How Big Is Fleas?
WouterFleas are tiny, parasitic insects. They are reddish-brown in color and lack wings. They are also good jumpers with six pairs of legs, and they can jump as high as 30 centimeters. Fleas are small enough to be seen with the naked eye, but they are incredibly hard to spot because of their color and ability to hide.
Fleas have narrow heads that allow them to easily squeeze through fibers in carpet and animal fur. They have 2 pairs of eyes, each with a single, dark-colored, biconvex lens. They also have a long antenna that is used to detect touch, temperature, vibration, and humidity. The male flea has a longer antenna than the female. The male uses the longer antenna to hold the female during mating.
Adult fleas are about one-quarter to one-eighth of an inch in length. They are also about one-third of an inch wide. In contrast, female fleas are slightly larger, measuring around three millimeters long. Female fleas are larger than males and have a larger, heavier abdomen. Almost all flea species go through a metamorphosis before they can reach adulthood. During this time, the larva spins a silk cocoon that is four to five millimeters long and one-eighth of an inch wide. This cocoon then turns into a pupa, which will then grow into an adult flea within a month or two.
The adult flea is one-eighth of an inch long, with flattened wings and legs. It has six legs, with one pair of hind legs larger than the other. It has strong claws for piercing skin, and a mouthpart that is adapted to pierce skin. The fleas have a long lifespan, and the female can lay as many as fifty eggs a day.
