Flea

Nests, fur, feathers, and living quarters of mammalian and avian hosts

Hematophagous; feeds exclusively on the blood of warm-blooded hosts (mammals and birds)

Wingless, laterally flattened parasites equipped with strong hind legs adapted for jumping large distances. Undergo complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult).

Risks: Vector for pathogens causing severe diseases like plague (Yersinia pestis) and murine typhus; causes severe skin irritation, allergic dermatitis, and secondary infections. Benefits: None to humans or ecosystems; primary economic and health pest.