Moving FlyStop SignMoving Fly

Welcome to the number one website in the world (more or less) about FLEAS! Fleas are parasites that live by sucking on the blood of their hosts. There are over two thousand species of fleas. Collectively they make up the order of insects known as ‘Siphonaptera.’ The name siphonaptera comes from Greek, in which ‘siphon’ means tube (fleas suck blood through a tube) and ‘aptera’ means without wings.

Fleas are NO joke!

Fleas are extremely small wingless insects. At their largest, they will reach an 1/8th of an inch. Different species of fleas feed off of the blood of different animal (birds and mammals) and are generally species specific. Dog Fleas will not feed off of cats and vice versa. Fleas are dark colored, ranging from brown to black. They are small and extremely fast. Though they cannot fly, they are the world’s best jumpers in relation to body size. A flea can jump as far as seven inches, which is over a hundred times the size of a flea’s body. By comparison, this would be like a six-foot person jumping over six hundred feet. Fleas’ ability to jump is the way they move from one host to another and the way flea infestations are spread. Fleas bodies’ are very flat and their bristles grow in such a direction that they can easily move between hairs or feathers on their host’s body. Their bodies are extremely tough, allowing them to withstand scratching and other hitting.

Fleas not only feed off their host, but also live on them. They lay eggs, a couple dozen at a time, on their hosts as well. Some eggs will stay on the host but most will fall off. The eggs will then hatch into small blind larvae that stay in dark places, like linens or holes in walls, and feed on rotting food, feces, and other foods they can find and scavenge around them. A few weeks later, they will turn into pupae and, yet another few weeks after that; they will emerge as adult fleas. During the winter, fleas stay in their pupa phase for longer in order to survive.

Adults live for a relatively long time compared to other insects. In ideal conditions (warm and very humid), a flea can live for several years and can survive months at a time without eating. One single female flea can lay potentially thousands of eggs throughout her life. This propensity for reproduction allows flea populations to grow at a tremendous rate. It should be noted, however, that at any given point of time the majority of a flea population is in egg form.

Flea bites are usually not painful however they can often become itchy and swelling is not uncommon. Fleas are dangerous in that they can potentially carry diseases. Some of the most common types of fleas are dog fleas, cat fleas, and human fleas. There are many species of flea adapted to feeding on human blood. The most common such flea is pulex irritans. Despite its common name (the human flea), pulex irritans is actually one of the few fleas that can feed off of dozens of different species of birds and mammals.

18 thoughts on “The # 1 Flea Information Website

  1. Shirley Martin Reply

    How do you get rid of fleas and how do you know where they came from.

  2. Gael Reply

    We have fleas coming into our kitchen. What is the best product to use to permanently get rid of them. I am spraying vinegar & water in the crevices where I see them emerging. It is keeping them under control but not permanently removing them. Would alcohol (not the drinking alcohol) work better or is there something else to use to permanently get rid of them. We have had them for about 5 days. Any info you could provide would be deeply appreciated.

  3. Jeanne Taylor Reply

    I have tried everything for my cats. Nothing works for more than 1 week . HELP!!!!

  4. didi Reply

    I live in the country and my flea problem is out of control. I have always found pyrmythirin (spelling?) had worked well. I have gone as far as bombing , dipping and yard granuals. now the bombs didn’t help, fleas reappeared with in a couple of hours, the dipping didn’t help , the granuals nope not that either. i dumped more than i had to ,I don’t have a lot of money and have spent my savings battling these fleas. I cant stop them. anyone out there, help what can I do?

  5. Dot. Schrack Reply

    I was bit by dozens ps fleas from maybe walking across the dust m flying grass 10 days ago they got on my back chest n groin n legs ! Have been washing in cool water with FELS. NAPATA. Soap 3 times a day ! U singing coconut oil which cuts down the horrible. Itching. They have. Chewed on my body. 3 different times. Just as one starts to clear up. The cubit again ! What else should I do. ..? I don’t go out side to much. Will antibiotics work? Thanks. . . .

  6. greg lahmann Reply

    how long will fleas live without blood

  7. Carol Sweeney Reply

    all about fleas, nothing on how to get them out of your hair.

