Flea, << flee, >> is a small, wingless insect that lives on mammals and birds and sucks blood for food. Fleas are dangerous pests because they can carry the germs that cause plague and typhus. They get the disease germs by biting infected rats and ground squirrels. See Plague; Typhus.
A flea has flat sides and a head much smaller than the rest of the body. The flea’s shape and its strong, spiny legs help it glide quickly and easily through the hairs or feathers of its host. Fleas puncture the skin with their beaks to get blood.
Fleas live on human beings, cats, dogs, rats, birds, horses, poultry, rabbits, and many wild animals. A few kinds live only on certain types of animals. But most kinds pass readily from animal to human beings and from animal to animal. They leave the host as soon as it dies because they must have blood for food.
Fleas are strong and have great leaping ability for their size. Scientists have found that the flea that lives on people can jump 13 inches (33 centimeters). Fleas can be made to perform tricks such as pulling tiny wagons. Flea circuses feature troupes of fleas that have been “trained” to do such tricks.
Kinds of fleas.
The common European, or human, flea is about 1/8 inch (3 millimeters) long. It lives in the folds of clothing. It drops its eggs about the house instead of attaching them to clothing. The larvae look like maggots. When they become adults, they seek a host. Some people attract fleas more than others do, and some become sensitive to the bites. The skin around the bite becomes inflamed in such people.
The chigoe, another kind of flea, is native to South America. But it has spread to Africa and many temperate regions. The female chigoe burrows into the skin to lay eggs. These insects cause ulcers to form on the skin. The flea must be removed before the ulcer will heal.
Rat, cat, and dog fleas also may be serious pests. They lay many tiny oval white eggs on the animals or in their sleeping places. When the eggs hatch, the larvae crawl into bedding and into cracks in the floor. They spin their cocoons in dust and appear as adults about two weeks later.
Controlling fleas.
Cleanliness and proper care of pets are the best protection against fleas. Dogs that have fleas should be scrubbed with soaps that contain an appropriate insecticide. Periodically treating pets with such soaps kills the insects. Owners can guard against fleas by changing their pets’ bedding frequently. In addition, pet owners can destroy the larvae by spraying or dusting the pets’ quarters with an insecticide.
