How fast do fleas multiply

Adult fleas find hosts by detecting body heat, movement, the vibrations caused by movement, and breathing.

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The speed of development depends on the temperature and humidity of the environment so growth to an adult flea can take just a few weeks to several months. Flea fact 2: Fleas like to be warm and cosy. At one time, flea season referred to the warmer summer months of the year but now, centrally heated homes mean that fleas are a year-round problem. Flea fact 3: Fleas need a host to survive. They need to find a host, such as your pet, to feed on so they can survive.

They will usually remain on the same animal for life, feeding on them daily. Without a blood meal, the flea can only survive for a few days. When we know the different growth stages of a flea, it can help to quickly tackle an invasion.

Once an adult female flea has found a host and eaten a blood meal, she can then reproduce and begin to lay eggs. The eggs are tiny white objects, usually around 0. Female fleas usually lay on average 20 eggs per day but they can lay as many as Flea egg s represent around half the entire flea population in the home. When the temperature and humidity is right, the eggs will hatch and larvae emerge.

Essentially, flea dirt is dried blood and looks like a trail of black specks. It can sometimes be visible on bed sheets. Flea larvae are a white, almost see-through colour and have no legs.

They develop over one to two weeks and are larger than flea eggs, growing up to 5 mm long. Female fleas lay eggs while attached to the host. Because these eggs are unattached, they will slowly drop to the ground where they remain until hatching. Flea eggs typically hatch in two to 12 days. The resulting flea larvae are small, whitish in color and have no legs. While they lack appendages, these larvae do have strong, well-developed mouths.

The larval stage is shorter in the summer, taking four to 24 days to enter the pupal stage. For the rest of the year, the process can take up to days. Flea larvae eat their own skin sheddings, waste from adult fleas and organic debris including hair and dead skin cells.

They are often found burrowed into or under pet bedding or in deep carpet to avoid light. A full size flea larva spins a cocoon to enter the pupal stage.

This stage typically takes five to 14 days, but may take longer under poor conditions. When ready, adult fleas emerge from the cocoon and wait for a host to pass by.