10 Things You Didn't Know About Fleas

Any pet owner will know to keep on top of fleas with regular treatment. But what do we really know about these little pests?

Female fleas can lay up to 50 eggs a day- a major infestation can happen in less than 2 months!
To develop from an egg to an adult flea takes around 21 days. Eggs are laid on a host, these eggs hatch into larvae, and these larvae spin a cocoon and become pupae. Eventually, the pupae emerge as adult fleas.
Fleas have incredible jumping skills- Fleas can jump more than 150 times their body length! If we did this as humans, we could jump over tall buildings and cover amazing distances!
Fleas can transmit parasites- Fleas carry parasites, the most common being the tapeworm. When your dog or cat grooms, they can swallow the fleas which release the parasites into their bodies.
Fleas can last one to two weeks without having a meal.
Female fleas can drink 15 times their body weight in blood on a daily basis
There are more than 2000 known species of fleas.
Fleas can live a long time on a host- Fleas can live up to 100 days on a dog. With the correct conditions (correct temperature, food supply, humidity), fleas can live up to a year and a half, but generally, only live for 2 to 3 months.
Fleas can cause anaemia in pets- In extreme cases, fleas can cause anaemia in your pets. For smaller animals, this can lead to them requiring a blood transfusion!
Fleas have been around for over 100 million years. 22-million-year-old fleas have been discovered in the Dominican Republic.