|
|
Diptera Types: Cat, Dog, Northern Rat, Oriental, Rat,
Rabbit Fleas are small (2mm) wingless insects, with
hard bodies flattened side to side, red-brown with backwardly directed spines
and powerful legs designed for jumping enabling them to find new hosts as well as to escape quickly the
attempts of the hosts to remove them. The adults can survive away from a host
for several weeks without eating. All adult fleas are parasitic on
warm-blooded animals and birds. Flea eggs are usually laid in dirt or in the
nest of the host. Larval stages live in the nest of the host and feed
on skin, feathers and, most importantly, the blood-rich feces of the adult
flea. When fully grown the larvae spin well
camouflaged silken cocoons. When fully developed the adult waits within until
it detects the vibrations caused by a potential host. Only then does it
emerge. The complete lifecycle takes about an month in the summer. Adult fleas feed on blood using piercing and
sucking mouthparts. Their bites can cause intense irritation around the
central bright red spot. Different people react differently to a bite, both in
terms of degree of reaction and time taken to react. Fleas are classified in the phylum Arthropoda , class Insecta, order Siphonaptera. The Cat Flea is by far the commonest species of flea and readily bites humans. The Human Flea and the Bird Flea are next in importance. Dog fleas are rare, although other species may become temporarily attached to dogs.
253-226-2206 |
|
Send questions or comments to dave@quality1stpestsolutions.com |
|
|
Web design by DJM WebCreations |
FLEAS
