Fleas – Know about their life cycles to tackle them better
Fleas! We all know how irritating they can prove to be. In fact, at times they get into our nerves and we are all the time preoccupied with the thought of how to get rid of fleas. Isn’t it? But you would perhaps be astonished to know that about 80% of the fleas that are found in our homes are actually in their egg stage or the larvae stage. The adult fleas, on the other hand, form just about 2% of the total fleas’ population. Actually, the flea life cycle can be divided into four different stages – the egg, the larvae, the pupa, and the adult.
About 35% of the total flea population at any given time is represented by the eggs. The eggs are oval in shape, quite smooth, and as small as one-sixty fourth of an inch. They are even smaller in comparison to a sand grain. Hatching of the egg depends on the external conditions such as humidity and temperature. But, in general, the hatching period is anything between 2 and 6 days. Concentration of the eggs is found in areas that the pets frequent. As a result, flea infestation is more in places such as the dog houses, etc.
The next stage in the flea life cycle is the larvae. Around 57 – 58% of the total population of the fleas is constituted by the larvae. The special ‘egg-buster’ spine near the head of the egg is the spot from where the larvae emerge. By the end of the first molt, the spine gets lost. The larvae do not have any legs, are whitish, and there is a fine line of bristles on both the sides. The bristles help the larvae in their movement. Their size is not more than 5/32th of an inch. One good way of flea control is to expose these larvae to dry conditions and they find it very difficult to survive in conditions of low humidity. Though the larvae are active and perform movements, they cannot cover longer distances. As a result they are found near the place where the eggs hatch.
The next stage is the pupa (or cocoon). About 8% of the population of the fleas consists of the cocoons. Cocoons are formed by the larvae by secreting a sticky matter that collects debris from the near by areas so that it forms a way of camouflage. Once the cocoon is formed, the larvae are much more resistant to the pesticides or chemicals. Hence it is always better to try killing them at the larvae stage if you are thinking of getting rid of fleas. Inside the cocoon, the pupa advances from the stage of larva to a bigger form. The process takes about 8 to 10 days. Then it forms the adult flea that accounts for barely more than 1% of the fleas’ population in total. Knowing this can possibly prove helpful to you in getting rid of fleas
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