How Do Fleas Reproduce?

The first thing you need to know about fleas is that they reproduce very quickly. In just a few days, a single adult flea can lay 50 eggs. These eggs can be dispersed throughout the environment, including your pet. Then, once the eggs hatch, the flea larvae will encase themselves in a cocoon. The larvae will remain in the cocoon for weeks, or even months.

Once the eggs hatch, the flea larvae will spin a cocoon and enter the pupal stage. This stage lasts for about five to fourteen days, but can take longer under poor conditions. Once the larvae emerge, they will feed on the host’s blood. Once mature, the flea will mate with the host within 24 hours.

In order to reproduce, fleas need a blood meal, which they obtain from the animals they feed on. They can survive without their host for up to 100 days, but without a blood meal, they cannot lay eggs. This means that a flea infestation can be very difficult to control.

Adult fleas have three instars. The first is the larva, which is up to one-fourth of an inch in length. Larvae are white and legless, and make up approximately 35 percent of the flea population in a household. Larvae feed on feces and other organic materials. When the larvae have finished feeding, they will spin a silk cocoon and wait for their next step: pupation.