Flea

He may be tiny, but the flea can cause big problems. One pair of fleas can produce 400–500 offspring!

There are more than 2,000 types of fleas. In the United States, the cat flea is the species that infests dogs and cats.

This little insect feeds on the blood of its host and can consume 15 times its own body weight each day!

Fascinating Facts

• Rats! The bubonic plague is caused by bacteria that fleas transmit from rats to humans. About a dozen cases of the plague still occur in the United States each year.
• Jump for joy. Fleas can’t fly, but they can jump up to eight inches high. That’s 150 times their height. That’s like you jumping over a skyscraper!
• C-c-c-cold! Fleas can be frozen for up to a year and still survive after they’ve thawed.

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