cream-coloured and very small. One female can lay up to 100 eggs in her lifetime. After mating and feeding on blood, females deposit up to 4 eggs at a time. After feeding on remnant or excreted blood from adults, larvae take on a reddish colour.Īfter emerging from the pupal stage and feeding on their first bloodmeal, adults are ready for mating. ![]() The head is brown and the body is a white-to-cream colour. Fleas are wingless.įlea larvae are grub-like, eyeless, legless and hairy. At the tip of the legs are strong claws used for holding tightly on to their host. The hind pair are used for jumping allowing the flea to jump up to three hundred times its height. Body hairs, combs and spines help fleas remain safe and secure on their host.īehind the head, on the underside and middle section of the body (thorax), are three pairs of spiny legs. ![]() On the back of the neck is a row of back-ward facing comb-like structures. While fleas do have antennae, they are difficult to see as they are short and often sit into little grooves on either side of the head and behind the eyes. At the front and underside of the head are needle-like mouthparts used to pierce the skin of their host, inject a special form of saliva (to prevent blood coagulation) and suck out blood. At the front and underside of the head is a row of downward facing comb-like structures which resembles a moustache. On either side of the head are two, very small, simple eyes. Fleas come in colours of light-browns, reddish-browns and dark-browns. The body is heavily segmented and covered in hairs which face backward. The body of the adult is flattened from side-to-side so as to appear very thin and long from above, but mostly oval shaped when viewed from the side. After engorging themselves on the blood of their host, fleas can swell up to 30% larger than their original size. The most common flea is the cat-flea ( Ctenocephalides felis) which can live and breed on cats or dogs and also feed on humans.įleas are very small insects and depending on the species and age of flea, range in size from 1 to 10 mm long. Given the risks of fleas to human and pet health (and comfort), it’s important to prevent and control fleas in the home. Dogs can be vulnerable to severely itchy dermatitis caused by flea bites. Some people have allergic reactions to flea bites, or may even develop secondary skin infections. Nowadays, cat-fleas can transmit tapeworms from dogs and cats to humans and in rare cases, rat-fleas can transmit the disease typhus from rats to humans. In the 14 th Century, fleas were responsible for the spread of the Bubonic Plague, killing more than 200 million people. Fleas are parasites and feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals, including humans.įleas can spread diseases and parasites. Some may have heard of the fantastic flea circus, but fleas are generally better known for their annoying, itchy and sometimes painful bites.
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