Various Species:

• Cat Flea (Ctenocephalidesfelis)
• Dog Flea (Ctenocephalidescanis)
• Human Flea (Pulexirritans)
• Bird Flea (Ceratophyllusgallinae)

Appearance:

• Length: Around 2mm.
• Compressed flattened bodies with over lapping toughened plates.
• Long well developed hind legs for jumping.
• Greyish through to dark mahogany in colour.
• Mouthparts adapted to piercing and sucking with small eyes and they are covered with backward-directed bristles and spines.

Lifecycle (Based on Human Flea):

• Eggs 0.5mm pearly white they are laid in carpets, between floorboards, on fur, bedding and on clothing.
• These hatch in 2 – 3 days.Larva – whitish up to 5mm long they thrive best in dark humid places like underneath furniture, after 2 -3 moults these are fully grown in 3 – 4 weeks.
• Pupa – cocoons incorporating debris to feed from they are spun by the larva. The development time is dependent on the temperature. Their emergence is in response to vibration. Adults – once emerged from the flimsy cocoon they rapidly find a host for their first blood meal.

Habits & Behaviour:

• Adults can survive several weeks without a blood meal
  The larvae thrive in dark, humid places such as animal bedding and carpet fluff, and feed on organic debris and adult flea excrement.
• Adults feed on the blood of the species to which they are adapted but will feed on other animals in the absence of the normal host.
• Living on our pets and irritating humans a source of blood is valuable part of the diet.
• Adults can survive several weeks without a blood meal.

Important:

• Wall-to-wall carpeting provides a relatively undisturbed environment for flea larvae to develop, whilst central heating has served to ensure the ideal temperature conditions.
• Irritation and allergic reactions can be cause from bites. Scientists believe that fleas were the cause of the plague being transferred to humans back in 1665.
• Fleas can be vectors of disease or may transmit parasitic worms.
• These can sometimes be transmitted to humans.