Fleas are strange creatures, they have great leaping ability, can walk long distances, and can even live for different periods of time depending on what stage of life they are in. But they have set life practices that do not seem to change.
For example, how fleas lay their eggs. They need specific conditions to do this or else they cannot lay one egg. To learn if they need a host or not to lay eggs, just continue to read our article. It has that information and more.
Do Fleas Need a Host to Lay Eggs?
Yes, they do. According to our research, female fleas cannot lay one egg without having a blood meal first. The only way to get that meal is for the female flea to be living on an animal or human.
How many eggs they lay after a meal is up to debate. Some people say 8 to 10 while others say over 25 eggs are laid at one time. Either way, those figures are per day and if you do not take care of the problem in 10 days, you will have anywhere from 80 to 250 or more eggs lying around your home somewhere.
We say somewhere because these eggs are not designed to stay on the host’s body. They will roll off and go just about anywhere you cannot see them. Plus, they are so small, they are hard to see even when you are up close.
Do Fleas Need Blood to Lay Eggs?
Again, the answer is yes and that is why getting a host that has blood is so important to fleas. What makes it hard to eradicate fleas is that they have so many animal options to use before they get to your dog or cat.
Fleas can be found on rabbits, squirrels, deer, and other wild animals and all of these animals do not have humans to help fight those infestations. What that means is that when your dog or cat goes outside to play, they are at risk of having fleas jump on them.
The good news is that if you have taken the right steps to protect your pet, those fleas may not get the chance to lay any eggs. They will be killed before they get their blood meal. Make sure to protect your pets with the right remedies so that they can enjoy the great outdoors with you.
Can Flea Eggs Hatch Without a Host?
This is a possibility as well. If the flea eggs made it to an empty house, they can stay there for several weeks without dying. They will be safe in their cocoons for several months waiting for a human or animal to live in the house again.
Once a host arrives, the fleas will leave their cocoons and go feed on the unsuspecting host. Fleas can live without a host as well. How long they will live depends on what stage of life they are in.
However, if the eggs do not hatch within 2 weeks of being laid, they will not hatch at all. Something killed the egg making it impossible for the flea inside to live. There are so many strange factors surrounding the flea that makes it a weird creature.
Once it makes it to adulthood, then you have a very serious problem on your hands. That is if you do nothing about the fleas living on your pets.
Where Do Fleas Lay Eggs Without a Host?
They do not lay eggs without a host. The female flea needs blood to lay her eggs and they do not travel away from their host once they have established themselves on that pet. The eggs are laid on your dog or cat.
They are also laid on other animals they have jumped on and started to feed. People may think that fleas lay their eggs all over the place but that is a misconception. They come to that conclusion because they can find flea eggs just about everywhere.
Those eggs will fall off a host’s body very easily. This design keeps those eggs nice and safe from predators and poisons. It also allows the eggs to go through their cycle for hatching and gives those baby fleas a chance at survival.
Some Final Words
If you are lucky enough to see a flea egg, you do need to get rid of them as fast as possible. Sprinkling baking soda on them is one safe and the natural method you can use. Or just vacuum them up and throw away the bag.
Getting them out of your house quickly is a good way to protect your pets.
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