At What Age Do Fleas Lay Eggs?

A female flea will start laying eggs 1-2 days after her first blood meal. She must feed first, because her ovaries are not fully developed and cannot produce eggs without a blood meal. Female fleas will continue to lay eggs until they reach adulthood. They will only mate when they have received a blood meal.

Female fleas lay as many as 60 eggs per day, and up to 600 eggs per season. The eggs are about one-half of an inch long and pearly white. They hatch in two days or two weeks, and the resulting larvae are tiny, white, and blind insects.

The life cycle of fleas includes four stages: the adult flea, the larva, and the egg. Each stage takes two weeks to complete, depending on the climate. When the temperature is high, fleas can lay up to 40 eggs a day. When the temperature drops, the larva and pupa stages of the flea will slow down.

The larvae of fleas require a moist, dark place to develop. The first stage is called the first instar, followed by the second instar and then the third instar. The third instar larva is capable of spinning a cocoon and pupating. The time between hatching and pupation depends on the climate, humidity, and temperature. In high humidity, the larvae will develop more quickly.