Fleas
Considered as a domestic nuisance, fleas are known carriers of disease such as bubonic plague, murine typhus and a number of tapeworm infections.
They are external parasites that feed on different animals crawling amongst hair or fur and often moving larger distances by jumping. Spending little time on their host really only visiting for a blood meal.
The adult flea is very small, laterally flattened and has a body covered with short backwardly projecting spines. Their legs are stout and spiny, and the hind legs have enlarged femurs for jumping.
They are wingless and have no compound eyes; only lateral ocelli sometimesare present. Antennae are small, and mouthparts are developed for piercing and sucking.
A female flea usually lays between 4-8 eggs after each blood meal. In her lifetime she may lay several hundred eggs. Most eggs are laid on the host but can fall off anywherethe host travels. Eggs hatch in 2-14 days and the Larvae feed on organic materials such as crumbs, human skin scales and other debris.
Fleas enjoy warm humid environments often the reason they are a big pest in the warmer months. Fleas can accumulate in carpets, furniture, pet beds, cracks between floorboards, lawns, gardens and subfloor soil.