Flea
Fleas are dark brown wingless insects that hop from one point to another.
They attack a wide range of domestic animals, such as dogs, cats, chickens and rabbits. It is from these animals that they attack man.
Fleas do not fly. They use their hind pair of limbs for jumping up to a height of 8 inches.
Their bodies are laterally compressed allowing them to move with ease through the hair or fur of hosts body
Size : 1/12 inches to 1/6 inches
Shape : laterally compressed
Color : Dark, reddish brown
Legs : 6
Wings : No
Antenna : Yes
Common Name : Flea
Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Arthropoda
Class : Insecta
Order : Siphonaptera
Family : Pulicidae
Species : Ctenocephalides fellis
Diet : Their mouthparts are adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood of various warm blooded animals, which they feed on exclusively. Their larvae on the other hand feed on organic matter or faeces of adults.
Fleas reside on the bodies of their hosts mainly hiding in the fur or feathers. They lay their eggs on the hosts body or on the sleeping material. The eggs are preferentially laid in dark places as their larvae are allergic to sunlight.
Incase attacked by fleas, use anti-itch creams to reduce irritation and swelling.
Use insecticides and pesticides to control and eliminate flea population.
Clean and wash your pets regularly to eliminate the fleas and interrupt their life cycles.
Wash linens with hot water and treating them with disinfectants to kill eggs and larvae.
Call pest companies that use integrated management techniques to kill both the larvae and adults.
Employ vacuuming and dehumidifying techniques to catch and kill the adult fleas.
Flea bites cause irritations that lead to frequent scratching and biting causing hair loss. Heavy infestation can also lead to anaemia especially in small animals. They also help in spreading diseases from animals to man where they act as vectors. Some of the diseases include typhus fever and bubonic plague. Their bites are itchy and irritating leading to itchy red bumps.