How Many Babies Can Fleas Have?
WouterFleas are known for their prolific egg-laying abilities. These little creatures can lay up to 50 eggs in a single day. They lay these eggs on a pet and disperse them wherever your pet moves. When these eggs hatch, they transform into larvae, which feed on organic debris and predigested blood. During their adult stage, fleas can produce up to two dozen new babies.
Fleas don’t have wings, but they have strong hind legs that allow them to jump up to eight inches. Adult fleas can jump at least one inch to reach their host. Once they are on a pet, they can live for several months. They also feed on a pet’s blood and urine, so it’s important to clean up any traces of blood or feces after an infestation.
Adult fleas are about an eighth of an inch long and are reddish brown in color. They are wingless and have a thin body. Their hind legs are adapted for jumping and allow them to jump up to eight inches vertically and sixteen inches horizontally. Their body is thin and compressed, and covered with spines. The spines help them to move through the hair of their host and resist pulling during grooming.
Fleas have more than 2,000 species. The most common species is the cat flea, or Ctenocephalides felis. This flea is found on cats, dogs, and humans. Female fleas are the most voracious, eating as much as 15 times their body weight in blood. Their life span is approximately two months.
