Can Fleas Be Red?

Fleas are bloodsucking insects. They are about an eighth of an inch long and reddish-brown in color. They have small bodies, flat claws, and large back legs. Fleas have special adaptations for traveling through hair shafts, such as spines on their legs and back. Symptoms of flea infestation may be small red specks on a pet’s fur.

Adult fleas live for up to six months without feeding. They feed by biting and scratching skin with their saw-like mandibles. Their saliva contains anticoagulants that promote blood flow. After feeding, female fleas lay eggs. The eggs are oval and light-coloured. The flea larvae hatch after three to four weeks, and after a few weeks, they cocoon. Eventually, adult fleas emerge from their cocoons to feed on their hosts.

Adult fleas are about one eighth of an inch long and are dark reddish-brown to black in color. Their hind legs are modified for jumping and they can jump eight inches horizontally and thirteen inches vertically. They also have spines on their body and face, which lock into hair. Adult fleas feed on human blood.

Flea bites may be itchy and cause allergic reactions. Most flea bites appear on the legs or ankles. They usually don’t swell but can bleed if scratched. Their bites will also appear in clusters or lines of two or more. Fleas generally feed on human skin, but they will also bite livestock and household pets.