How High Can Dog Fleas Jump?

Dog fleas can jump up to 10 feet, which makes them a huge pest in the home. Their ability to jump comes from an anatomical feature and an elastic structure that allow them to jump from one surface to another. While fleas aren’t dangerous if they’re not treated, it’s important to know how to control them. You can use sprays and traps to keep them at bay.

A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology shows that fleas can jump more than twice their body weight. It also shows that they can accelerate up to 200 times their weight in just three seconds. The researchers who published the study concluded that fleas must use the resilin, which is located inside their legs, to store energy and accelerate. The researchers couldn’t agree on the mechanism that fleas use for jumping, however. Some researchers maintain that fleas jump using their Tarsus, while others say they jump using their tronchaters.

The scientists used sticky plastic to measure fleas’ vertical and horizontal jumps. The researchers collected ninety-seven hundred fleas and measured the distance they jumped between two vertical cylindric tubes of different heights. Fleas typically walk on the host, but when disturbed or the temperature of their host drops, they will jump. Hence, dog fleas can jump higher and farther than cat fleas.