How do couch fleas look? - briefly
Couch fleas are tiny, reddish‑brown insects about 1–2 mm long, laterally flattened, with a hard exoskeleton, short antennae, and powerful hind legs for jumping. Their bodies are segmented and covered with fine hairs.
How do couch fleas look? - in detail
Couch fleas are small, laterally flattened insects measuring 1.5–4 mm in length. The adult body exhibits a deep reddish‑brown hue that darkens after a blood meal. The head is proportionally small, equipped with compound eyes and short, segmented antennae that end in sensory clubs. Mouthparts form a piercing‑sucking rostrum adapted for penetrating skin. The thorax bears three pairs of robust, spiny legs; each femur terminates in a powerful tibial spur that enables the flea to launch up to 150 mm vertically. The abdomen consists of nine visible tergites, each bearing a row of fine setae that give a slightly fuzzy appearance.
Key morphological traits include:
- Body shape: Dorsoventrally flattened, facilitating movement through fabric and hair.
- Coloration: Reddish‑brown, turning blackish after engorgement.
- Leg structure: Long hind legs with enlarged femora, providing exceptional jumping capacity.
- Sensory organs: Short antennae with terminal sensilla; compound eyes positioned laterally.
- Absence of wings: Wingless, relying solely on jumping for locomotion.
Developmental stages differ markedly. Eggs are oval, 0.5 mm long, and translucent. Larvae are slender, whitish, and lack legs, possessing a hardened head capsule and three thoracic legs. Pupae encase themselves in a silken cocoon within the host’s environment. Only the adult stage exhibits the characteristic coloration and jumping apparatus described above.