What is the life cycle of fleas?
The four stages in the development of fleas include: eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. Male and female fleas mate and two days later the female flea starts laying eggs. The eggs are often laid on the animal, but because they are not sticky, fall off into the environment. Along with the eggs, the female flea deposits a large amount of feces (often called "flea dirt"). The feces called flea dirt will dissolve into a red color when moistened; this is because it is composed primarily of digested blood. The flea lays 30-50 eggs per day, generally in batches of 3 to 15. A flea can produce 400-1,000 eggs in her lifetime (several months to two years, depending on the species).
Two days (or more depending on temperature) after the egg is laid it hatches and the larva, which looks like a tiny maggot, starts to feed on the feces left by its mother. During the next seven days, the larva passes through several phases of development. At that time the larva starts spinning a cocoon and becomes a pupa. The cocoon is sticky, will often become covered with fine dirt or sand, and can be found deep in carpet or crevices. In a week, the pupa develops into an adult and emerges from the cocoon when it senses vibrations, carbon dioxide, or warmth (which tells it an animal host is near). The entire life cycle takes about 15 days, but the pupa can remain dormant under inhospitable conditions (e.g., cold) and extend the cycle to over a year. This is important to remember when planning flea control.
What is the life cycle of ticks?
Most ticks are what we call three host ticks, that is, during their development, which takes two years; they feed on three different hosts. All ticks have four stages to their life cycle: egg, larvae (seed tick), nymph, and adult. Let's look at the life cycle of the deer tick as an example. The deer tick is the vector, or the transmitter, of the organism that causes Lyme Disease. Adult female deer ticks lay eggs on the ground in spring. Later in the summer (depending on moisture and temperature), the eggs hatch into larvae. The larvae, which are smaller than the period at the end of this sentence, find an animal (the first host, which is usually a bird or rodent), live off its blood for several days, then detach and fall back onto the ground. For deer ticks, this most commonly occurs in the month of August. In the ground, the well-fed larvae now molt into the next stage and are called nymphs. The nymphs remain inactive during the winter months and in spring become active. The nymph now finds an animal (the second host - a rodent, pet or human) and feeds again. Once well fed, the nymph detaches and falls back to the ground. Here it molts and changes into an adult. Throughout the fall, both adult male and female ticks now find another animal (the third host - a rodent, deer, pet, or human), feed on blood, and mate. Once well fed, both males and females fall back to the ground. The male now dies and the female survives over winter and lays eggs in the spring, completing the cycle.
The four stages in the development of fleas include: eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. Male and female fleas mate and two days later the female flea starts laying eggs. The eggs are often laid on the animal, but because they are not sticky, fall off into the environment. Along with the eggs, the female flea deposits a large amount of feces (often called "flea dirt"). The feces called flea dirt will dissolve into a red color when moistened; this is because it is composed primarily of digested blood. The flea lays 30-50 eggs per day, generally in batches of 3 to 15. A flea can produce 400-1,000 eggs in her lifetime (several months to two years, depending on the species).
Two days (or more depending on temperature) after the egg is laid it hatches and the larva, which looks like a tiny maggot, starts to feed on the feces left by its mother. During the next seven days, the larva passes through several phases of development. At that time the larva starts spinning a cocoon and becomes a pupa. The cocoon is sticky, will often become covered with fine dirt or sand, and can be found deep in carpet or crevices. In a week, the pupa develops into an adult and emerges from the cocoon when it senses vibrations, carbon dioxide, or warmth (which tells it an animal host is near). The entire life cycle takes about 15 days, but the pupa can remain dormant under inhospitable conditions (e.g., cold) and extend the cycle to over a year. This is important to remember when planning flea control.
What is the life cycle of ticks?
Most ticks are what we call three host ticks, that is, during their development, which takes two years; they feed on three different hosts. All ticks have four stages to their life cycle: egg, larvae (seed tick), nymph, and adult. Let's look at the life cycle of the deer tick as an example. The deer tick is the vector, or the transmitter, of the organism that causes Lyme Disease. Adult female deer ticks lay eggs on the ground in spring. Later in the summer (depending on moisture and temperature), the eggs hatch into larvae. The larvae, which are smaller than the period at the end of this sentence, find an animal (the first host, which is usually a bird or rodent), live off its blood for several days, then detach and fall back onto the ground. For deer ticks, this most commonly occurs in the month of August. In the ground, the well-fed larvae now molt into the next stage and are called nymphs. The nymphs remain inactive during the winter months and in spring become active. The nymph now finds an animal (the second host - a rodent, pet or human) and feeds again. Once well fed, the nymph detaches and falls back to the ground. Here it molts and changes into an adult. Throughout the fall, both adult male and female ticks now find another animal (the third host - a rodent, deer, pet, or human), feed on blood, and mate. Once well fed, both males and females fall back to the ground. The male now dies and the female survives over winter and lays eggs in the spring, completing the cycle.
posted by:
|
Tennessee
|
