Do You Know If Fleas Fly Or Jump?
WouterFleas are amazing little creatures that can jump great distances. They are one of the few living organisms capable of such incredible agility and speed. The secret to fleas’ extraordinary jumping ability lies in their strong and long hind legs. Their limbs are coated with Resilin, an elastomeric protein that provides them with a soft rubber-like elasticity.
The first step in treating fleas is to identify the source of the infestation. If you’ve noticed that your dog or cat has fleas, it’s important to treat them immediately. They can cause severe irritation and even impair your quality of life. Luckily, you can prevent flea infestations by understanding their behavior.
The scientific name of fleas is siphonaptera. They do not have wings but rely on a catapult-like mechanism built into their body to make long jumps. Fleas jump over a hundred times their body length. That’s pretty impressive!
It’s hard to know whether fleas fly or jump when they’re so small. In fact, they’re 100 times smaller than the human beings we’re familiar with. Nevertheless, they’re able to jump hundreds of times their own size and can even jump over a foot horizontally.
A flea’s life cycle begins when it hatches. Once hatched, it turns towards the light and waits for shadows to pass by before jumping. This process can take several days, and an infestation can result.
