Talk:Flea

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Contents

[edit] External Link

I've gots me a page about how to get rid of fleas here that might be of some interest to readers. I would even be willing to do a little pest management section focusing on organic and biological remedies, for instance nematodes. Should I include the site in external links or go ahead and drop it in a flea control section? Some other topics concerning common pests look to have sections entitled "(topic) and humans." Might I start a section like that?

I'll drop the link in external for now and get to work on flea control. --[[User:Samoya|Samoya]] 18:36, 7 August 2006 (UTC)

I moved my comment to the expansion sectionSamb008 03:46, 13 August 2007 (UTC)samb008

[edit] arachnids?

aren't fleas arachnids?

NO, fleas are not arachnids, but insects. Arachnids are a class of chelicerata. The marine types are the sea spiders and horseshoe crabs, lack antennae, but have chelicerae, (grasping claws) or pedipalps, (appendages, that may be sensory organs, pincers or feet), and typically four pair of legs. Arthropods which have adapted to terrestrial life have book lungs and tracheae, and many have silk or poisonous glands. Included among these are scorpions, mites, and spiders. In the 80's the Reader's Digest had an article about spiders, which stated that every three days the spiders on earth eat insects equal to the total weight of all humans. Without spiders our planet would soon be overrun with insects.--W8IMP 23:51, 30 June 2007 (UTC)

Why does sand flea redirect to this page? Aren't sand fleas the superball sized crab-like critters that dig in the sand on the beach?

You are right; that was a bone-headed redirect. Fixed. -- tooki 03:14, 21 July 2005 (UTC)
The genus of these ovoid crustaceans is Emerita--W8IMP 23:51, 30 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] High jump - How high do fleas jump?

About hundred times of their lenght if that helps.

Considering a flea's jumping acceleration is 10X that of that space shuttle it might be worth having a section discussing flea's jumping powers in this article.

In the 70s I recall a Scientific American which discussed how the flea does it. They have a ratchet/trigger on each of their hind legs. They cock the hind legs into the triggers. When they are ready to jump, they pull both triggers, launching them several feet.--W8IMP 23:58, 30 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Bites from the Berkeley

"Bites from the Berkeley can be ..."?

rocks in the rhcp

[edit] How large and heavy are fleas?

The article does not give any indication about the size of fleas, except that you can guess from the text they are probably significantly smaller than mice. But how large are mice? That article does not tell either. Basically the reader can read the article and walk away with the idea that a flea might be as large as a Hercules beetle. (Aargh — Attack of the Killer Fleas.) Shouldn't the article give the reader some kind of idea (verifiable — no OR; don't start measuring your fleas now)?

The article Planck mass suggests (without source) that fleas could weigh (roughly) as little as 22 µg. Is that plausible?

LambiamTalk 21:12, 18 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Flea infestations sans animal

The article doesn't say what to do about a flea infestation once there is no more animal (e.g., new tenants in an apartment that perviously had a flea-infested cat). The Cat Flea link says that fleas cannot be sustained on human blood, but does that mean that without a cat to feed on, the fleas will die? How soon? When will the infestation have killed itself out if the cat fleas only have humans to feed on?

Brigittefires 17:36, 15 August 2006 (UTC)brigittefires

This article says to use the vet prescribe products over over the counter products, but my experience differs. I used can after can of the vet product and those things were juming around everywhere. I got a can of black flag, and they were gone.

We once purchased a large rug from a friend whose German Shepherd went outside in the evenings to pick up fleas, but spent all day scratching on the rug. We had no pets, so when those eggs hatched out they sustained themselves on us humans and jumped back into the rug to lay another generation of babies. They rarely stayed on a human longer than it took to suck a meal, unless they became trapped inside our clothing. We finally got rid of them by loosely rolling the up-ended rug in a closet, empty except for an open a bug bomb, closing the closet door, and leaving town to stay with friends for the weekend. The best flea killers are those that contain pyrethrins--W8IMP 00:34, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

There are products that you can find in hardware stores like LOWE'S or HOME DEPOT that will treat fleas inside and outside your home. You should buy products in a spray bottle because it is easier to get the product in cracks and crevices where flea larva may be hiding. A good website is http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IG087, it has an article on fleas, and at the end it lists common flea killing products and repellents in tables. I hope this helps you. Samb008 04:14, 13 August 2007 (UTC)samb08 12:09am 8/13/07

[edit] flea question

What part of the world did fleas originate historically? How about lice? Were they introduced by the old world into the new world? What does science tell us about fleas archeologically? Might you think it worth adding to the description about FLEAS?

