The Dreaded Flea

Fleas are wingless insects that have mouth parts which are adapted for piercing the skin and sucking blood. They are parasites that feed on the blood of their host. The size ranges from 1.5 to 3.3 millimeters, usually dark in color, very agile and they have long legs that allow them to jump up to seven inches high and 13 feet long making them the best jumpers in the animal kingdom, that is relative to their body size. Their bodies are flattened to allow them to move easily through the hair, fur or feather of their host, and in the case of humans, through the clothes. The body is very hard allowing them to withstand great pressure, this is the reason why most of the times pressing them in between the fingers is not enough to kill them.

Fleas are not just a simple pest for humans and animals; they can also cause Flea Allergy Dermatitis, secondary skin irritation and worst, even anemia. They can also transmit diseases from animals to humans and vice versa. The list of diseases include the bubonic plague from rodents, murine typhus fever of animals and in extreme cases, they can also transmit tapeworms. Bites from fleas are rarely felt because of the sharp, saw like structure of its mouth part; it is the anti-coagulant from their saliva which they inject that causes irritation. They do this to make it easier to suck blood from its host. Flea bite has a single hole or puncture in the middle of a small, red, swollen itchy area while other insects have two punctures like the ant.

Most homes today have carpets, central heating, and a number of household pets. Longer warm and humid weather during summer make it ideal for fleas to multiply. These conditions make it hard for both pet owners and pest controllers to eliminate fleas. However, there are many flea killers for our pets in the market that can aide in the elimination of fleas but one should watch out for things like itchiness, loss of hair and stinging effects. Generally, you should stick to trusted brands when buying these products like the K-9 Advantix for example.