Flea
Ctenocephalides felis (most common household species)
- Order & Family
- Order Siphonaptera, Family Pulicidae
- Size
- 1.5 mm to 3.3 mm in length
Natural Habitat
Typically found on host animals like cats and dogs, or in their bedding, carpets, and cracks in floors where eggs and larvae develop.
Diet & Feeding
Adults are hematophagous (blood-feeders) that consume blood from mammals and birds. Larvae feed on organic debris, including adult flea droppings (flea dirt).
Behavior Patterns
Fleas are wingless but are expert jumpers. They undergo complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult) and can remain in the pupal stage for several months until they detect a host via vibrations, warmth, or CO2.
Risks & Benefits
Risks include painful, itchy bites, allergic dermatitis in pets and humans, and the potential transmission of tapeworms and bacterial diseases like typhus or plague. There are no ecological benefits in a household setting.