What fleas look like: photos, feeding and reproduction features, lifestyle, methods of control and prevention

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The flea is a blood-sucking insect that is an important vector of disease and can be a serious pest. Fleas are parasites that live on the outside of the host (i.e. they are ectoparasites). As the main agent of the Black Death (bubonic plague) in the Middle Ages, they were an important link in the chain of events that led to the death of a quarter of Europe's population.

Structural features

The body of fleas is laterally compressed, narrow, smooth , equipped with bristles and spines that help them move and stay in the thick fur and between the feathers of their hosts, in the folds of clothing, as well as in the substrate of their nests and burrows. The head and chest often have serrated ridges ( ctenidia ).

The size of fleas of different species varies
from 1 to 5 mm , but in females of some species it can reach 10 mm due to hypertrophic growth of the abdomen after the start of feeding.
The antennae are always located behind the simple eyes and, at rest, are placed in special recesses - antennal fossae.

The antennae may be used by males to hold onto a female during copulation . The oral apparatus of fleas is of the piercing-sucking type .

It is characterized by the transformation of epipharynges (unpaired stylet) and lacinia (paired stylets) into stylets, articulated with the maxillary lobes.

The lower lip with a pair of labial palps is transformed into case flaps for the components of the proboscis. The mandibles in adult fleas are completely lost . The chest is equipped with strong limbs, providing the insect with rapid movement in the host's integument and the ability to stay on rough surfaces at any angle.

They often move by jumping, using the second and especially the third pair of legs to push. In the posterior part of the abdomen, behind tergite VIII, there is a unique sensory organ found only in fleas - the abdominal sensillium, or pygidium , equipped with trichobothria (tactile hairs) and capable of detecting air vibrations .

Based on the nature of changes in ploidy, the following types of life cycles :

• Haplophasic : the organism has a single set of chromosomes (n, haploid) throughout the cycle; These life cycles are characteristic of many bacteria and protists that do not have a sexual process.
• Haplophasic with zygotic reduction : after the formation of the zygote (2n), meiosis occurs and the remaining stages of the life cycle are haploid (this life cycle is characteristic of many green and other algae, as well as most other groups of protists and fungi).
• Diplophase with gametic reduction : all stages of the life cycle are diploid (2n), only gametes are haploid (n) - a life cycle characteristic of multicellular animals.
• Haplo-diplophase : at both diploid and haploid stages, mitotic divisions occur, leading to reproduction or growth, and the life cycle contains diploid and haploid generations - a life cycle with intermediate (sporic) reduction, characteristic of all higher plants, as well as foraminifera and some other protists.

By the number of generations (ontogenies) in the life cycle:

• Simple : the cycle includes one generation.
• Complex : cycle includes two or more generations; such a life cycle is characteristic, for example, of many cnidarians (alternating generations of polyps and jellyfish), for most trematodes (alternating generations of marites, sporocysts and redeyes).

Dangers posed by pests

As a reward from bloodsuckers, people can get not only all sorts of local reactions on the surface of the skin, but also some dangerous diseases. They are carriers of tuberculosis, rat typhus, tularemia, listeriosis, and plague. Their consequences, if someone is unlucky enough to become infected with one of the ailments, can be very dire.

Scientists are confident that each insect is quite capable of giving people one of several hundred ailments that exist in the parasite’s body. There is no need to panic, because it is rare that a bloodsucker bite can lead to any disease. It is dangerous if bites appear on the body due to a sand flea. In this case, the risk of becoming infected increases significantly. With a strong bite, the affected area often transforms into an abscess. Bloodsuckers of this type are able to get under the skin and carry out reproduction there, as well as harmful life activities.

Video

Appearance

You should immediately understand that fleas are insects that are parasites on the skin and hair of animals living near you. They are used to sucking the blood of rabbits, cats, dogs, chickens, parrots, hamsters and rats.

However, the worst thing is that these small creatures are capable of causing harm directly to humans . Using a special piercing-sucking apparatus, the flea pierces an inconspicuous hole on the surface of the skin of its owner and is saturated with his blood.

The signs by which you can recognize an insect are a smooth body, which has a narrow texture and is somewhat flattened on the sides . It is also worth paying attention to the bristles and small spines that are located throughout the body and serve to ensure that the flea is able to move and stay on the fur of its victim.

The insect's head and chest are covered with so-called serrated combs or ctendia . As for the size of an adult, it ranges from 1 to 5 millimeters. And females that have had enough time sometimes reach 10 millimeters in length.

The flea's head is equipped with special antennas, which, when not needed, hide in antennae pits, and when the insects go hunting, they reappear in order to detect the most vulnerable spot.

How many legs does a flea have? The flea makes its jumps with the help of three pairs of fairly strong paws , which are located on the belly. The sensory organ, which is located on the back of the body, is designed to instantly capture air vibrations in the environment.

Today there are about 1000 species of these insects. Another interesting fact is that representatives of this family often lack vision or have the simplest manifestations of it .

