Pest Gallery

Fleas: Siphonaptera

Fleas are pests of humans and their domestic animals all over the world. While most fleas prefer non-human hosts, many can and do feed readily on humans when infestations are heavy or when other hosts are not readily available.

Fleas are small, wingless insects, which average 1/12 to 1/6 inch long. Their long powerful legs permit them to jump as much as 7-8 inches vertically and 14-16 inches horizontally.
Fleas have a complete metamorphosis. The smooth, rounded, light-colored eggs are about 1/50 – inch in diameter, only large enough to be barely seen. They are frequently laid on the host animal, but may be laid by adults, which have fallen to the ground. A female flea will lay a few eggs each day until she has laid up to 200-400. Depending on the temperature and humidity, these eggs will hatch in anywhere from 2 days to several weeks, but most will hatch within 7-14 days.

Adults feed on blood; the larvae eat "flea diet" consisting of dried blood. The flea bite caused from this feeding by the adults can become inflamed. After the feeding the flea will begin mating, starting the life cycle all over again.