Can Fleas Run Fast?
WouterOne of the most common questions about fleas is, “Can fleas run fast?” Apparently, they can jump up to 50 times their height and run 100 times faster than a human blinks an eye. This incredible speed is impressive considering that fleas are the size of a sesame seed. Their flattened bodies allow them to easily glide through fur.
Fleas can jump as high as eight inches (20 cm) horizontally and nineteen inches (48 cm) vertically. Since they are so small, they must accelerate quickly to launch themselves. They don’t have much time to speed up before leaving the ground. This is not to say that a flea can run as fast as a dog, but it certainly beats a human by quite a bit.
Fleas thrive in hot and humid climates. They will die within five days if temperatures drop below thirty-three degrees Fahrenheit. This is why it is important to start treatment before the fleas have reached this stage. Even if you’ve applied a flea-repelling treatment, the fleas may still be living in your home.
Fleas reproduce by laying eggs. Adult fleas lay around 50 eggs in a day, which are dispersed everywhere their host moves. Once the eggs hatch, they transform into pupae, which are fully-grown fleas that feed on the feces of a host. In three to six weeks, they emerge from a cocoon.
