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SHEHZAD SALMAN

Roll no. 30
Semester 5th
Entomology 507
CLASSIFICATION
 Kingdom: Animalia
 Phylum: Arthropoda
 Class: Insecta
 Subclass: Pterygota
 Infraclass: Neoptera
 Superorder: Endopterygota
 Order: Siphonaptera
INTRODUCTION

 There are over 2,000 described species of


fleas in the world.
 The most common domestic flea is the cat
flea (Ctenocephalides felis).
 The dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis)
appears similar to the cat flea, but is rare.
 . The stick tight flea (Echidnophaga
gallinacea) can become a problem if pet’s
frequent areas associated with poultry.
IDENTIFICATION
(Adult Fleas)
 Adult fleas are about 1/16 to 1/8-inch long
(2-8 mm).
 Dark reddish-brown.
 Wingless.
 Hard-bodied (difficult to crush between
fingers).
 They have piercing-sucking mouthparts
IDENTIFICATION
(Adult Fleas)
 Have three pairs of legs (hind legs
enlarged enabling jumping) and are
flattened vertically or side to side (bluegill
or sunfish-like) allowing easy movement
between the hair, fur or feathers of the
host.
 Spines on the body projecting backward
 There is a row of spines on the face known
as a genal comb.
IDENTIFICATION
(Flea’s Eggs)

 Eggs are oval, and smooth


 They are tiny (0.5mm), but visible to the
naked eye.
 Small wormlike larvae (1.5-5 mm in length)
hatch from the eggs.
IDENTIFICATION
(Flea’s larvae)

 These have chewing mouthparts.


 These are active, and avoid light.
IDENTIFICATION
(Flea pupae)

 Pupae are enclosed in silken cocoons


covered with particles of debris.
Flea Habitat
 Fleas are likely to be found where pets
feed, rest and play
 From late December to late February it’s
the peak of the flea season
 Prolonged periods of warm, humid weather
in the summer months provide ideal
conditions for fleas to flourish
Flea Reproduction

 Fleas have a four stage life cycle. 1. Eggs,


2. Larvae, 3. Pupa, 4. flea adults .
 The complete life cycle from flea eggs to
flea adults can vary from two weeks to
eight months.
 Female fleas use the blood to nourish
developing eggs, she will lay up to 4 eggs
after each blood meal.
 Most female fleas will lay 100 eggs with in
her life of approximately eight months.
 The flea eggs hatch when they are
vibrated from animal or human
disturbance.
Life Cycle & Biology

 Cat flea adults, unlike many other fleas,


remain on their host .
 Females require a fresh blood meal in
order to produce eggs.
 they can lay up to 1 per hour.
 The young fleas will hatch within 2 days
and feed on dandruff, grain particles, and
skin flakes found on the floor around them.
 Larvae spin silken cocoons within carpet
fibers.
 Under optimal conditions, new adults are
ready to emerge within 2 weeks.
 They develop faster at higher
temperatures, but can remain in their
cocoons up to 12 months.
 Vibrations and/or an increase in carbon
dioxide stimulate adults to emerge.
Life span of a flea

 A flea might live a year and a half under


ideal conditions.
 Generally speaking, an adult flea only lives
for 2 or 3 months.
 Without a host for food, a flea's life
might be as short as a few days.
Problems Associated With Fleas

 The cat flea is capable of transmitting


plague and murine typhus to humans.
 Bites usually cause minor itching, but may
be more irritating to those with sensitive
skin.
 Cat fleas also serve as intermediate hosts
of the dog tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum)
 The flea is infected by ingestion of the
cyst during its larval stage.
Detection and Monitoring