[edit] Duplicate page

The text in the section now labelled Fleas dates back (mostly) to the original version of this page in 2002, so I think this is not a case of copyvio, but just for general reference, the info at http://www.fleasmart.com/life.htm is nearly identical; clearly one copied from the other. (Of course, if they copied it from WP, as I currently suspect, there's nothing wrong with it any way you look at it.) Just thought I'd make a note of it here. /blahedo (t) 07:38, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

Ok, the Wayback Machine is back up today, and in fact page at fleasmart.com predates this page completely (and by several years at that).[1] I'm removing the offending material. /blahedo (t) 05:51, 28 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Request for expansion

It seems to me like this page could use way more information than is currently presented. Areas such as treatment to get rid of fleas. Descriptions of the differnt kinds of medicines/treatments, and their effectivness. More information about habitats and common areas fleas can be found, etc, etc. Cavell 17:43, 4 November 2006 (UTC) Re-added Stub tag. Much is missing. I will try to add to this section when I find some timeCavell 04:54, 9 November 2006 (UTC)

I would like an expansion on flea control also. I found a website,http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IG087,that lists various products for in, out and around your home to kill and repel fleas. It starts out with research on fleas from the University of Florida that's very in-depth and probably would be good to compare with the information in this article. The products are arranged by chemical composition into tables,and name brands for homeowners. These products are easily found in hardware stores, like LOWE'S or HOME DEPOT. However, they include pesticides and other chemicals, which some people may not want, but I still hope that if this article is expanded you would use them as options. Samb008 04:02, 13 August 2007 (UTC)samb008 11:40pm 8/12/07

I think in this case, {{expand}} is more appropriate. Not every article with some information missing is a stub. Indeed, almost all articles are missing something. --Stemonitis 09:24, 9 November 2006 (UTC)
I removed the expand tag, it was gnarling the layout. According to WP:RFE, expand tags should only be used for a specific request, not just "this needs to be bigger." Oasisbob 04:47, 13 December 2006 (UTC)
  • I don't believe you interpreted that correctly. WP:RFE says "Articles to list here:

Stubs - Articles that are very short. These should be tagged with {{stub}}, or a topic-specific stub tag.

  • Longer articles that still need expansion. Be sure to tag these {{expand}} when you nominate them."

Sounds to me like an expansion tag is perfect. I feel this page is lacking. More info is always better. Cavell 18:35, 13 December 2006 (UTC)

More info is always better, but just about every article in wikipedia could qualify for {{expand}}. For this reason, use of the tag is controversial. Last time the expand tag was added, the WP:RFE process wasn't followed, to quote: "Almost every article in Wikipedia could do with some expansion. This page is for listing those for which there is a specific request." I don't think this means, "use the expand tag for everything, only list those with specific requests here"; rather, "Everything on wikipedia could be expanded, use the expand tag for those things for which there is a specific request." WP:RFE is the instructions page for the expand tag. I may be misinterpreting something, but I believe the intention of the expand tag is that pages marked expand should be listed on the RFE page with a specific request, or at the very least on the talk page.

Template_talk:Expand says:

Instructions to add template: 1. Add the template {{expand}} to the article or its discussion page. (Consensus is not yet reached on which is preferred. See discussion here and Wikipedia:Template locations.) 2. Add description of what is lacking in the article on the article's discussion page.

I think the exact purpose and future of the expand tag is unclear in the community, but to me the expand tag is useless unless its specific. This is a wiki, expansion is expected. Oasisbob 21:07, 13 December 2006 (UTC)
The ideas that Cavell mention at the beginning of this section is a specific request. If this talk page is not tagged, many people who might be interested in this topic would miss this request. WP:PNA, for example, creates automated lists of articles that have expansion requests pending. -- Beland 10:09, 26 December 2006 (UTC)
I've rearranged the pictures, reorganized the categories, added some material on evolution and morphology and added some citations to the article. Hopefully that takes care of some of the major concerns raised, however we still need more material (behavior, habitat, and most especially a life cycle section). I've also added a to-do list at the top of this page so we can monitor progress and anyone can added requests to the list. Any further requests for expansion of specific areas are appreciated. I hope to at least contribute to a decent life cycle section and get the article up to a B-class rating. Richard001 06:49, 27 December 2006 (UTC)
Finished the life cycle section this evening, I'll now take down the expansion notice. Richard001 09:20, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

I still think this article needs work-more expansion on flea control. For example, if your pet is infested treating it alone may not be enough, you need to treat any area in your home and around your home that is infested as well. The website I mentioned before,http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IG087, has great information on products to treat your home. If this article is going to have all the information it needs to help people I think this should be included or at least linked, or referenced.Samb008 03:58, 13 August 2007 (UTC)samb008 11:55pm 8/12/07

[edit] Start rating

I've rated the article as start class becuase it has little information, but not so little for a stub rating. Also, the pictures look out of place & there are little or no refs. Expand the article as it is a needed one... Spawn Man 07:53, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Hard body

The tough nature of the flea's body is quite notable - an evolutionary adaptation presumably developed over the millenia to avoid being killed by the host organisms response to attack the offending flea. I have no books available for a citation, though I'm sure if anyone can lay their hands on a detailed description of fleas it will mention this at some point. This information would also make an interesting addition to the itch article - scratching (or flicking the tail, pecking etc) being a behavioral adaptation to an itch, then the fleas body in turn becoming adapted to survive this defensive mechanism. Richard001 05:23, 24 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Lack of fleas

Since I moved to the high desert (Boulevard, CA, and Sparks, NV) I haven't had any flea problem on my cats, I haven't seen a flea on my pets for almost 20 years. What's up with that? In El Cajon, CA my pets and me had a constant fight against them. Might be worth a mention in the article somewhere about where fleas can't survive and what conditions they need to live. Thanks Kidshare 21:32, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] All living things need water

We lived in San Diego for ten years and never had any pet, but were ocassionally bothered by fleas evidently left by other pet owners. The first flea bite I ever got was while I napped on the living room floor in my apartment. The little stinker got inside my sock, and bit a little circle around the top of my ankle. They seem to get angry when trapped inside clothing, that's why my cats and dogs never wear it. But seriously though, what I think you are saying is that fleas, like all insects, proliferate in warm climates, but require a minimum of moisture. We were ocassionally bothered by flea bites from lawns in San Diego. In El Cajon there were plenty of pets, humans, and irrigated lawns and gardens for fleas to hang out between true hosts--dogs and cats. We now live in Detroit and have had so little rainfall this year that my wife and I have each had maybe ONE mosquito bite this year. Usually by May, we cannot sit outside after dark for more than 10 minutes. --W8IMP 16:25, 14 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Methoprene and cats

I am editing the statement about methoprene and phenothrin containing products being pulled by the EPA for the following reason: The statement, while true, is misleading. It can lead readers to believe that methoprene is dangerous to cats. It is not, the phenothrin was the cause of the adverse reactions. The fact that the product contained methoprene is purely incidental. Please read http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/flea-tick-drops.htm carefully. Observer31 09:20, 14 January 2007 (UTC)


[edit] How does an infestation feel

This seems like a critical part of the page to me that is missing. How to tell if you or your house is infested with flees. What is the sensation like? I'm having this sensation of hairs being touched or 'jumped off of' which is definitely different than just an itch developing, if anyone knows what I mean. It's much more exodermal than an itch and develops much more quickly than most do. Or maybe another page should be written about elimination strategies. -Dave

I don't think it warrants its own article, not for now anyway. Regarding how it 'feels'... if you have fleas crawling around, biting you on the ankles etc - that should be taken as a good hint you have an infestation :)

The bites are frequently the only sign that they are around. Like mosquitos, they seem to like some people more than others. One of my pets brought some pregnant mom who started a colony around the edges of my waterbed mattress. Perfect place--warm, with lint and casts (hair, dead skin), from several mammals, (dogs, cats and me).

Mosquitos like my wife better than me. Fleas seem to prefer me to her, since she never gets a flea bite, but I wake up with several.

How does one tell a flea bite from a mosquito bite? Mosquito bites are generally larger and, if not scratched, not as itchy. Flea bites are smaller and itch intensely. The best treatment for either bite is a hot compress, or water spray, a vigorous soap scrub with a nail or tooth brush and application of "after-bite", available over-the-counter in pharmacies in US and Canada. It contains aeromatic spirits of ammonia and/or witch hazel, (the active ingredients), and mink oil, (to delay evapouration). Since a 500cc bottle of witch hazel costs about half as much as 15cc of "after bite", I like to tape a Band Aid plaster which I saturate with W.H. after application directly over the bite. Usually the inflammation is reduced in 24 hours, and sometimes completely gone in 48.--W8IMP 01:23, 1 July 2007 (UTC)


Red bites occur in increasing numbers. They itch. Soon you'll spot a flea here and another there. Theyre hard to catch and resistant to squashing, they have to be cut in half or very strongly squashed. And you'll notice your pet reacting to bites or itches repeatedly. Tabby 21:18, 3 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] fleas have souls??

