Are Fleas Long and Skinny?

Fleas are small insects that live as external parasites of mammals. They feed on the blood of their hosts. They lack wings and claws and have mouthparts adapted for piercing the skin. The length of their body is about three millimeters (1/8 inch). Despite their slim size, fleas can jump up to 50 times their body length.

Fleas are tiny, reddish-brown insects that are only a quarter to an eighth of an inch long. They are also wingless, but their large back legs enable them to jump a great distance. Fleas don’t have wings, so they rely on their sense of smell and antennae for navigation. They have small eyes and a slender proboscis to feed on blood.

Adult fleas can live for up to 12 months. Their lifespan can be longer if they have the perfect environment and blood source, but without a host, they’ll die within a few days. Flea eggs are semi-transparent, shiny, and 0.5mm long. They are hard to see with the naked eye, but you can sometimes see them when they are very close.

Adult fleas also use their powerful legs to jump onto passing animals. Once they find their hosts, they begin the cycle all over again.