Why Does Fleas Exist?
WouterFleas are tiny, blood-sucking insects that feed on the blood of animals, including humans. They’re also extremely expensive – we spend $9 billion a year trying to control their population. The good news is that there’s a way to stop them from spreading and killing your pets.
Fleas live on animals in a variety of habitats, including carpet, mattresses, and rugs. Flea larvae feed on organic matter such as feces and vegetable matter, while adults spread parasites and regulate breeding cycles in some mammals. In the home, fleas can spread diseases to humans and pets, and they can cause serious health issues if they are not treated.
Fleas are most common in homes with pets, and they can live on clothes, fabrics, and your body. Fleas can also infest items that you bring into infested areas. They’re most common on the neck, ears, and underbelly. Even if your pet stays indoors, it can still suffer from flea infestations because of the heat and vibrations that we produce. Fortunately, humans are immune to the common household flea, and human fleas are not common.
Fleas reproduce quickly. A female flea can lay as many as 2,000 eggs in her lifetime. Female fleas lay their eggs after feeding on blood from a host animal. While they don’t live long, their eggs can survive for as long as 175 days in the environment. When an adult flea emerges, it will need a blood meal within 36 hours. Adult fleas can lay 40 to 50 eggs per day, and can lay up to 3,000 eggs in their lifetime.
