Bug Facts - Fleas
Physical
Characteristics
There are about 2,250 species of
fleas.
Fleas are small, wingless, brown to
black, blood sucking insects.
Fleas have flattened bodies with
spines that are aimed backwards. This enables them to move
rapidly and efficiently through the body hair of an
animal.
They have piercing-sucking mouth
parts that are somewhat like a "siphon".
Fleas can jump 7"- 8" vertically
and 14"- 16" horizontally which is 20 times their own
height. The equivalent of a 6 foot man jumping 120
feet.
Flea larvae have been observed to
burrow to a maximum depth of 1/2 inch.
Flea larvae will crawl several
inches to reach cover and escape bright light and feed on
dried fecal blood.
The adult flea will spend 99% of
its life on a host animal but eggs fall off and thereby
spread infestation. Fleas resting in their cocoons come out
in response to vibration from vacuum cleaners, people or
pets moving about.
Reproductive Facts
The fleas life cycle is; egg,
larvae, pupae, adult. The time required to complete a cycle
depends on temperature, humidity, and the food available to
the developing insect.
The female flea can lay 300 to 500
eggs in her lifetime. Flea eggs are about 1/50th of an inch
in length.
Flea eggs hatch in 1 - 6 days and
fleas can develop from egg to adult in 17 - 21 days.
The female mates only once, she
lays her eggs loose on the host animal and must have a blood
meal before she can lay fertile eggs.
The adult flea can live up to 20
weeks in the pupa case.
Feeding Habits
Flea larvae stay very near the
surface to be close to their food supply-adult flea feces
and other animal derived material.
Flea larvae primary food is feces
of the adult flea, but will feed on other materials such as
pet dander, flea eggs, injured larvae, and proglottids- the
shed body segments of the dog and cat tapeworm.
Adult fleas can live for months
without food.
Disease Factors
Fleas can carry Bubonic Plague and
Murine Typhus. Some fleas, especially those from squirrels
in the Sierras, still carry "The Plague."
About 75% of fleas are associated
with rodents.
Dog and cats can get tapeworms from
the flea. The egg containing proglottids exit the host's
body via the anus, These tiny egg packets dry to form what
looks like sesame seeds. Flea larvae chew into them,
swallowing tapeworm eggs. These eggs hatch in a flea larva
and form a cyst within its muscles. Here the tapeworm waits
for the larva to metamorphose, and the adult flea to be
eaten by the cat or dog during grooming. When the dead flea
is digested the tapeworm is released.
Prevention &
Control
Fleas require a complete 3 step
treatment in order to effectively eliminate the entire
population.
- The entire yard is treated with
special attention spent on the areas fleas are likely to
occur such as shady vegetation under decks where animals
rest.
- The interior of the home is
treated with a combination of residual materials and
Insect Growth Regulators.
- Pet treatments to prevent
reinfestation of the animal and home.
Prevention &
Treatment
Burge Pest Control's Residential Power Protection Plan
not only provides a residual barrier for the control of
fleas, we can also advise you on how best to maintain a flea
free environment.
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