How Long Do Fleas Take to Multiply?
WouterIn order to multiply, fleas need a host animal to feed on. Once they find a suitable host, the female flea will lay an egg. The egg will hatch within two days or so, depending on the environmental conditions. Once the egg hatches, flea larvae emerge, feeding on blood, flea feces, and dirt. In a few weeks, they will hatch into full-grown fleas.
An adult female flea can lay as many as 40 eggs per day. This means that, over the course of a year, an adult female flea can lay as many as 2000 eggs. Adult fleas prefer animals, but can bite humans. Their ability to detect body heat, vibrations produced by movement, and breathing allows them to detect their hosts. Fleas are highly contagious, and can transmit diseases through feeding.
Fleas can survive in the environment for 100 days without being disturbed. After their first blood meal, female fleas begin laying eggs and can lay up to 2,000 eggs in their lifetime. It is important to note that only 5% of fleas live in their environment as adults. The rest live as larvae or eggs.
The female flea lays its eggs on the skin of an animal. Then, the adult fleas emerge from the cocoon and jump onto a new host. While these insects are small and squishy, they can jump up to two feet to get to their next host.
