FLEAS are highly specialised bloodsucking parasites...

They are light brown to mahogany in colour and roughly oval shaped. Their laterally flattened appearance enables them to quickly move through the host's hair. Measuring 2-8 mm in length, the adults are entirely covered with a series of bristles and combs that assist them in clinging to the host. The small head is equipped with sawing and sucking mouthparts, and two tiny simple eyes.

To aid in the detection of a host, fleas possess two short antennae on the head that are sensitive to stimuli including heat, vibration, traces of carbon dioxide and change in air currents and shadows. The hind pair of legs are well developed for jumping and enable fleas to be propelled 10-30cms.

Both female and male fleas rely on blood for their nutrition, but can survive for several months without it. When a flea blood feeds, it will crouch low to penetrate the host's tissue with a sawing motion of the mouthparts. A small amount of anticoagulant is injected with the saliva to permit easy siphoning of the blood.

Each female flea uses her blood to nourish developing eggs, and will deposit up to 4 eggs after each blood meal; most females will lay at least 100 eggs within a life cycle of several months. The eggs are oval, white to cream in colour and measure 0.5mm in length; they can hatch within 1 week. Within a 1-3 week period the larvae will grow and undergo 4 moults prior to pupating in a silken cocoon which they spin.

The adult fleas emerge from the pupal case in 1-2 weeks but can remain dormant in their cocoons for several months depending on the availability of food and conditions. Often the emergence of adults from the pupal stage is triggered by vibrations, which occasionally happens on entering an unoccupied home of previous pet owners.

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