How High Can Flea Jump?
WouterA flea’s jump can reach up to 13 inches. To achieve this height, fleas use resilin, a protein pad attached to their legs, to store energy and propel themselves into the air. For years, scientists debated how fleas achieved this leap and found that they catapult themselves into the air with a force of more than 100 times their own body weight.
This leap is not only impressive for fleas, but it can even outpace human jumps. A fully grown flea can leap seven inches vertically, or nearly 13 inches horizontally. This is twice as high as the world record for standing long jump, which is held by an NFL player who is about double the height of an average American man.
The ability of a flea to jump is a testament to its ability to survive. The insect’s wings are not functional, and the exoskeleton is designed to be strong and elastic. The mighty jump allows fleas to quickly accelerate and find a suitable host. Once they have a host, they begin their breeding cycle and begin laying eggs.
In a recent study, researchers from the University of Cambridge have finally put this debate to rest by determining the jump height of a flea. Fleas can jump between 50 and 100 times their body length. The scientists measured the distance of these leaps using sticky plastic and vertical cylindric tubes of varying heights.
