Fleas are the insects that form order the Siphonaptera. They are wingless, with mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. In order to get rid of fleas and prevent these irritating insects, we must realize about the life cycle of fleas. The fleas life cycle is similar to butterflies life cycle. There are four stages in the cycle : eggs, larvaes, pupae, and adult. Depending on enviroment temperture and humidity levels, the life cycle will take anywhere from a week to many months.
- Eggs: The beginning of life cycle occur when female fleas lay on the host (e.g. your dogs or cats). These egges are round, white, and tiny objecets that are laid in pets’ pur. The eggs will fall off easily while the host move. The eggs devolope from two days to twelve days, hatching when the condition is right for them.
- Larvaes: The larvaes are blind and avoid living in the lighting enviroment. They eat feces, and organic material from carpet or bedding. In this stage, they develop in the dark enviroment, such as carpet, curtain which is very dusty.
- Pupae: This stage is the last stage becoming adults. The pupae can incubate in 3-5 days if they live in the right enviroment and time. When is the right time to emerge? The condition such as a humidified and warm enviroment, especially in summer and spring season causes pupae emerge in a short time.
- Adults: The entire life cycle is very variable. The fleas depend on different ambient to shorten or extend their life.The cycle can be as short as two weeks or as long as two years. They wait for right moment seeking the host. Once they feel that they are in the right time, they will start sucking the blood from the host and breeding.