How do dog fleas look? - briefly
Dog fleas are tiny, wing‑less insects about 1–3 mm long, with a laterally flattened, reddish‑brown body and strong hind legs for jumping. Their heads are small, bearing compound eyes and short antennae.
How do dog fleas look? - in detail
Dog fleas are small, wing‑less insects that measure roughly 1.5–3 mm in length. Their bodies are laterally flattened, which allows them to move easily through the dense fur of canines. The exoskeleton is a tough, dark brown or reddish‑black chitin that gives the insect a slightly glossy appearance.
Key visual characteristics include:
- Head: Broad, rounded, equipped with large, compound eyes and antennae that are short and segmented.
- Mouthparts: Piercing‑sucking proboscis designed for blood extraction; the proboscis is concealed beneath the head when not feeding.
- Thorax: Compact, bearing six powerful legs; each leg ends in a pair of tiny claws that cling to hair shafts.
- Abdomen: Elongated, segmented, and capable of expanding after a blood meal; the abdomen’s surface shows fine, hair‑like setae that aid in respiration.
When unfed, fleas appear pale and less prominent; after feeding, their abdomen swells and the overall color darkens, making the insect more noticeable during close inspection. Their rapid, erratic jumping ability is facilitated by a specialized resilin pad beneath the hind legs, though this behavior does not affect their static appearance.