 Detection is as simple as seeing fleas on


your pet.
 The black dirt is the adult flea feces left
behind to serve as food for larvae
 Monitoring is more difficult than simple
detection.
 Fleas reproduce rapidly (one female can
produce up to one egg per hour throughout
her 4 week adult life).
Prevention
 Trim lawns and weeds to create a drier,
less-ideal environment for flea larvae.
 Avoid piles of sand and gravel around the
home for long periods of time.
 Screen or seal, chimneys, holes etc. where
rats, mice, squirrels, etc may use to enter
buildings.
 Only about 20 percent of the larvae might
be removed when vacuuming since they
wrap themselves around the bottom
strands of carpeting.
Flea control

Flea control is a three part process:


2. Treat the Pet

3. Treat the Home


4. Treat the Yard
Treat the Pet
 Removing fleas from pets may be done by a
veterinarian.
 A flea comb may be used, but is not very
effective for removing fleas; only 10-60%
will be collected.
 .Fleas should be dropped in soapy water
and then discarded.
 Shampooing your pet removes the dried
blood and skin flakes that fall to the
ground and serve as food for flea larvae
shampoos contain various
insecticides
 Pyrethrins are derived from the
chrysanthemum plant and kill fleas on the
animal quickly.
 Pyrethroids are synthetically derived from
pyrethrins and have better residual action.
 Citrus peel derivatives, such as D-
limonene, are also added to shampoos.
shampoos contain various
insecticides
 Insect growth regulators (IGRs) and
insect development inhibitors (IDIs) work
by interfering with egg development and
molting of fleas. They control the flea life
cycle but do not kill adult fleas.
 Methoprene (Precor) and pyriproxyfen
(Nylar, Archer) are IGRs available for pet
treatment in sprays and flea collars.
shampoos contain various
insecticides
 Lufenuron (Program), an IDI, is orally
administered to the pet.
 Ultrasonic flea collars have also been
proposed for use to keep fleas off pets,
but are completely ineffective.
 Insecticidal flea collars also are not very
effective.
Treat the Home

 Vacuum the entire house and dispose of


the vacuum bag immediately there will be
developing fleas inside! Vacuuming will
remove flea eggs and stimulate new adults
to emerge from their cocoons, exposing
them to any insecticide residue on the
floor.
 Wash pet's bedding and throw rugs.
Treat the Home
 Sprays or foggers containing an
insecticide and insect growth regulator
should be applied according to label
directions after vacuuming.
 Light traps placed around the home,
especially where the pet frequents, may
collect fleas upon emergence from their
cocoons.
 Adult fleas have been noted to orient
themselves toward light and jump when
light is interrupted .
Treat the Yard:

 Loose debris and weeds should be removed


and the lawn mowed to expose their
environment
 Sprays containing insecticides registered
for outdoor use, such as pyrethroids, may
be applied during dry seasons every 2-3
weeks to shaded areas where pets
frequent.
Treat the Yard
 Pyriproxyfen (Archer, Nylar) is the most
effective outdoor treatment; it is very
stable and provides protection against
developing fleas for approximately 7
months.
 Larvae prefer shaded dry areas, so
spraying the entire yard is wasteful and
irresponsible.
 Sheds and dog houses should be treated
the same as the house.
Biological Control
 Using the beneficial nematode
Steinernema carpocapsae has been
investigated in several areas around the
United States.
 These nematodes are applied to the lawn
as a spray and destroy the flea larvae (and
other insects) by parasitizing them.
 This treatment should reduce flea
populations if label directions are carefully
followed.
Flea Killers are Cat and dog
Killers
 All drugs, chemicals and poisons that kill
fleas, kill animals as well...maybe a little
slower...but they do kill.
 Pyriproxyfen and ethanol, both teratogens,
cause damage to the reproductive system,
causing miscarriages, smaller offspring,
birth defects, not only directly to your
animals, but just touching your animal
after use can cause reproductive.
Flea Killers are Cat and dog
Killers
 Carbitol is a neurotoxin meaning it can
cause damage to the nervous system and it
can cause serious organ damage to animal,
to you and your family as well.
 Permethrin, Is a broad spectrum
insecticide, which in turn is an endocrine
disrupter and a carcinogenic insecticide,
causing lung cancer and liver tumors in
laboratory animals.

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