· Fleas have four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, biting adult.
·
Fleas feed on the blood of their host --
humans, birds, reptiles, and wild and domestic animals.
·
The female flea can lay 2,000 eggs in
her lifetime.
·
A flea can live more than 100 days without a
blood meal.
·
The female flea consumes 15 times her
own body weight in blood daily.
·
A flea can jump up to 8 inches high, or
approximately 150 times its own height. That's like if you could leap over tall
buildings in a single bound.
·
Pets with fleas may develop anemia, tapeworms or intense bouts of itching (pruritus).
·
Some pets may develop an allergy to flea
saliva, which causes severe irritation and itchiness.
·
The best way to check for fleas is
with a flea comb.
·
Even though there are more than 2,000 known
species and subspecies of fleas, one flea species -- the cat flea -- accounts
for most of the dog and cat flea cases found in the U.S.
·
Fleas are parasites that feed on blood.
·
Fleas can live on any warm-blooded
animal, but seem to prefer to live on humans, cats, dogs, opossums, rats and
other rodents. They can also be found on shoes, pant legs, or blankets.
·
Fleas are best known for spreading the
Bubonic Plague. They also transmit the bacterial disease murine typhus to humans through
infected rats. Their saliva is an allergen that can cause allergic
reactions in pets and humans. Fleas can also transfer tapeworms and cause anemia in pets. Flea bites cause
painful, itchy red bumps.
·
Clean and vacuum frequently.
·
Keep your yard clean of garbage and
pet droppings.
·
Protect pets by keeping them on a
leash when outside, give them lots of baths, give them monthly flea and tick
treatments and take them to the vet at least once a year to make sure they
haven’t been infested.
·
If you think you have ticks in your
home and property, call a pest management professional!
·
Find information on flea control at
the official NPMA website.