Flea Information :

Fleas are blood sucking insects of warm blooded mammals. The most common pest fleas in the UK are cat and dog fleas. There are fleas that infest humans, but these are becoming increasingly rare in an age of better sanitation. They are wingless, flattened laterally and vary in colour from greyish through to a dark mahogany. The cat flea is the most common. The female cat flea having to feed on cat blood to be able to lay eggs. They may, however, also feed on human blood and typically will attack the lower portion of the leg, particularly at ankle level.

Habitat:

Fleas cannot tolerate freezing temperatures but live very comfortably indoors. They will live and breed almost anywhere, on household pets, in carpets, furniture and outdoors.

Diet; Food and eating habbits:

Fleas feed off the blood of host animals such as dogs cats and humans. They can live for 100 without a blood meal though. Flea pupae feed off dead skin and debris.  

Predators:

Fleas are most hunted by humans as they are pests for our pets. Pest control is sought using various treatments both chemical insecticides and from natural methods to try to control the population and prevent infestation in our homes.  

Social Structure:

Fleas can live and breed together starting as a small group upto an enormous population.  

Birth, Offspring:

Female fleas lay eggs loosely in the host's hair (usually a cat or dog). The eggs drop off and hatch into tiny, hairy, worm-like larvae. The larvae are usually found where the animal sleeps, along baseboards, in carpets, or on furniture. Larvae pupate and new adults emerge. The new adults seek a host immediately and must get a blood meal to survive and produce eggs.A female flea can produce 2000 eggs in its lifetime.  

Attributes:

Some fleas can jump 150 times their own length.  

Fun Facts:

1. Some fleas can jump 150 times their own length.
2. Allergic reactions to flea bites cause the most complaints
3. Flea larvae are blind