How do fleas reproduce and how many eggs do they lay? - briefly
After a blood meal, adult fleas mate and the fertilized female releases eggs onto the host or nearby substrate, where they fall and develop. A female can deposit 20–50 eggs daily, accumulating several hundred eggs over her lifespan.
How do fleas reproduce and how many eggs do they lay? - in detail
Fleas undergo a complete metamorphosis comprising egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. Adult females mate soon after emergence; sperm is stored in a spermatheca and used to fertilize successive batches of eggs. After a blood meal, a female can begin oviposition within 24–48 hours. She deposits individual eggs on the host’s fur or in the surrounding environment, preferring dark, humid locations such as bedding, carpet cracks, or animal shelters.
Key points of the reproductive cycle:
- Egg production: A single female lays between 20 and 50 eggs per day, depending on species, temperature, and blood availability. Over a lifespan of approximately two to three weeks, total fecundity ranges from 200 to 1,000 eggs.
- Incubation: Eggs hatch in 2–5 days under optimal conditions (25–30 °C, >75 % humidity). Hatchlings are blind, legless larvae that feed on organic debris, adult flea feces, and mold.
- Larval development: Larvae molt three times over 5–11 days, constructing silken cocoons for pupation.
- Pupal stage: Pupae remain dormant for 1–2 weeks but can delay emergence for months if environmental cues are unfavorable. Adult emergence is triggered by vibrations, carbon dioxide, and heat from a potential host.
- Adult longevity: Adults live 2–3 weeks on a host, feeding repeatedly on blood. Females require at least one blood meal to produce eggs; males do not feed.
Environmental factors heavily influence reproductive output. Temperatures above 30 °C accelerate development but reduce adult lifespan, while low humidity impedes egg viability. Control measures target each stage: regular cleaning removes eggs and larvae, steam or heat treatment destroys pupae, and insecticidal treatments kill adults on the host.