Flea
SEM of a flea
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Subclass: Pterygota Infraclass: Neoptera Superorder: Endopterygota Order: Siphonaptera (but see text) Latreille, 1825
Infraorders
Ceratophyllomorpha Hystrichopsyllomorpha Pulicomorpha Pygiopsyllomorpha Flea may also refer to: Michael Flea Balzary, bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and formerly of Janes Addiction. ... Image File history File links Scanning Electron Micrograph of a Flea; public domain from http://phil. ... SEM Cambridge S150 at Geological Institute, University Kiel, 1980 SEM opened sample chamber The scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a type of electron microscope capable of producing high-resolution images of a sample surface. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... Kingdoms Animalia - Animals Fungi Plantae - Plants Chromalveolata Protista Alternative phylogeny Unikonta Opisthokonta Metazoa Choanozoa Eumycota Amoebozoa Bikonta Apusozoa Cabozoa Rhizaria Excavata Corticata Archaeplastida Chromalveolata Animals, plants, fungi, and protists are eukaryotes (IPA: ), organisms whose cells are organized into complex structures by internal membranes and a cytoskeleton. ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - spiders,scorpions, etc. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... Orders     Palaeodictyoptera - extinct     Ephemeroptera (mayflies)     Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)   Infraclass Neoptera     Blattodea (cockroaches)     Mantodea (mantids)     Isoptera (termites)     Zoraptera     Grylloblattodea (rock crawlers)     Dermaptera (earwigs)     Plecoptera (stoneflies)     Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, katydids)     Phasmatodea (walking sticks, timemas)     Embioptera (webspinners)     Mantophasmatodea (gladiators)    Superorder Hemipterodea     Psocoptera (booklice, barklice)     Phthiraptera (lice)     Hemiptera (true bugs)     Thysanoptera (thrips)    Superorder... Orders     Blattodea (cockroaches)     Mantodea (mantids)     Isoptera (termites)     Zoraptera     Grylloblattodea     Dermaptera (earwigs)     Plecoptera (stoneflies)     Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, katydids)     Phasmatodea (walking sticks, timemas)     Embioptera (webspinners)     Mantophasmatodea (gladiators)    Superorder Hemipterodea     Psocoptera (booklice, barklice)     Phthiraptera (lice)     Hemiptera (true bugs)     Thysanoptera (thrips)    Superorder Endopterygota     Miomoptera - extinct     Megaloptera (alderflies, etc. ... Orders Coleoptera (beetles) Diptera (flies and relatives) Hymenoptera (wasps and relatives) Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) Mecoptera Megaloptera Miomoptera (extinct) Neuroptera Raphidioptera (snakeflies) Siphonaptera (fleas) Strepsiptera Trichoptera (caddisflies) The Endopterygota, also known as Holometabola, are insects of the subclass Pterygota which go through distinctive larval, pupal, and adult stages. ... Pierre André Latreille. ... Year 1825 (MDCCCXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ...
Synonyms
Aphaniptera In scientific nomenclature, synonyms are different scientific names used for a single taxon. ...

