What can a flea do? - briefly
A flea can leap up to 200 times its body length, pierce skin to ingest blood from mammals and birds, and serve as a vector for diseases such as plague and typhus. Its life cycle progresses through egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages, completing within weeks under favorable temperature and humidity.
What can a flea do? - in detail
Fleas are exceptionally adapted for rapid locomotion. Their hind legs generate a force that propels them upward at angles of up to 45 degrees, allowing jumps that exceed 100 times their body length. This ability relies on a protein called resilin, which stores elastic energy and releases it in a fraction of a second.
Feeding mechanisms involve piercing mouthparts equipped with a serrated stylet. The stylet penetrates the host’s skin, and a sucking tube extracts blood. Anticoagulant compounds in the saliva prevent clotting, ensuring a continuous flow during the brief meal, which typically lasts a few minutes.
Disease transmission is a primary consequence of blood consumption. Fleas serve as vectors for several pathogens, including Yersinia pestis (plague), Rickettsia species (typhus), and Bartonella species (cat‑scratch disease). Transmission occurs when contaminated saliva or feces enter the host’s bloodstream through scratches or abrasions.
Survival strategies include resistance to desiccation and the ability to remain dormant for extended periods. Adult fleas can survive without a blood meal for several weeks, while eggs and larvae develop within insulated environments such as animal nests or carpeting, where humidity and temperature are regulated.
Sensory perception is mediated by compound eyes and antennae sensitive to vibrations, carbon dioxide, and heat. These cues guide the insect toward potential hosts, enabling rapid host location even in low‑light conditions.
Reproductive capacity is high; a single female can lay 20–50 eggs per day, totaling up to several thousand over her lifespan. Eggs hatch within 2–5 days, and larvae undergo three instars before pupating. The pupal stage can be delayed in response to adverse conditions, extending development until favorable environmental cues appear.
Collectively, these traits—powerful jumping, efficient blood acquisition, vector competence, environmental resilience, acute sensory systems, and prolific reproduction—define the functional profile of the flea.