Fleas are small parasitic insects. Adult fleas are 1.5mm – 4mm long. Their well-developed hindlegs facilitate very powerful jumping. A flea can jump vertically up to 18 cm and horizontally up to 13 in 33 cm, making the flea one of the best jumpers of all known insects. There are claws on their legs to ensure that they can grapple onto the host animal.

Adult fleas must feed on blood before they can become capable of reproduction. Flea populations are distributed with about 50% eggs, 35% larvae, 10% pupae, and 5% adults.

The flea life cycle begins when the female lays after feeding. Frmale flea usually lays 4-8 eggs after each blood meal. Female fleas can lay hundreds of eggs over their life. The eggs take around 2-14 days to hatch.

A flea might live a year and a half under ideal conditions. These include the right temperature, food supply, and humidity. Withour food,fFleas can still survive for long perioeds of up to 4 months.