Fleas & Ticks

About Fleas & Ticks

Fleas & Ticks are parasites that live on the blood of mammals and birds.

They attack a wide variety of warm-blooded creatures, namely humans, dogs, cats, chickens, rabbits & livestock.

Fleas are a nuisance to their hosts, causing an itching sensation which can result in the host attempting to remove them by biting, scratching or pecking.

Flea bites most often appear as a line of small reddish, raised spots and can remain itchy for several weeks. In the case of large infestations they can even lead to anaemia.

There are 2 main types of ticks – hard & soft.

Tick bites can be very painful and sometimes paralytic to smaller hosts. They are also very difficult to remove.

The biggest concern however, is that both fleas and ticks carry and spread disease.

Fleas & Ticks are carriers of disease and are best controlled with a regular programme of inspection and treatment.

AUSTRALIAN FLEA & TICK SPECIES

Fleas

(Siphonaptera)

Fleas are a wingless insect but have powerful, long legs allowing them to jump very high.

They are brown in colour, their bodies are a flat oval shape and are approx. 2.5mm long.

Fleas have a head, mouth, two eyes, six legs and two antennae.

Fleas like to live on any warm-blooded animal and are most often found on cats, dogs, rabbits, rodents &  humans.

They can also be found in close proximity to their hosts such as in clothing, beds, bedding, carpet & shoes etc.

With their impressive jumping skills fleas can move from host to host.

Adult fleas prioritise feeding and mating.

Their bites are extremely irritating and can affect the behaviour of their hosts.

Fleas have 4 life cycle stages:  (egg – larva – pupa – adult)

The first feed will trigger the ability to reproduce.

The number of eggs laid depends on the species but can range from 2 to 12.

In her lifetime a female flea can lay thousands of eggs.

Fleas can breed all year round but sometimes choose select times that suit the host and environment.

Flea

Ticks

(Ixodes scapularis)

Ticks are flat and oval shaped in the body.

They are brown or grey in colour.

They have eyes, 4 pairs of legs & no antennae.

Ticks can live in gardens, lawns and woodlands.

They especially like warm, humid climates as they need moisture in the air to successfully metomorphose.

They jump on their hosts in order to feed.

Hard ticks and Soft ticks behave differently, especially in how they feed.

Soft Ticks generally live in animals’ nests and burrows. They usually feed at night and they don’t spend much time attached to a host.

Hard Ticks can spend days feeding while soft ticks feed very quickly.

Hard Ticks will sit out in vegetation and wait for an opportunity. When a host walks past they jump or drop onto them.

Ticks have 4 life cycle stages:  (egg – larva – pupa – adult)

They must feed at every stage in order to survive and generally prefer to switch hosts in between stages.

Females lay several thousand eggs at a time.

tick