Flea is the common name for any of the small wingless insects of the order Siphonaptera (some authorities use the name Aphaniptera because it is older, but names above family rank need not follow the ICZN rules of priority, so most taxonomists use the more familiar name). Fleas are external parasites, living by hematophagy off the blood of mammals and birds. Genetic and morphological evidence indicates that they are descendants of the Scorpionfly family Boreidae, which are also flightless; accordingly it is possible that they will eventually be reclassified as a suborder within the Mecoptera. In the past, however, it was most commonly supposed that fleas had evolved from the flies (Diptera), based on similarities of the larvae. In any case, all these groups seem to represent a clade of closely related insect lineages, for which the names Mecopteroidea and Antliophora have been proposed. In science, a common name is any name by which a species or other concept is known that is not the official scientific name. ... Orders Subclass Apterygota Archaeognatha (bristletails) Thysanura (silverfish) Subclass Pterygota Infraclass Paleoptera (Probably paraphyletic) Ephemeroptera (mayflies) Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) Infraclass Neoptera Superorder Exopterygota Grylloblattodea (ice-crawlers) Mantophasmatodea (gladiators) Plecoptera (stoneflies) Embioptera (webspinners) Zoraptera (angel insects) Dermaptera (earwigs) Orthoptera (grasshoppers, etc) Phasmatodea (stick insects) Blattodea (cockroaches) Isoptera (termites) Mantodea (mantids) Psocoptera... In scientific classification used in biology, the order (Latin: ordo, plural ordines) is a rank between class and family (termed a taxon at that rank). ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a set of rules in zoology that have one fundamental aim: to provide the maximum universality and continuity in classifying all animals according to taxonomic judgment. ... A parasite is an organism that spends a significant portion of its life in or on the living tissue of a host organism and which causes harm to the host without immediately killing it. ... An Anopheles stephensi mosquito obtaining a blood meal from a human host through its pointed proboscis. ... Human blood smear: a - erythrocytes; b - neutrophil; c - eosinophil; d - lymphocyte. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of sweat glands, including those that produce milk, and by the presence of: hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... Families Nannochoristidae Boreidae (snow fleas) Siphonaptera (fleas) Meropeidae (earwig flies) Eomeropidae Apteropanorpidae Choristidae Panorpodidae Bittacidae (hanging flies) Panorpidae (scorpion flies) Mecoptera are an order of insects with about 600 species worldwide. ... Genera Snow scorpionflies (Boreidae) are a very small family of Scorpionflies, containing only around 30 species, all of which are boreal or high-altitude species in the Northern Hemisphere. ... Families Nannochoristidae Boreidae (snow fleas) Siphonaptera (fleas) Meropeidae (earwig flies) Eomeropidae Apteropanorpidae Choristidae Panorpodidae Bittacidae (hanging flies) Panorpidae (scorpion flies) Mecoptera are an order of insects with about 600 species worldwide. ... For other uses, see Fly (disambiguation) and Flies (disambiguation). ... Suborders Nematocera (includes Eudiptera) Brachycera Diptera (di - two, ptera - wings), or true flies, is the order of insects possessing only a single pair of wings on the mesothorax; the metathorax bears a pair of drumstick like structures called the halteres, the remnants of the hind wings. ... A clade is a term belonging to the discipline of cladistics. ...

Some well known flea species include:

• Cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis),
• Dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis),
• Human flea (Pulex irritans),
• Northern rat flea (Nosopsyllus fasciatus),
• Oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis).

Binomial name Ctenocephalides felis The Cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is one of the most abundant and widespread fleas in the world. ... Binomial name Xenopsylla cheopsis The rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopsis) feeds from rodents, and is the most common cause for infection of the bubonic plague. ...

Morphology and behavior

Diagram of a Flea

Fleas are small (1/16 to 1/8-inch (1.5 to 3.3 mm) long), agile, usually dark coloured (e.g. the reddish-brown of the cat flea), wingless insects with tube-like mouthparts adapted to feeding on the blood of their hosts. Their bodies are laterally compressed, (i.e., flattened side to side) permitting easy movement through the hairs (or feathers etc.) on the host's body. Their legs are long, the hind pair well adapted for jumping (vertically up to seven inches (18 cm); horizontally thirteen inches (33 cm)^[1]) - around 200 times their own body length, making the flea the best jumper out of all animals (in comparison to body size). The flea body is hard, polished, and covered with many hairs and short spines directed backward^[2], allowing the flea a smooth passage through the hairs of its host. Its tough body is able to withstand great pressure, likely an adaptation to survive scratching etc. Even hard squeezing between the fingers is normally insufficient to kill the flea; it may be necessary to crush them between the fingernails or roll them between the fingers. Image File history File links Scheme_flea_anatomy-en. ... Image File history File links Scheme_flea_anatomy-en. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ...

Hooke's drawing of a flea in Micrographia

Fleas lay tiny white oval shaped eggs. Their larvae are small and pale with bristles covering their worm-like body. They are without eyes, and have mouthparts adapted to chewing. While the adult flea's diet consists solely of blood, their larvae feed on various organic matter including the feces of mature fleas.^[3] In the pupae phase the larvae are enclosed in a silken, debris covered cocoon. Greyscale picture of Robert Hookes drawing of a flea in his Micrographia. ... Greyscale picture of Robert Hookes drawing of a flea in his Micrographia. ... Robert Hooke, FRS (July 18, 1635 – March 3, 1703) was an English polymath who played an important role in the scientific revolution, through both experimental and theoretical work. ... Hookes drawing of a flea Micrographia is a historical book by Robert Hooke, detailing the then twenty-eight year-old Hookes observations through various lenses. ...

Life cycle and habitat

Fleas are holometabolous insects, going through the four life cycle stages of embryo, larva, pupa and imago (adult). The flea life cycle begins when the female lays after feeding. Adult fleas must feed on blood before they can become capable of reproduction.^[2] Eggs are laid in batches of up to 20 or so, usually on the host itself, which easily roll onto the ground. As such, areas where the host rests and sleeps become one of the primary habitats of eggs and developing fleas. The eggs take around two days to two weeks to hatch^[1]. Holometabolism, also called complete metamorphism, is a term applied to insect groups to describe the specific kind of insect development which includes four life stages - as an embryo, a larva, a pupa and an imago. ... A life cycle is a period involving one generation of an organism through means of reproduction, whether through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction. ... For other uses, see Embryo (disambiguation). ... A larval insect A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of animal with indirect development, undergoing metamorphosis (for example, insects or amphibians). ... Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) pupa Chrysalis redirects here: for other meanings see Chrysalis (disambiguation). ... The imago is the last stage of development of an insect, after the last ecdysis of an incomplete metamorphosis, or after emergence from pupation where the metamorphosis is complete. ... Look up habitat in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Micrograph of a flea larva.

Flea larvae emerge from the eggs to feed on any available organic material such as dead insects, feces and vegetable matter. They are blind and avoid sunlight, keeping to dark places like sand, cracks and crevices, and bedding. Given an adequate supply of food, larvae should pupate within 1-2 weeks. After going through three larval stages they spin a silken cocoon. After another week or two the adult flea is fully developed and ready to emerge from the cocoon. They may however remain resting during this period until they receive a signal that a host is near - vibrations (including sound), heat and carbon dioxide are all stimuli indicating the probable presence of a host.^[1] Fleas are known to overwinter in the larval or pupal stages. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (913x985, 480 KB) Keywords: en: flea larva parasite de: Floh Larve Parasit File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Flea ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (913x985, 480 KB) Keywords: en: flea larva parasite de: Floh Larve Parasit File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Flea ... A micrograph is a photograph or similar image taken through a microscope or similar device to show a magnified image of an item. ... For other uses of this word, see Silk (disambiguation). ... Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. ... To overwinter is to pass through or wait out the winter season, or to pass through that period of the year when “winter” conditions (cold temperatures, ice, snow, limited food supplies) make normal activity or survival difficult or impossible. ...

Once the flea reaches adulthood its primary goal is to find blood - adult fleas must feed on blood in order to reproduce[1]. Adult fleas only have around a week to find food once they emerge, though they can survive two months to a year between meals. A flea population is unevenly distributed, with 50 percent eggs, 35 percent larvae, 10 percent pupae and 5 percent adults.^[1] Their total life cycle can take as little as two weeks, but may be lengthened to many months if conditions are favourable. Female fleas can lay 500 or more eggs over their life, allowing for phenomenal growth rates.

Evolution and classification

Fleas are apparently related to scorpionflies^[4], winged insects with good eyesight. The flightless snow flea with its rudimentary wings seems to be close to the common ancestor of the 2000 or so currently known varieties of flea, which split off in many directions around 160 million years ago.^[4] Their evolution continued to produce adaptations for their specialized parasitic niche, such that they now have no wings and their eyes are covered over. The large number of flea species may be attributed to the wide variety of host species they feed on, which provides so many specific ecological niches to adapt to. Families Nannochoristidae Boreidae (snow fleas) Siphonaptera (fleas) Meropeidae (earwig flies) Eomeropidae Apteropanorpidae Choristidae Panorpodidae Bittacidae (hanging flies) Panorpidae (scorpion flies) Mecoptera are an order of insects with about 600 species worldwide. ... Genera Snow scorpionflies (Boreidae) are a very small family of Scorpionflies, containing only around 30 species, all of which are boreal or high-altitude species in the Northern Hemisphere. ... The human vermiform appendix is a vestigial structure; it no longer retains its original function. ... Two lichens on a rock, in two different ecological niches In ecology, a niche; (pronounced nich, neesh or nish)[1] is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in its ecosystem[1]. The ecological niche; describes how an organism or population responds to the distribution of...

Flea systematics is not entirely fixed. While compared to many other insect groups fleas have been studied and classified fairly thoroughly, details still remain to be learned about the evolutionary relationships among the different flea lineages. Biological systematics is the study of the diversity of life on the planet earth, both past and present, and the relationships among living things through time. ... This article is about evolution in biology. ...

Infraorder Pulicomorpha Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ...

• Superfamily Pulicoidea
  • Family Tungidae – sticktight and chigoe fleas ("chiggers" of Latin America)
  • Family Pulicidae – common fleas
• Superfamily Malacopsylloidea
  • Family Malacopsyllidae
  • Family Rhopalopsyllidae – hosts: marsupials
• Superfamily Vermipsylloidea
  • Family Vermipsyllidae – hosts: carnivores
• Superfamily Coptopsylloidea
  • Family Coptopsyllidae
• Superfamily Ancistropsylloidea
  • Family Ancistropsyllidae

Infraorder Pygiopsyllomorpha In biology, a superfamily is a taxonomic grade intermediate between suborder and family. ... a family of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 1997 Family is a Western term used to denote a domestic group of people, or a number of domestic groups linked through descent (demonstrated or stipulated) from a common ancestor, marriage or adoption. ... The chigoe flea (Tunga penetrans; also known as Sarcopsylla penetrans or Pulex penetrans) is a parasitic arthropod found in tropical climates, especially South America and the West Indies. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ...

• Superfamily Pygiopsylloidea
  • Family Lycopsyllidae
  • Family Pygiopsyllidae
  • Family Stivaliidae

Infraorder Hystrichopsyllomorpha

• Superfamily Hystrichopsylloidea
  • Family Hystrichopsyllidae – hosts: rats and mice. Includes Ctenopsyllidae, Amphipsyllidae
  • Family Chimaeropsyllidae
• Superfamily Macropsylloidea
  • Family Macropsyllidae
• Superfamily Stephanocircidoidea
  • Family Stephanocircidae - hosts: rodents

Infraorder Ceratophyllomorpha Genera Craneopsylla Sphinctopsylla Stephanocircus Stephanocircidae is a family of fleas native to South America, where they are found on rodents Categories: | | ...

• Superfamily Ceratophylloidea
  • Family Ceratophyllidae - hosts: rodents and birds. Includes Dolichopsyllidae
  • Family Leptopsyllidae – hosts: mice and rats
  • Family Ischnopsyllidae – hosts: bats
  • Family Xiphiopsyllidae

Genera About 45, see text Synonyms Dolichopsyllidae Ceratophyllidae is a family of fleas. ...

Relationship with host

Flea bites on the back of a human

Flea bite on the waist of a human with no reaction

Fleas attack a wide variety of warm-blooded vertebrates including dogs, cats, humans, chickens, rabbits, squirrels, rats and mice. Fleas are a nuisance to their hosts, causing an itching sensation which in turn may result in the host attempting to remove the pest by biting, pecking, scratching etc the vicinity of the parasite. Fleas are not simply a source of annoyance, however. Some people and animals suffer allergic reactions to flea saliva resulting in rashes. Flea bites generally result in the formation of a slightly-raised swollen itching spot with a single puncture point at the center. The bites often appear in clusters or lines, and can remain itchy and inflamed for up to several weeks afterwards. Fleas can also lead to hair loss as a result of frequent scratching and biting by the animal, and can cause anemia in extreme cases. Image File history File linksMetadata Fleabite. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Fleabite. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... A warm-blooded (homeothermic) animal is one that can keep its core body temperature at a nearly constant level regardless of the temperature of the surrounding environment (that is, to maintain thermal homeostasis) . This can involve not only the ability to generate heat, but also the ability to cool down... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... An itch (Latin: pruritus) is an uncomfortable sensation felt on an area of skin that causes a person or animal to desire to scratch that area. ... Pancreatitus can be caused by an Allergic Reaction to a food. ... Saliva is the watery and usually frothy substance produced in the mouths of humans and some animals. ... A rash is a change in skin which affects its color, appearance, or texture. ... This article discusses the medical condition. ...

Besides the problems posed by the creature itself, fleas can also act as a vector for disease. For example, fleas transmitted the bubonic plague between rodents and humans by carrying Yersinia pestis bacteria. Murine typhus (endemic typhus) fever, and in some cases Hymenolepiasis (tapeworm) can also be transmitted by fleas. In epidemiology, a vector is an organism that does not cause disease itself but which spreads infection by conveying pathogens from one host to another. ... This article is about the medical term. ... The bubonic plague or bubonic fever is the best-known variant of the deadly infectious disease caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis. ... Binomial name (Lehmann & Neumann, 1896) van Loghem 1944 Yersinia pestis is a Gram-negative facultative anaerobic bipolar-staining (giving it a safety pin appearance) bacillus bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae. ... Hymenolepiasis is infestation by one of two species of tapeworm: Hymenolepis nana Hymenolepis diminuta Alternative names are: Dwarf tapeworm infection Rat tapeworm Causes, incidence, and risk factors Hymenolepis live in warm climates and are common in the southern USA. The eggs of these worms are ingested by insects, and mature... Orders Subclass Cestodaria Amphilinidea Gyrocotylidea Subclass Eucestoda Aporidea Caryophyllidea Cyclophyllidea Diphyllidea Lecanicephalidea Litobothridea Nippotaeniidea Proteocephalidea Pseudophyllidea Spathebothriidea Tetraphyllidea Trypanorhyncha In biology, Cestoda is the class of parasitic flatworms, called cestodes or tapeworms, that live in the digestive tract of vertebrates as adults and often in the bodies of various animals...

Flea treatments

For humans

Flea "dirt" in the fur of a cat is actually excess blood (from host) consumed by the adult flea, passed as feces.

The itching associated with flea bites can be treated with anti-itch creams, usually antihistaminics or hydrocortisone. Calamine lotion has been shown to lack any effect on itching. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 472 KB) Summary This was brushed out of the cat this morning Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 472 KB) Summary This was brushed out of the cat this morning Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby grant the permission to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License... An example of a bite. ... Antipruritics, also known as anti-itch drugs, are medications that inhibit the itching (Latin: pruritus) that is often associated with sunburns, allergic reactions, eczema, psoriasis, chickenpox, fungal infections, insect bites and stings like those from mosquitoes, fleas, and mites, and contact dermatitis and urticaria caused by plants such as poison... An antihistamine is a drug which serves to reduce or eliminate effects mediated by histamine, an endogenous chemical mediator released during allergic reactions, through action at the histamine receptor. ... Hydrocortisone is a synthetic corticosteroid drug which may be given by injection or by topical application. ... Calamine lotion is a zinc-based antipruritic typically used to treat sunburn, eczema, rashes and insect bites and stings. ...

For pets

The fleas, their larvae, or their eggs can be controlled with insecticides. Lufenuron and fipronil are popular veterinary preparation that attacks the larval flea's ability to produce chitin. Flea medicines need to be used with care as many, especially the acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, also affect mammals. Popular brands include Bayer Advantage, Advantix, and Frontline. It has been suggested that ovicide be merged into this article or section. ... Lufenuron is an enzyme and the active ingredient in the anti-flea veterinary medicine Program. ... Fipronil is the active ingredient in Frontline, a topical flea control commonly used on dogs and cats. ... Structure of the chitin molecule, showing two of the N-Acetylglucosamine units that repeat to form long chains in beta-1,4 linkage. ... A cholinesterase inhibitor or anticholinesterase is a chemical that inhibits a cholinesterase enzyme from breaking down acetylcholine, so increasing both the level and duration of action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. ...

For the home

Combating a flea infestation in the home takes patience as for every flea found on an animal there are many more developing in the home. A spot-on insecticide, such as Advantage, Frontline or Revolution will kill the fleas on the pet and in turn the pet itself will be a roving fleatrap and mop up newly hatched fleas. The environment ought to be treated with a fogger containing an insect growth regulator, such as pyriproxyfen or methoprene to kill eggs and pupae, which are quite resistant against insecticides. Frequent vacuuming is also helpful, but you must immediately dispose of the vacuum bag afterwards. In insects, juvenile hormone (also neotenin) refers to a group of hormones which ensure growth of the larva, while preventing metamorphosis. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Methoprene is a juvenile hormone (JH) analog which can be used as an insecticide that acts as a growth regulator. ...

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.

• Diatomaceous earth can also be used as an effective home flea treatment in lieu of acetylcholinesterase inhibitory treatments or insecticides which carry with them a risk of poisoning for both humans and animals. Diatomaceous earth absorbs lipids from the cuticle, the waxy outer layer of insects' exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate and can be purchased at most gardening suppliers or online. It can then be evenly distributed around the house (especially in corners and near furniture) with any type of shaker (salt shaker, spice shaker, etc.) and then vacuumed away after about 7 days. Diatomaceous earth also has the added benefit of killing many other types of insects that might be residing in your house.^{[citation needed]}

A sample of diatomaceous earth Diatomaceous earth (IPA: , also known as DE, diatomite, diahydro, kieselguhr, kieselgur and Celite) is a naturally occurring, soft, chalk-like sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. ...

Other

Moche Flea. 200 A.D. Larco Museum Collection Lima, Peru.

The Moche people of ancient Peru worshipped nature.^[5] They placed emphasis on animals and even depicted fleas in their art. ^[6] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Larco Museum (Spanish: ) is located in the Pueblo Libre District in Lima, Peru. ... The Moche civilization (alternately, the Mochica culture, Early Chimu, Pre-Chimu, Proto-Chimu, etc. ...

See also

• Anti-itch drug

Antipruritics, also known as anti-itch drugs, are medications that inhibit the itching (Latin: pruritus) that is often associated with sunburns, allergic reactions, eczema, psoriasis, chickenpox, fungal infections, insect bites and stings like those from mosquitoes, fleas, and mites, and contact dermatitis and urticaria caused by plants such as poison...

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Fleas, HYG-2081-97 William F. Lyon, Ohio State University entomology page. Accessed 28 December 2006
2. ^ ^{a b} Fleas - P.G. Koehler and F. M. Oi. Printed July 1993, revised February 2003. Provided by the University of Florida
3. ^ Order Siphonaptera - Fleas - BugGuide.Net Accessed 28 December 2006
4. ^ ^{a b} Grimaldi, D. and Engel, M.S. (2005). Evolution of the Insects. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-82149-5.
5. ^ Benson, Elizabeth, The Mochica: A Culture of Peru. New York, NY: Praeger Press. 1972
6. ^ Berrin, Katherine & Larco Museum. The Spirit of Ancient Peru:Treasures from the Museo Arqueológico Rafael Larco Herrera. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1997.

The Ohio State University (OSU) is a coeducational public research university in the state of Ohio. ... The University of Florida (Florida, UFL, or UF) is a public land-grant, space-grant, research university located in Gainesville, Florida. ... David Grimaldi (entomologist) (born September 22, 1957) is an entomologist and Curator of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. ... Michael S. Engel (born 24 September 1971 in Creve Coeur, Missouri) is a paleontologist and entomologist. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The headquarters of the Cambridge University Press, in Trumpington Street, Cambridge. ... The Larco Museum (Spanish: ) is located in the Pueblo Libre District in Lima, Peru. ... Thames & Hudson (also Thames and Hudson and sometimes T&H for brevity) are a publisher, especially of art and illustrated books, founded in 1949 by Walter and Eva Neurath. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Siphonaptera

• Flea at the Open Directory Project
• Flea Pest Control Information - National Pesticide Information Center
• Advice about fleas from the Berkeley Parents Network
• Links to flea bite pictures (Hardin MD/Univ of Iowa)
• Good Neighbors An essay on the natural history of the flea
• Sand Flea Bite Picture
• Flea As Weapon
• Flea Control Guide
• How to Get Rid of Fleas

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Open Directory Project (ODP), also known as dmoz (from , its original domain name), is a multilingual open content directory of World Wide Web links owned by Netscape that is constructed and maintained by a community of volunteer editors. ...