How High Can Fleas Climb?

When fleas jump, they use a special protein called resilin. The protein is like an elastic pad that stretches and contracts when a flea pushes itself off a surface. This elasticity allows fleas to exert 100x more force than they can with muscle alone. This allows fleas to catapult themselves off of surfaces quickly.

Unlike humans, fleas don’t have wings. Instead, they use a resilin pad on their legs that transmits power up to their bodies. This allows them to jump as high as 8 inches vertically and up to 150 times their own height. Although fleas can’t fly, they can jump up to two feet high, so their jumping abilities are pretty impressive.

Fleas have been studied for years to determine how they jump. Their jumping mechanics have long been debated, but new research may have settled a major question. Fleas lift themselves up by using their legs and shins. The force that propels them upwards is generated by a protein called resilin, which helps store energy during jumps. This helps them evade capture.

While fleas are microscopic and can jump several inches, they are not able to fly. Their waxy bodies make them difficult to break the surface of water. This traps fleas on water, where they writhe in desperation until starvation kills them.