There are over 2000 species of fleas hopping around us, with only three breeds registering as common household pests in the Canberra area. Although their names suggest that certain types of fleas go after a single animals, cat fleas love the blood of both dogs and cats, earning the not-so-happy honour of being the most invasive flea species on this short list. Luckily, Canberra Pest Control exterminate all three without a problem, ensuring your pets and home remain safe and secure against these bitey, flighty little bugs all year round. Below, we’ve highlighted the features, habitat and habits cat, dog and human fleas – yes, there are types of fleas that bite humans, but they’re not very common in the ACT and Canberra specifically. Still, it’s better to have all the facts from the experts!
Flea 101: What Colour are Flea Eggs?
Adult fleas lay white eggs in mounds, often attaching their progeny to pet fur, bedding, carpet or rugs. Eggs can be found on skirting boards too. Anywhere your pet goes, eggs will too.
Cat Flea
(Ctenocephalides Felis)
Appearance: Reddish-brown, but can become a darker red after a blood meal.
Size: Adult cat fleas grow from 1 to 3 millimetres in length. They are are laterally flat insects with long, elastic legs that enable them to jump up to 35 cm in length – that’s around 150 times their own body length!
Lifecycle: Cat fleas lay their eggs on the host animal, which then slide off into the bedding or rest areas of the animal. It is here, in the cat’s bed (or favourite part of the sofa) that the eggs mature to larvae, pupae and eventually, adult fleas. Cat flea eggs can remain unhatched in furniture or carpet for long periods of time until the conditions are right for hatching. Pupae fleas are awakened from their cocoon by vibrations, heat and noise, so they often mature and become very active just after you’ve moved into a new place. The new adult fleas will jump onto a host as soon as it comes near, then begin biting within minutes.
Habitat: While they prefer domestic cats, cat fleas will take other mammals as hosts, such as dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, etc. Cat fleas can bite humans, but they don’t often take humans as hosts because they cannot survive on human blood alone.
Dog Flea
(Ctenocephalides Canis)
Appearance: Brownish black, but can become reddish black after a blood meal.
Size: Adult dog fleas grow from 1 to 4 millimetres in length. They are are laterally flat insects with long, elastic legs that enable them to jump up to 35 cm in length – that’s around 150 times their own body length!
Lifecycle: Dog fleas lay their eggs on the host animal, which then slide off into the bedding or rest areas of the animal. It is here, in the cat’s bed (or favourite part of the sofa) that the eggs mature to larvae, pupae and eventually, adult fleas. Dog flea eggs can remain unhatched in furniture or carpet for long periods of time until the conditions are right for hatching. Pupae fleas are awakened from their cocoon by vibrations, noise and the smell of blood from potential hosts, so they often mature and become very active just after you’ve moved into a new place. The new adult fleas will jump onto a host as soon as it comes near, then begin biting within minutes.
Habitat: Dogs are almost as likely to have cat fleas as dog fleas. Like cat fleas, dog fleas do not exclusively prey on their namesake, choosing a variety of other mammals when dogs are not available. Fleas can bite humans, but they don’t often take humans as hosts because they cannot survive on human blood alone. Adult dog fleas can be particularly troublesome because they can live for months without food, laying thousands of eggs in your carpet and furniture.
Human Flea
(Pulex Irritans)
Appearance: Similar in appearance to the cat & dog fleas, the human flea is usually a dark brownish to reddish colour.
Size: Adult human fleas grow from 1 to 4 millimetres in length. They are are laterally flat insects with long, elastic legs that enable them to jump up to 35 cm in length – that’s around 150 times their own body length!
Lifecycle: Human fleas lay their eggs on the host animal, which then slide off into the bedding or rest areas of the animal. It is here, in your bed or furniture that the eggs mature to larvae, pupae and eventually, adult fleas. Pupae fleas are awakened from their cocoon by vibrations, noise and the smell of blood from potential hosts, so they often mature and become very active just after you’ve moved into a new place. The new adult fleas will jump onto a host as soon as it comes near, then begin biting within minutes.
Habitat: Aside from humans, it can choose a variety of other animals for a host such as dogs, cats, monkeys, rodents and even birds.
Give fleas the flick with Canberra Pest Control. Call 6242 7779 today and speak to one of our experienced flea control technicians for a creepy, crawly-free environment.