MANSFIELD — Fleas can jump up to eight inches high. That is 150 times their own height.
If we could jump like a flea, we would be able to jump over skyscrapers just like Superman.
Here are some more interesting facts about fleas: The adult flea’s average life span is about 100 days; they do not fly; during a females lifetime she can produce 400 to 500 offspring; their eggs unlike bed bug eggs are not glued down, the eggs are able to roll and be moved about.
Fleas are parasites that feed on the blood of any warm-blooded host. The most common species of flea that we deal with is the cat flea. The cat flea species feasts upon cats, dogs, and humans. They are a dark reddish-brown and have a length of 1/12 to 1/6 inches long.
Unlike bed bugs fleas like to stay on their host. They infest both household pets and wild animals like raccoons, skunks, and rodents (mice, rats and squirrels).
Fleas use their powerful legs to jump as mentioned earlier 8 inches vertically and get this, 16 inches horizontally.
Fleas do transmit disease. They are the most common transmitter of the rare bubonic plague. In fact the Oriental rat flea was the primary vector of the bubonic plague that was responsible for the deaths of over 25 million people in the Middle Ages, more than 30 percent of Europe’s population at the time.
They also transmit the bacterial disease murine typhus to humans through infected rats; their saliva can cause serious flea allergy dermatitis in pets. Fleas can also transfer tapeworms and cause anemia in pets. Flea bites commonly cause painful, itchy bites that often exhibit a red dot in the center of the bite.
Prevention and control includes protecting your pets by practicing active flea management. Keep pets on a leash when outside, bathe and groom them regularly, visit a veterinarian at least once a year and use a flea treatment according to the directions. Clean and vacuum frequently to help remove flea populations and suck up their eggs.
Finally, be sure to keep your lawn groomed and areas where rodents or other wild animals may set up a habitat cleaned up. If you are having a flea problem in your home and are tired of fighting them on your own, contact a licensed pest control professional.
