The Life Cycle: Fleas

Termites are not the only pests you have to call Sentricon Philippines on, but fleas are also running rampant this summer season. Although the sweltering sun is enough to make any grown man cry and run for cover, fleas think otherwise. To fleas, summer is the best time to hunt for the perfect host to feed on, build a family and live happily ever after. And by family, I mean a whole society of fleas living under the fur of your most beloved furry family member. But how are fleas able to infiltrate your supposedly impenetrable fortress just within 24 to 48 hours? Don’t stop reading for you are about to find out how fleas come about!

An EGG-xciting Life Awaits

Fleas are rather patient bugs as they wait silently outdoors in shrubberies, or in furniture indoors as potential hosts pass by.  Once they have chosen a host, they would instantly jump and tightly cling on to them. As soon as the flea settles, they would start feeding on the host by sucking the blood off on their skin. A female flea will begin to lay eggs as many as 40 eggs a day right after having their first blood feeding. Once the eggs have been laid, it will take about a day, or even two weeks latest for these little buggers to hatch. Heavily depending on the weather conditions, flea eggs will hatch faster when it’s hot or humid and slower when it’s much colder.

Initiate Larvae Stage!

From vulnerable eggs to tiny, transparent, legless and blind larvae, these flea babies are far from the looks and behavior of their parents. They immediately seek out shade to avoid light, however they still do thrive in temperate environments as their development and chances of survival heavily rely on humid weather. Since they are underdeveloped flea infants and still unable to suck blood from hosts, their diet strictly consists of ‘flea dirt’ which is pre-digested blood left by fully matured fleas. ‘Flea dirt’ is also comprised of organic rubbish gathered from the environment. Additionally, so long as it is the perfect weather for raising larvae, we say it is possible to be infested by them all throughout the year. If the weather continues to be ‘flea-friendly’, just within five to twenty days the larvae will create and be encased in their cocoons.

Like a Treasure That Holds Infinite Riches

Cocoons or pupas are like shells that protect the larvae as they complete their metamorphosis into adult fleas. In other words, for a considerable amount of days or weeks, the larvae will stay in their pupas until they reach adulthood. You might think that this stage is the most vulnerable, unfortunately though, that is not the case. Flea cocoons are rather sturdy and can take a great amount of effort to get rid of, their shells are even known to protect developing fleas from chemicals. Talk about durability!

Out With the Old And In With the New

Once the flea inside the pupa fully develops, it is finally time for them to emerge as full grown adults. But wait! Remember how we said that fleas are patient parasites? Through the use of vibrations and heat, fleas will not emerge from their protective shells once they are able to sense that there is a host nearby.

A potential host passing by means it’s feeding time for fleas, using their amazing ability to jump, they are able to reach extraordinary heights, and easily landing on their chosen host. The cycle of life continues once the adult flea begins feeding again.  Flea infestation can be a year-long affair.  Sentricon Philippines better have a good strategy in getting rid of these little buggers because like we said earlier, fleas are patient little critters that are able to survive even through cold weather.