Fleas

Fleas are one of the more important groups of insect pests because they not only cause pain by biting, but can transmit several diseases such as plague (Bubonic Plague) and murine typhus.There are different species such as the cat flea, dog flea, human flea, and rat flea that can be found throughout the United States.

Females lay 4-8 eggs after each blood meal, laying some 400-500 during their lifetime. The eggs are not attached to the hairs or body so they fall freely onto a nest or bedding material. Eggs are normally found where your pets sleeps. Eggs are oval, white, and about 1/64″ long. They usually hatch in 1-12 days.

Flea larvae move about by writhing and wiggling. They have a chewing mouth (but do not bite) and require dried fecal blood in order to complete development. Larvae require high humidity and 1-2 weeks to several months to go through 3 developmental changes. Last developmental change, larvae spin a cocoon and use surrounding debris on its surface which provides camouflage. In the right environment, the pupal stage may last 4-14 days or maybe up to a year under less favorable conditions. The surfacing adult remains in the cocoon for up to 20 weeks, where it is protected from danger, including pesticides; it can survive here for several months on stored body fat. Adults are prompted to emerge from the cocoon by an increase in temperature, carbon dioxide, and possible vibrations.