Read more about such types as: human, earthen, bed, herbal.

Studying the life activity of fleas and the characteristics of their body is possible only with the help of a microscope. The largest collection of specimens is in the British Museum. It was collected in Tring by scientists N. Rothschild and K. Jordan.

Causes of fleas in humans

Surprisingly, the main carriers of human fleas are animals. Even without direct contact between humans and animals, fleas can easily enter a person’s home. It is enough for him to be close to the place where the parasite carrier dropped the insect. If a flea is hungry, it will definitely jump on a potential food source. It often happens that residents of the first floors also become victims of fleas - rats and mice live in the basements of apartment buildings - carriers of these harmful insects. And since fleas are incredibly jumpy, it is not difficult for them to get into the apartment through cracks.

Let's highlight the main routes of flea infection:

1. From the basements;
2. On clothes, shoes;
3. From the attics;
4. From other warm-blooded organisms (people, animals).

Photo

What a flea looks like, close-up photo:

Where do fleas live?

A very large number of flea species are determined by suitable climatic conditions. It is a common belief that the number of fleas varies depending on the time of year.

When a cold period sets in, the number rarely decreases, and, conversely , with the arrival of warmth, insects actively reproduce. The hot months of summer seem to be especially active in this regard.

The greatest danger comes from fleas that live in the apartment and can cause harm to them. Fleas often settle near rodent burrows . As for residential premises, they are most often found in small cracks on the floor , under bedspreads and in dusty places where people cannot penetrate.

Find out where fleas come from in the house?

Remarkable is the fact that a female flea is capable of laying about 400 eggs in her entire life.

What does a flea eat?

Photo: Flea on an animal

Fleas feed exclusively on the blood of mammals (including humans), as well as birds. A flea infestation can lead to severe skin inflammation and severe itching. Although many animals acquire partial immunity after persistent or repeated attacks, individuals (especially humans) can sometimes become sensitized after exposure and develop allergies.

Species that attack people and livestock include:

• cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis);
• the so-called human flea (Pulex irritans);
• dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis);
• sticky flea (Echidnophaga gallinacea);
• penetrating flea (Tunga penetrans);
• European chicken flea (Ceratophyllus gallinae), which can parasitize poultry;
• western chicken flea (Ceratophyllus niger) in the United States.

Some fleas, which feed primarily on rodents or birds, sometimes attack people, especially when their usual host is not present. When rats die from bubonic plague, their hungry fleas, themselves infected with the plague bacilli and seeking food elsewhere, can transmit the disease to people, especially in buildings heavily infested with rats.

The eastern rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis) is the most effective carrier of plague, but other flea species (eg, Nosopsyllus flaviatus, Xenopsylla brasiliensis, Pulex allerans) can also transmit the disease to humans. Although there are cases of plague in tropical and some temperate regions, the disease in humans can be controlled with early diagnosis and antibiotics.

Interesting Fact: Plague (sylvatic plague) is a widespread disease among hundreds of species of wild rodents around the world, which is maintained in these populations by fleas that parasitize these animals. It is known that more than 100 species of fleas can be infected with the plague bacillus, and another 10 species are carriers of the classic type of urban plague.

Fighting methods

The fight against this misfortune should begin with a number of special measures that can stop the reproduction process and neutralize already born individuals. If there are animals in the house, then it is necessary to treat their fur with special products .

Shampoos and a variety of medications are sold in pet pharmacies especially for these purposes . A very good assistant in this matter is pyrethrum , which veterinarians strongly recommend treating the hair of cats and dogs.

It can also be used to treat all possible places where pests accumulate directly in the home. Folk remedies include sweeping floors with a wormwood broom . A flea collar is also actively used.

How to get rid of it?

Parasites must be combated; modern drugs will help even in advanced cases. First you need to determine where the insects in the house come from. So, if fleas were brought by pets, they need to be treated. If parasites are coming from the basement or from neighbors, seal the existing cracks. To get rid of fleas at home, we recommend using modern insecticidal preparations that do not have a pungent odor and do not harm people and pets.

Chemicals

Since a flea cannot eat the bait, insecticidal preparations are produced in the form of a spray, powder, or aerosol. All means affect the nervous system of the parasite and paralyze it.

The most popular and effective are:

After killing the insects, you need to do a wet cleaning by adding ammonia or eucalyptus essential oil to the water. It is advisable to place branches of wormwood and lavender under the bed.

Folk remedies

You can get rid of insects using folk remedies. They are allowed to be combined with chemicals or used for preventive purposes.

Important! If you are unable to remove the fleas on the second attempt, it is recommended to contact the sanitary and epidemiological service.

Thus, fleas pose a great danger. They affect not only animals, but also humans. At the first sign of insects, disinfestation should be carried out.

Source

Lifestyle

Adults differ from many other insects in having a fairly active lifestyle , which is marked by periodic settlements on the body of the prey in order to receive nutrition for further life activity.