    • Dee Cristo Reply

      Did you ever find an answer? I’m going through what you are/have been through and its awful. Please help me if you found a solution, I’ve tried so much in the past month m ready to drive off a bridge! I feel your pain. I had the dog and bird out of the house to fog but there were eggs on my head. I’ve tried everything, I can get rid of them, I’ve been on the web with no help. There is nothing to show you how to rid them from your hair. I’m almost ready to shave it all off.

  8. Betty white Reply

    What would cause a flea infestation on an totally inside house cat that caused her death…no sign of fleas in basement where she was confined…no fleas in house or yard…she was the only animal in the home. I had pest service chech & there were no openings where anything could have come in from the outside & no fleas brought into the house by me…only person living there or in house…what could possibly caused a flea infestation so major that she was dead & crawling with fleas…???

  9. Reebok Reply

    I’ve had fleas in my home for 2 years now. Cats are religiously on drops, never a miss. Frontline, advantage, vectra, revolution all keep them down but never end. I treat carpets every 2 weeks with onslaught/nyguard/precor still always reproducing. I’ve used salt,DE, borax on carpets to the point the integrity of carpets are ruined. I vacuum every day and flush bagless canister every time and wash Vac canister. I’ve bombed twice. I have 4 cats, they never go out. I bathe them with flea shampoo every month, no longer do I use flea dip tho. I’m surprised we aren’t all dead by now or cancer could be starting possibly. Is there anything else I can try other than puttin the cats down to lower risk of flea survival?

  10. Fleabites Reply

    I hate fleas

    • Robyn Reply

      ME TOO!

      They are eating me alive!

  11. Dee Cristo Reply

    I am at my wits end for the past month I have done everything I can to get the fleas out of my head my dog seems to be flea free my home I’m not so sure because of the flea life cycle but I’ve done everything the Internet has told me to do I’ve combed many eggs out of my head and my head is so itchy all the time I feel like their crawling on me it’s probably not the case but every time I use the nit comb I don’t see eggs like I used to, but I’m all alone p, I can’t see the back of my head. I’ve also lost 25% of my hair, one bald spot on my crown. I’m not crazy,I know there are fleas in my hair. After back surgery I was sleeping on the floor/carpet, which is how they got me….or the couch where my poor dog has been banished from because I don’t feel safe letting her up there. She has been treated for fleas I can’t find any but they sure find me :'( any advice from anyone would be sincerely appreciatelly, help me please. PLEASE

    • Lynne Parker Reply

      Get a shallow bowl or saucer. Fill with water, and swirl two to three drops of dawn dishwashing liquid into the water. Set a desk lamp or any lamp with bent neck over the bowl. Leave overnight. Should have a bowl of dead fleas in the morning. I’m so sorry you are going thru this. I have to treat my home, yard and dogs, but the fleas are not attracted to me, thank God.

      I also bath my dogs with Dawn Dishwashing Liquid. I’m sure you could use this on your hair, too,

  12. Cheryl Reply

    Dawn dish soap in warm water bath. Do not agitate the water as you don’t want bubbles, you want the soap stirred in the water. Place the animal into the chect high water. The fleas will run toward their head to escape death in the soapy water. Have a flea comb ready. Comb the head to remove the fleas, then hold the comb under water for 15 seconds. The fleas on the comb will die! Once you see no more fleas, rinse the animal well with warm water. I was shocked to see so many fleas in the bath water!

  13. HELP Reply

    Idk if I have fleas but I have red dots and swelling skin everywhere I have 3 dogs and 2 cats . We got rid of fleas but I think we have them again. If I fo have them, How do I get them out of my hair?

  14. furplaytime Reply

    Such an informative website! Thanks for all the helpful information. I’ll be checking back regularly

  15. Tx Lover Reply

    We have used beneficial nemotodes every spring. The first time we used them I thought it was a bust. But after 3 weeks no fleas. Get them at an organic garden center. They have to be refrigerated. Come on a sponge that is placed in water and then the water is spread on the yard. We have done ours only close to the house and all over the yard. Either method works for us. It takes care of fleas and ticks both. We have 2 dogs and then 1 dog and 2 cats; now we are up to 2 dogs, 2 cats (inside/outside) and need to do our yard. We live in the San Antonio area.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *