The # 1 Flea Information Website

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Last Updated: December 30, 2016

Welcome to the number one website in the world (more or less) about FLEAS! Fleas are parasites that live by sucking on the blood of their hosts. There are over two thousand species of fleas. Collectively they make up the order of insects known as ‘Siphonaptera.’ The name siphonaptera comes from Greek, in which ‘siphon’ means tube (fleas suck blood through a tube) and ‘aptera’ means without wings.

Fleas are extremely small wingless insects. At their largest, they will reach an 1/8th of an inch. Different species of fleas feed off of the blood of different animal (birds and mammals) and are generally species specific. Dog Fleas will not feed off of cats and vice versa. Fleas are dark colored, ranging from brown to black. They are small and extremely fast. Though they cannot fly, they are the world’s best jumpers in relation to body size. A flea can jump as far as seven inches, which is over a hundred times the size of a flea’s body. By comparison, this would be like a six-foot person jumping over six hundred feet. Fleas’ ability to jump is the way they move from one host to another and the way flea infestations are spread. Fleas bodies’ are very flat and their bristles grow in such a direction that they can easily move between hairs or feathers on their host’s body. Their bodies are extremely tough, allowing them to withstand scratching and other hitting.

Fleas not only feed off their host, but also live on them. They lay eggs, a couple dozen at a time, on their hosts as well. Some eggs will stay on the host but most will fall off. The eggs will then hatch into small blind larvae that stay in dark places, like linens or holes in walls, and feed on rotting food, feces, and other foods they can find and scavenge around them. A few weeks later, they will turn into pupae and, yet another few weeks after that; they will emerge as adult fleas. During the winter, fleas stay in their pupa phase for longer in order to survive.

Adults live for a relatively long time compared to other insects. In ideal conditions (warm and very humid), a flea can live for several years and can survive months at a time without eating. One single female flea can lay potentially thousands of eggs throughout her life. This propensity for reproduction allows flea populations to grow at a tremendous rate. It should be noted, however, that at any given point of time the majority of a flea population is in egg form.

Flea bites are usually not painful however they can often become itchy and swelling is not uncommon. Fleas are dangerous in that they can potentially carry diseases. Some of the most common types of fleas are dog fleas, cat fleas, and human fleas. There are many species of flea adapted to feeding on human blood. The most common such flea is pulex irritans. Despite its common name (the human flea), pulex irritans is actually one of the few fleas that can feed off of dozens of different species of birds and mammals.

10 thoughts on “The # 1 Flea Information Website”

  1. We have fleas coming into our kitchen. What is the best product to use to permanently get rid of them. I am spraying vinegar & water in the crevices where I see them emerging. It is keeping them under control but not permanently removing them. Would alcohol (not the drinking alcohol) work better or is there something else to use to permanently get rid of them. We have had them for about 5 days. Any info you could provide would be deeply appreciated.

  2. I live in the country and my flea problem is out of control. I have always found pyrmythirin (spelling?) had worked well. I have gone as far as bombing , dipping and yard granuals. now the bombs didn’t help, fleas reappeared with in a couple of hours, the dipping didn’t help , the granuals nope not that either. i dumped more than i had to ,I don’t have a lot of money and have spent my savings battling these fleas. I cant stop them. anyone out there, help what can I do?

  3. I was bit by dozens ps fleas from maybe walking across the dust m flying grass 10 days ago they got on my back chest n groin n legs ! Have been washing in cool water with FELS. NAPATA. Soap 3 times a day ! U singing coconut oil which cuts down the horrible. Itching. They have. Chewed on my body. 3 different times. Just as one starts to clear up. The cubit again ! What else should I do. ..? I don’t go out side to much. Will antibiotics work? Thanks. . . .

  4. What would cause a flea infestation on an totally inside house cat that caused her death…no sign of fleas in basement where she was confined…no fleas in house or yard…she was the only animal in the home. I had pest service chech & there were no openings where anything could have come in from the outside & no fleas brought into the house by me…only person living there or in house…what could possibly caused a flea infestation so major that she was dead & crawling with fleas…???

  5. I’ve had fleas in my home for 2 years now. Cats are religiously on drops, never a miss. Frontline, advantage, vectra, revolution all keep them down but never end. I treat carpets every 2 weeks with onslaught/nyguard/precor still always reproducing. I’ve used salt,DE, borax on carpets to the point the integrity of carpets are ruined. I vacuum every day and flush bagless canister every time and wash Vac canister. I’ve bombed twice. I have 4 cats, they never go out. I bathe them with flea shampoo every month, no longer do I use flea dip tho. I’m surprised we aren’t all dead by now or cancer could be starting possibly. Is there anything else I can try other than puttin the cats down to lower risk of flea survival?

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