How Large Do Fleas Get?
WouterFleas are tiny parasitic insects that live on the skin of animals, and are common indoors or outdoors on pets and furniture. They are brown to black in color and have long legs. Their exoskeleton is made of chitin, which keeps them from growing larger than they are.
Adult fleas are less than 1/8 of an inch long and are wingless insects. They have large back legs and are equipped with modified legs for jumping. They can jump 12 inches horizontally and eight inches vertically. Adult fleas are covered with spines, which help them move through host hair. The spines help them locate their hosts by detecting movement and temperature.
Fleas develop through three stages. During the larva stage, they are four to five millimeters long and half a millimeter wide. They will eventually grow to become adults, though only eight percent of them will survive the pupa stage. After developing into an adult, fleas will begin feeding on blood, using their powerful legs to jump from host to host.
Fleas have a unique life cycle. Their eggs hatch into larvae in about two to 14 days. After the larva stage, they will develop into adults and lay their eggs in the host’s fur. They will live in the host’s fur for eight to 24 days, depending on their environment. In this stage, fleas will spend most of their time on the host, feeding off of their blood and feces.
