How High Fleas Can Jump
WouterFleas are small and have little wing structure, but their legs are incredibly elastic, allowing them to jump incredibly high. However, this amazing ability can be dangerous if not handled properly. To prevent your pets from becoming infested with fleas, you should make sure your environment is clean and free from debris, and use flea traps and sprays.
In an experiment conducted at the University of Cambridge, researchers measured how high fleas could jump. They used high-speed video cameras to film the insects’ jumps. They found that the fleas jumped a maximum of 33 centimeters (1 ft) and nearly seven inches (19.75 in). This was incredibly fast for a flea to accomplish, considering that their bodies are subject to around 200 g of force when they jump.
Fleas can jump approximately eight inches horizontally and up to 13 inches vertically. Their body weight is usually 1.5 to 3.5 ounces and measures under an inch long at its longest. However, some fleas can jump as high as 7.9 inches and jump horizontally nearly 19 inches.
This incredible athletic ability is the result of a combination of resilin-rich pads, which store and release energy as they jump. Scientists have long wondered how fleas do it. However, a new study from the University of Cambridge has cleared up this mystery and shed light on the mechanisms behind their leaps.
