What do domestic fleas feed on? - briefly
Domestic fleas subsist on the blood of household animals—primarily dogs, cats, and occasionally humans—by piercing the host’s skin with specialized mouthparts. They obtain nutrients directly from the host’s circulatory fluid.
What do domestic fleas feed on? - in detail
Fleas that inhabit homes are obligate hematophagous ectoparasites. Adult insects obtain nutrients exclusively from the blood of warm‑blooded hosts. Dogs and cats represent the primary sources, accounting for the majority of feeding events in typical households. Humans, rabbits, ferrets, and small rodents also provide viable meals when present.
The immature stages do not consume blood. Larvae develop in the carpet, bedding, or cracks in flooring, where they ingest organic matter such as shed epidermal cells, fungal spores, and the feces of adult fleas. Adult feces consist of partially digested blood, supplying the protein and lipid content required for larval growth.
Adult fleas attach to the host’s skin, pierce the epidermis with specialized mouthparts, and draw a blood pool that is quickly coagulated. A single feeding episode may last from a few minutes to half an hour, delivering enough plasma to sustain the insect for several days. After a blood meal, the flea expands its abdomen, digests the protein, and stores the nutrients for egg production.
Blood provides the essential amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates that support egg development, molting, and metabolic maintenance. The temperature of the host’s skin (approximately 35–37 °C) is critical for optimal enzymatic activity within the flea’s digestive system.
In addition to the main hosts, fleas can opportunistically feed on avian blood if birds are present indoors, but such occurrences are rare. The capacity to exploit any suitable mammalian or avian host enables the species to persist in diverse domestic environments.
Overall, the feeding ecology of household fleas comprises blood meals for adults and a detritus‑based diet for larvae, with dogs and cats serving as the most common blood sources in residential settings.