Can Fleas Breathe Underwater?
WouterThe answer to the question “can fleas breathe underwater?” is no. Fleas are wingless insects that live their entire life in the fur or feathers of their host animals. This makes them obligate parasites – they need their hosts to survive. It’s not clear why fleas evolved without wings, but this adaptation has several benefits. It helps fleas jump higher and increases their chances of finding a host animal.
Fleas can survive for a week on the water’s surface, and 24 hours completely submerged. This means that they can spend about 7% of their life in water before dying. They are highly specialized creatures with a special respiratory system. Despite this, they cannot survive in salt water, chlorine, or other denser environments. While they can survive for a week in normal water, they will drown in bleach and saltwater within a matter of hours.
In fact, fish are better at breathing underwater than fleas can. They have gills which enable them to absorb dissolved oxygen. They also have lungs and skin that let them breathe air. Unlike fleas, fish have a low oxygen density. Therefore, they need to breathe more frequently to survive.
As fleas have evolved for millions of years, their biology has adapted to survive in water. This adaptation makes them more resilient. Their waxy exterior enables them to float on the water’s surface, which makes them more difficult to kill. The waxy layer also helps fleas move through the hair of their host. In addition, it makes them able to survive under water for up to 24 hours.
