Flea

Natural Habitat

Fleas are found globally in various environments where their hosts reside. This includes homes (carpets, bedding, furniture), yards, kennels, and wildlife habitats. They prefer warm, humid conditions.

Diet & Feeding

Adult fleas feed exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded animals, including mammals and birds. Larval fleas feed on organic detritus, particularly the dried blood and feces of adult fleas ('flea dirt') that fall from the host.

Behavior Patterns

Fleas are wingless and renowned for their jumping ability, which they use to move between hosts and evade threats. They undergo complete metamorphosis, with eggs, larvae, pupae, and adult stages. Females lay eggs on the host, but the eggs often fall off into the environment, such as bedding, carpets, or soil. Larvae feed on organic debris, including adult flea feces (flea dirt). Pupae can remain dormant for extended periods, waiting for suitable conditions (like vibrations or warmth indicating a host's presence) to emerge as adults. Adults are obligate parasites, meaning they must feed on blood to survive and reproduce. Their bites are often itchy and can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

Risks & Benefits

Potential Risks: Flea bites can cause itchy, red, and irritating papules, often leading to allergic reactions (flea allergy dermatitis) in pets and some humans. They can transmit diseases to animals and humans, including tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum) when ingested by hosts, rickettsial diseases (like murine typhus), and historically, the bacterium Yersinia pestis (which causes plague). Heavy infestations can lead to anemia, particularly in young or vulnerable animals. Potential Benefits: Fleas do not offer direct benefits to humans or the ecosystem; they are primarily considered pests due to their parasitic nature and disease transmission capabilities. In some ecological contexts, they are a food source for certain predators, but their role is generally minor.

Identified on: 9/4/2025