A Trip to the Flea Circus Trivia Quiz

Answer: 150 times its height

A flea's jumping ability is extraordinary relative to its small size. It can jump up to 7 inches (18 cm) high, which is 150 times its height! This would be equivalent to an average adult human jumping over a skyscraper.

The flea's power in jumping does not originate from just muscle strength. They have a pad of a highly elastic, rubber-like protein called resilin located in their hind legs. Muscles then slowly contract to compress and deform the resilin pad, storing a significant amount of potential energy, much like pulling back a bowstring. A muscle then releases the energy which propels the flea into the air.

Answer: Six

Like all insects, fleas have six legs. They come in three pairs, but the rear pair of legs is larger than the rest which aids in the flea's tremendous jumping capability. The legs are made of five parts each and they can bend at different places.

The legs are covered in backward-facing spines and end in strong, sharp claws that help them grasp onto the hairs or feathers of a host on which it rides.

Answer: Narrow and oval

A flea's body, which is typically dark red to brownish-black, is laterally compressed meaning it is flattened from side to side. This gives it a narrow and oval-shaped appearance when looking down at it. This slender shape helps them move easily through fur.

Fleas typically measure about 2.5 mm (around 1/16") in length-similar to the size of a sesame seed or the tip of a pen.

Answer: True

Fleas are in the order called Siphonaptera and they are wingless. Instead, these insects rely heavily on their extraordinary jumping skills in order to travel. They also ride on various hosts like pets or humans. Finally, they can attach themselves by clinging to objects like shoes, clothing, or furniture that are moved from area to area.

Answer: 2-3 months

A flea has four distinct life stages. An adult female flea lays eggs on a host and the egg stage lasts 1-10 days. The larva then hatches from the egg and feeds on organic debris and adult flea feces. This larva stage lasts 5-15 days.

The larva spins a cocoon, becoming a pupa. It remains there from a few days to several months until conditions are favorable for emergence. Lastly, the adult flea emerges from the cocoon. There are multiple factors that contribute to its life span, but on average a flea will live 2-3 months.

Answer: In the seam of a mattress

Fleas don't "sleep" in a conventional sense but instead hide and rest in warm, dark, and protected areas. Common areas they gravitate to include a pet's fur, beds and bedding, carpets, and other upholstered furniture.

Sheets, blankets, and pillows are ideal hiding places because they are soft and warm.
They can also be found in mattress seams and under the mattress itself. They avoid heavily trafficked areas but can burrow down in cracks between wooden slats or baseboards.

Answer: Blood

Fleas are hematophages, which means they feed exclusively on blood. They primarily feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals, such as dogs, cats, rodents, and humans. The fleas use their piercing-sucking mouthparts to pierce the skin and inject an anticoagulant to keep the blood from clotting.

Once the skin is pierced and the blood flow is established, the flea forms a feeding tube to suck the blood into its body. A flea will consume 15 times its body weight in blood every day!

Answer: False

Fleas are found everywhere on the Earth. Even Antarctica, which is so inhospitable that it is the only continent on Earth that doesn't play host to mosquitos, has a species of flea. This is the Glaciopsyllus antarcticus. It is an ectoparasite, meaning it lives on the outside of its host, and its primary hosts are Antarctic seabirds like the Southern fulmar, which breeds in the area.

Answer: Exoskeleton

The flea's exoskeleton is a complex, hardened outer covering made primarily of a tough protein called chitin. Chitin is similar to the substance found in human fingernails. This provides a crucial combination of strength, protection, and flexibility.

The proteins in this exoskeleton are cross-linked, which makes it like a "suit of armor" and difficult to penetrate. It also has a waxy outer layer which is water proof.

Answer: 50

A single adult flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day. This equates to about 600 eggs in a month. Female fleas start laying eggs 24 to 48 hours after their first meal. The total number of eggs a flea lays in its lifetime can reach up to 2,000.

That is quite a few siblings for Fred Flea!