Where do fleas come from? Fleas are expanding their network through infected animals. It spread between animals. When fleas don’t have a host, they wait until someone passes by them. Furthermore, they can live without a host for a long time. So, they wait until someone passes by them and jump to the body. On the outside, fleas can be found near grasses and bushes. Flea infestation is the main thread to your dogs and cats. Also, flea bite is uncomfortable for humans too.
In this article, we will learn everything about fleas, including where they live, flea eggs, how to kill them, and many more FAQs.
What are fleas?
What are the fleas that we are going to talk about today? Fleas are parasite insects which are well designed to survive in different conditions. Since they are a parasite, they use the blood meal of a host to survive. But they can live without a blood meal or a host for up to three months. That’s why I said they are well designed to survive.
Even there are many types, the most common type can be called Ctenocephalides felis. They are the ones who hurt your furry friends. The body is made to become a maximum parasite. They have sharp and robust mouth to suck out the blood. Additionally, they are capable of jumping up to 30cm high. They are spreading many diseases while making your furry friends uncomfortable.
The life cycle of a flea
It’s essential to know the life cycle of the flea. Mainly they pass four stages in their life, including flea eggs, larva, pupa, and adults.
- Flea eggs – Female fleas are capable of laying around 20 eggs at a time on a host or a warm surface.
- Larva – Eventually, the eggs are hatched, and they enter to larva stage. Here, they ingest organic matters of adults.
- Pupa – Fleas wait inside a silken cocoon until they sense a host with warm blood nearby. This process can take several months.
- Adults – They look for meals, and once they feed, they can survive for several months. Here they do the main two things, including reproducing and feeding.
Where do fleas come from?
- As mentioned before, fleas are spreading through infected animals. They can jump through bodies. So, if your pet went outside to meet his/her friends, there a possibility of coming home with fleas. On the other hand, they can live without a host for several months. They live near grasses and bushes and wait until a host. When a host passed by them, they jump on to them and start their dirty duty. Fleas are capable of living in many conditions.
- Sometimes they lay flea eggs on the host. Those flea eggs get rolled over the pet and drop down to the surface. So fleas might be everywhere. So, be careful to find out where do fleas live outside and inside.
How long do fleas live?
How long can fleas live? The flea’s life cycle is shorter compared to other insects. They are passing through 4 life stages called flea eggs, larva, pupa, and adults. As mentioned before, flea takes more than two weeks to serval months to come to the adult stage. After becoming an adult, they can live up to one year in normal conditions. But this time gets reduced due to several conditionals. So, on average, after becoming an adult, flea live between 60 to 100 days or more. Before managing flea infestation, it is essential to know how long fleas live.
How long can fleas live without a host?
How long do fleas live without a host? Yes, a flea can live without a host. In the optimal conditions, they can live without a blood meal for 2 to 3 months. But there should be an outstanding balance in conditions and regular access to the host. On the other hand, a flea can survive without a host for a few weeks when there are average conditions. Due to that reason, they wait in their cocoons until they confirm a host. A flea needs to feed as soon as they get adults. So, they stay in their cocoons. They can live inside their cocoons for five months. It can increase the time that a flea can live without a host. Furthermore, after their first meal, they can live a few weeks without a host and blood.
How do fleas find a host?
A flea can wait in their cocoons for five months until they find a warm-blooded host. After they confirm a target, they jump into them and start feeding. If it is a meal flea, they begin laying eggs after her first meal. These eggs rolled over your pet’s body and spread everywhere. Some flea eggs fall to the floors and stick when a pet touches it. So, a flea can find a host and spreading their network quickly.
Can fleas live on humans?
Can fleas live in human hair or somewhere else in the human body? The short answer is no. They are capable of surviving in the human body until they find a preferred host. But they do not feed on humans. The only flea feed on humans is called Pulex Irritans. Other common fleas seek for a pet to live and survive. Fleas can bite you, but it does not mean fleas survive on human blood.
Do fleas die in the winter?
- Does cold weather kill fleas? The short answer is no. Cold weather Is not killing fleas since fleas can adjust for the changes in weather conditions. But If the weather keeps 37 degrees or lower both day and night for more than ten days, any flea continuously exposes to that cold weather will die. In other conditions, fleas can survive in the cold.
- Fleas are active all around the year. But flea infestations are rare during the winter. It doesn’t mean your pet is safe. They can wait in their cocoons for several months, or they can hide in the warm fur of your pet for a long time. Once the temperature gets high, they will start attacking your pet if you lose focus on the winter.
Flea eggs
- Flea eggs are somewhat tricky to find. Most people confuse flea eggs with flea dirt. Flea eggs are about the size of a grain of salt. It’s around 0.5 mm in length. It has an off-white colour and oval shape.
- When it comes to flea dirt, it is a dark colour. Both are signs of severe flea infestation. You can see flea eggs on dogs or cats if you look carefully at the bottom of fur.
How to get rid of fleas?
Most of the time, flea spread happens due to the spread of flea eggs and cocoons around the house. So if you want to kill fleas, you have to destroy the source. Here are some tips to get rid of flea infestation. But if fleas infest your pet, visit the nearest professional and take advice for a chemical treatment.
- Clean the house well. Always keep your house’s cleanness by vacuuming the dirt, washing the floors, using a steam cleaner to clean carpets, beds, or pet houses, etc.
- Frequently wash all the things associated with pets with hot water. Dry them in the highest heat.
- And finally, consult a professional to get advice about a chemical treatment you can use on the house and use on pets.
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