Fleas

Facts

• Name: Fleas, Pulex irritans (human flea), Ctenocephalides felis (cat flea)
• Life cycle: Complete metamorphosis
  Egg: Laid on the host or in bedding and nesting material. Eggs are pearly white, approximately 0.5 mm long, and typically hatch within 2–3 days.
  Larvae: Legless, whitish larvae up to 5 mm long. Found in humid environments such as bedding, carpets, and crevices. Feed on frass and faecal pellets from adult fleas.
  Pupae: Spin a cocoon and remain dormant until triggered by host vibrations.
  Adult: Approximately 2 mm long. Lifespan ranges from two weeks to one year, depending on temperature and food availability.
• Description:
  Fleas are small, laterally compressed, wingless insects ranging from yellow to black in colour. They possess backward-facing spines and are adapted for leaping. As ectoparasites of mammals and birds, adult fleas feed exclusively on blood. If the host dies, fleas will crawl or leap to locate a new host.
• Habitat:

  Adults live on the host or in close proximity, while larvae occupy cracks, crevices, carpets, and bedding. The human flea (P. irritans) is also a known pest of red foxes, hedgehogs, and badgers. Infestations are common in domestic settings, particularly where pets are present.