Flea
Category: Fleas, Ticks & Lice
Scientific Name: Siphonaptera
Identification:
Color: Dark reddish-brown
Size: 1/12 to 1/16 inches long
Region: Found throughout the United States
Lifespan: 2-3 months
Important Considerations:
- Fleas are parasitic and feed on the blood of their hosts. Their most common hosts are dogs, cats, and humans, but they will also live on wildlife such as skunks, raccoons, and opossums.
- Female fleas can produce 400-500 offspring within their lifetime.
- On pets, flea bites are itchy, painful, and can lead to anemia, flea allergy dermatitis, and tapeworms. Fleas who bite humans can also cause flea allergy dermatitis, bubonic plague, and murine typhus.
- Fleas can jump up to 8 inches high. If they cannot find a host, they can live on shoes, clothing, and furniture until a reliable host comes close enough that they can jump onto them.
Where to Find Them on Your Property?
In most cases, fleas live solely upon hosts. If you have fleas, they will most likely be found on your pets, wildlife on your property, or on you and your other family members. Once fleas have accessed your home, it is also possible to find them in carpet, on furniture, or in other areas of your home when they can feed off dead skin cells.