How Long Do Dog Fleas Live?
Flea life cycle begins with eggs being laid by the female flea, which will lay around 20 to 40 eggs per day. An adult flea can lay anywhere from 500 to 2,000 eggs over the course of her lifetime. The eggs fall out of your pet’s fur as the animal moves and represent about 50 percent of the flea population in your home.
Fleas can live for a year or more if the conditions are right. This is because the eggs hatch into larvae, which feed on organic debris for a few weeks. The larvae then hide away and advance to the pupae stage. They then stay in a cocoon for several weeks, preventing detection. During this time, an infestation is just on hold.
The flea’s life cycle is complicated. Adult fleas usually spend ninety percent of their time on a surface. They can jump up to 13 inches or 200 times their body length. Fleas live in warm, moist environments, and they tend to favor closed-off surfaces, such as carpets and upholstered furniture. Fleas’ larvae need a temperature between 90 degrees Fahrenheit and 95 degrees Fahrenheit to survive and reproduce.
Fleas are often difficult to kill, so treatment is essential. The most common method of controlling fleas is to keep pets indoors, but the pests can also live in outdoor areas. Using a flea control product can help you kill both adult and pupae. The best way to prevent an infestation is to regularly treat the home and the outdoor living spaces around the home.