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Fleas
are parasites of warm blooded animals, particularly dogs
and cats. With the help of rodents, fleas were responsible
for the deaths of 25,000,000 Europeans from Bubonic Plague.
biology
Although
there are over 2,000 species of flea the most common is
the cat flea. Despite its name, it is adaptable and is
found living on both cats and dogs. Occasionally they
bite humans when desperate for blood meal to provide protein
for egg production.
Several hundred eggs are laid during a females lifetime.
Small, white and smooth, the eggs freely drop off to cause
infestation in areas frequented by the host (eg. cat,
dog, or other warm blooded animal).
White,
legless larvae hatch and feed on food debris, skin scales
and the blood-rich faeces of the adult fleas. Approximately
two weeks later the larvae spin a silken cocoon, pupate
and await the vibrations that signify the passing of a
prospective host. This may explain why a multitude of
fleas appear immediately upon entering a home that has
been undisturbed for a period of a week or more. Infant
fleas can remain in a state of hibernation for up to a
year and still survive.
Adult
fleas have flattened bodies which enables them to move
easily through a dense coat of hair or fur. Each of the
six legs has a pair of claws at the tip to enable them
to remain attached regardless of of the host scratching.
The hind legs are well developed for jumping onto a passing
host.
A
flea population builds up rapidly. With female fleas laying
hundreds of eggs, most of which proceed through the larval
and pupal stages to adult, and with a spring and early
summer life cycle as short as 21 days, a plague of fleas
is almost a yearly occurrence.
species
There
are two major species of fleas in Australia. They are
the Cat Flea and the Dog Flea. Find
out more >>
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