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Fleas are small, blood-sucking insects that feed on humans and animals. Fleas produce bites that can result in severe itching and inflammation, and flea bites may potentially spread a number of serious diseases. Fleas cut through skin using powerful jaws, inject an anticoagulant contained in their saliva, and continue to drink until... more »
Fleas not only feed on your pets, they also feed on you. As they say, the best cure is prevention but if you continue to suffer from flea bites, despite your best efforts to rid your pets and home of these pesky parasites, follow the steps below. more »
Fleas are reddish brown and small with hard, flat bodies. They are tough and nimble insects that can jump up to 8 inches to land on a host. Fleas are parasites straight out of a nightmare, sucking your blood and almost too small to see. Just the thought of finding one on you or your pet is chilling, but if you do find yourself... more »
Sand fleas, also known as sand flies, no-see-ums or Ceratopogonidae, are very small, usually bloodsucking, flies that inhabit beaches and other areas with large bodies of water. Sand fleas are nearly impossible to see, but their bites rival those of a large mosquito. Sand flea bites are extremely itchy and can be treated with an... more »
Sand fleas, or sand flies, are scientifically known as Ceratopogonidaes, but are also often called no-see-ums or biting midges. Ceratopogonidaes are found in almost every area with lakes, oceans or ponds. However, the species that causes the most trouble, the hematophagic species, is usually found at the beach. Hematophagic... more »
Everyone knows that fleas bite and torment pets. But fleas don't just bite animals; they can affect their owners as well. Here's what to do if you... more »
Fleas don't just bite pets. If you have a flea problem in your home or yard, these tiny insects can also bite humans. Preventing flea problems can... more »
Most people think of a trip to the beach and imagine nothing more than sand, sun and good times. Few people imagine red, itchy welts on the backs... more »
You're sitting there reminiscing about your day at the beach. The water was perfect, the sand was bright and powdery...and now your legs are... more »
Flea bites are common outdoor and household nuisances. Though they rarely carry infectious or dangerous diseases they have been known to transmit... more »
IIBD>
| regnum phylum [[Arthropoda
| classis subclassis [[Pterygota
| infraclassis superordo [[Endopterygota
| ordo Siphonaptera
| ordo_authority subdivision_ranks [[Infraorders
| subdivision
Ceratophyllomorpha
Hystrichopsyllomorpha
Pulicomorpha
Pygiopsyllomorpha
| synonyms
Aphaniptera
}}
Flea is the common name for insects of the order Siphonaptera which are wingless insects whose mouthparts are adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Fleas are external parasites, living by hematophagy off the blood of mammals (including humans) and birds.
In the past, it was most commonly supposed that fleas had evolved from the flies (Diptera), based on similarities of the larvae. (Some authorities use the name Aphaniptera because it is older, but names above family rank need not follow the ICZN rules of priority, so most taxonomists use the more familiar name). Genetic and morphological evidence indicates that they are descendants of the Scorpionfly family Boreidae, which are also flightless; accordingly it is possible that they will eventually be reclassified as a suborder within the Mecoptera. In any case, all these groups seem to represent a clade of closely related insect lineages, for which the names Mecopteroidea and Antliophora have been proposed.
Some flea species include:
* Cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis)
* Dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis)
* Human flea (Pulex irritans)
* Northern rat flea (Nosopsyllus fasciatus)
* Oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis)
Morphology and behavior
Fleas are small (1/16 to 1/8-inch (1.5 to 3.3 mm) long), agile, usually dark colored (for example, the reddish-brown of the cat flea), wingless insects with tube-like mouth-parts adapted to feeding on the blood of their hosts. Their bodies are laterally compressed (human anatomical terms), permitting easy movement through the hairs or feathers on the hosts body (or in the case of hum read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flea
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