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The Flea Lifecycle

1. An adult, female jumps onto your pet when it is outside
2. The flea feeds on you pet then, once in your home, can lay many eggs
3. These eggs are laid in your pet’s coat but soon drop off on pet bedding, carpets or soft furnishings.
4. In the course of her life an adult female can lay as many as four to five hundred eggs, usually in batches of up to 20-30 per day. Flea eggs are sensitive to temperature and humidity so can take between 2 – 16 days to hatch.
5. The larvae which emerge from the egg are very active, will hide from light and feed on adult flea droppings and household dust.
6. This stage of the flea’s life lasts between 7-10 days
7. When the larvae is fully developed it spins a cocoon to form a pupa in which the adult flea develops
8. This stage lasts between 10-17 days but if temperatures are low this can take several months and they can survive upto three years.
9. When the adult flea emerges from the cocoon it immediately seeks a blood meal and so the cycle continues

It is very important that any flea control strategy targets the different life stages – Adult, Egg and Larvae.  The topical product we recommend contains Selamectin which kills adult fleas, sterilises them so no more eggs hatch and the product falls off the animal and is eaten by larvae so they never become adults. In severe infestations a house spray will be needed to stop any eggs and larvae from hatching. Please talk to your vet or nurse for more information on effective flea control.

Fleas — Last updated on August 13, 2011