No idea how to edit this, but I was just reading and there's a note that says fleas have souls. I clicked to see if "soul" had some really obscure meaning, but the page it linked to was about...well, a soul.

I'm not going to debate whether or not a flea has a soul, but either way, I don't really think it should be in here. UPDATE: Just edited it out, hope that's okay. 68.93.89.196 09:17, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

You won't get an argument from me - insect possessing souls is definitely a topic that should be kept to its own page - if it belongs on wikipedia at all!Observer31 03:22, 21 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Are fleas host specific?

I've heard anecdotal testimony that all fleas are host specific (cat fleas to cats, dog fleas to dogs, etc). Though fleas can bite any animal they wish, they may not receive the nutrient(?) needed to develop into sexually mature fleas. Can someone with more knowledge on the subject confirm or deny this story, and maybe add to article if relevant? --Mrs Scarborough 04:41, 23 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Yes

According to Desmond Morris in his 1969 book, The Naked Ape, the flea evolved with human beings, as we gave up our fur coat. Read other Wiki references to them, and you will find that there are three distinct species of louse that infest humans, and various species of flea that infest different animals.--W8IMP 04:01, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] They're Back!

I picked off another 5-6 rat fleas from my dog last evening. They do not jump like dog/cat fleas, but burrow and run under his short fur. I pick them up with my guitarist's fingernails (a tweezer may work as well) and flush them down the toilet. They appear unable to swim. We hope to get rid of them for good as soon as we have 10 days of hard freeze (and a decrease in the rodent population) and will be moving during the Winter. In the meantime, it has been so mild here (they are predicting 16C today), we need to examine him by back-brushing fur with finger, or just watch fur as he lies under a good light. The bites are sprayed with 3% H2O2 (peroxide), or some witch hazel on a cotton swab. We managed to keep them out from under the mattress by vacuuming and dusting with a commercial flea powder. I have not had a bite in months.--W8IMP 12:28, 12 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] alternative treatment solutions?

i haven't really looked into it too deeply yet, but i have heard that plain old table salt is very effective in combating flea infestations. it seems to me that the section on dealing with the little blood-suckers refers exclusively to (expensive-sounding) commercial pesticides. perhaps we could be, you know, NOT advertising for Bayer? .. just a thought ~ Johndoh75 22:23, 15 November 2007 (UTC)

I've tested a number of old fashioned flea remedies, though not salt. Only 2 were effective, and both reduces the numbers quite a lot, but failed to clear the fleas.

1. Sticky tape traps. These are just strips of parcel tape, sticky side up, taped to bits of card and laid on the floor anywhere people wont walk on them. You need many traps per room, and they need to be replaced after a matter of days when dust settlement reduces their stickiness.

2. Water bowls. These are jar lids with water in placed on the floor, again many of them per room. Better results than the tape traps, but again all it did was change the number of fleas from a lot to a medium amount.

Treatments with no significant effect:

  • sulphur sprinkled on floor
  • tobacco "
  • Using a 15w light bulb to attract fleas to sticky traps did not increase yield.
  • I forget the others I tried for now.

Tabby 21:13, 3 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Organophosphates

"Even though organophosphate-based insecticides are still sold as flea collars, flea powders and flea shampoos, those are not recommended. Many strains of insects have become resistant against that class of compounds, and they display an unacceptably high level of toxicity against mammals."

Is the above true? Any ref to info on it? OPs are routinely used in flea control collars, and are used in the west for fly control in domestic houses, hence I'm really doubtful about this claim.

A slow release organophosphate (vapona style) flykiller makes an excellent flea control. Only the ones with a suitable OP in them, such as dichlorvos - many contain a chemical that doesnt kill fleas.

This is an effective and low cost way to control animal fleas, human fleas and house fleas, yet its missing at the moment from the article.


Tabby 21:28, 3 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Study page

My school, K12 Online School, said that we should go to this particular page to study (it's actually printed in our textbook). I wish my Wikipedia article was that famous! --Princess Janay (talk) 18:01, 14 January 2008 (UTC)