What do fleas eat? These parasites drink blood. It is worth noting that when they are full, they most often leave the object and look for a new owner, which makes these insects potential carriers of various diseases .

for fleas to get enough food once a day , but if this process is interrupted for some reason, then they are forced to look for another source of nutrition.

How long can fleas live without food? If it is not possible to find a source of food, then a flea can survive without food for a week, or even a month . As for the host, these parasites are quite unpretentious .

Individuals that live on cats can consume the blood of a dog or human without much embarrassment. However, it is fair to note that fleas that live on chiropterans will never jump onto mammals .

Read more about the dangers of fleas for pets and people here.

habitats

A common misconception is that fleas live on the body of their prey. This is far from true. Fleas jump onto the body of an animal only to eat; the rest of the time they prefer to live in more comfortable conditions. Various types of blood-sucking parasites choose comfortable places to live in the apartment. Earth and sand fleas prefer to stay close to the floor. Therefore, most often their nests are located behind baseboards, in carpets and paths. Cat and dog fleas are found in the animal's bedding and can sometimes be found in soft toys.

Flea Behavior and Identification

Fleas are quite active and sense the approach of danger very well thanks to sensory organs that detect the slightest shudders in the air. This is why it is almost impossible to neutralize a flea with bare hands .

There is a high probability that it will move to another owner and continue to be saturated with his blood. We should also not forget that most fleas are not on the animal itself, but in its environment, which complicates the process of pest control.

When purchasing a drug to exterminate parasites from a pet pharmacy, do not forget to inquire about their toxicity level for the animal and check the period of its action.

As you know, it is easier to prevent than to cure. Special animal collars that are impregnated with insecticides will help you with this.

Methods for killing fleas

Fleas are resistant to most insecticides, but preparations containing fipronil, fluvalinate, cypermethrin, and cyfluthrin are effective. Also, to combat fleas, insecticidal preparations based on FOS (chlorophos, karbofos, fenthion), carbamate (propoxur), pyrethroids (permethrin, deltamethrin, cypermethrin, fenvalerate, cyphenothrin), neonicotinoids, etc. are used. A complete list of drugs used by our service for extermination fleas, written in simple language, can be found here. You can read instructions on how to kill insects yourself here.

To order the destruction of fleas in apartments and premises in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, call: 8

How long does a flea live?

The optimal temperature for flea development is 18–27 degrees, and the most suitable humidity is 70–100%. Under such conditions, the flea grows in 20–49 days .

If the humidity drops below 60%, then the larvae stop the development process, and they completely die in the water .

It is interesting that if environmental conditions cannot be called favorable, then the period when the flea remains sealed in a cocoon may be significantly longer.

The main part of fleas are temporary parasites that use domestic animals and humans only to get enough food in order to continue their life activities.

Flea prevention

• regular examination of pets;
• regular brushing and washing of animals;
• regular inspection of the premises: carpets, draperies, furniture, animal beds, in rare cases - bed linen if you allow animals on the bed;
• vacuuming all hard-to-reach places, especially cracks and breaks in the floor, eliminating dust accumulations in the apartment;
• washing and drying animal bedding.

Cold living conditions lead to the fact that the larvae die without going through the pupation stage. Humidity below 45% will also cause death.

Reproduction

Complete metamorphosis is how fleas develop. This means that the egg that hatches as an adult first produces a larva. This larva then turns into a pupa. The larvae do not pose a great danger and are not capable of causing harm .

This is only a transitional stage, the final goal of which is an adult insect, which in the scientific world is called an imago. It is these latter that support their vital functions by feeding on the blood of animals and people.

An adult flea produces eggs that have a dry surface and usually fall into the insect's nest or onto the floor. The larvae, which emerge from the eggs after some time, are whitish in color and have no legs or organs of vision .

They can be observed in cracks in coverings or in carpets. If their direct carrier lives in the basement, then attention should be paid, first of all, to heaps of garbage and various household rubbish.

Flea larvae that threaten cats, dogs and humans sometimes settle on green lawns . There they have the opportunity to receive nutrition from plant juice.

Also, they are thus protected from the harmful effects of sunlight. Very often, owners of farms where pigs are raised become victims of fleas.

The egg development period ranges from several days to several weeks depending on environmental conditions. The life cycle of the larva is approximately two to four weeks.

When this period ends, the larva begins to construct a cobweb cocoon, which becomes its refuge until the time comes for rebirth into an adult flea, capable of obtaining its own food on its own.

Read more about flea reproduction.

The insect can remain in a clogged state for up to several months . It often happens that even the imago does not want to crawl out of the protective cocoon and does this only when it senses a potential victim.

What do flea bites look like?

Externally, flea bites are similar in many ways to mosquito bites, but they take much longer to heal. Flea bites, unlike tick or ant bites, have only one puncture. Within half an hour, the bite site swells, turns red and itches very much. After one or two days, the area turns into a small wound or abscess and may even bleed.

What distinguishes flea bites from bedbug bites is their chaotic location.