Summary: Do fleas fly? Do all fleas jump? These questions has been asked by many throughout the world and its hard to find a satisfying answer. While it may seem that do, the truth is that fleas cannot fly! Fleas find their way around your home by launching themselves into the air with their strong and powerful legs. Learn a couple ways to protect your exposed skin from these insects and keep yourself safe from their bites.
Fleas can be very frustrating for anyone to deal with, especially if there is a fairly large infestation in your home or on your pets. These stubborn pests seem to find their way into many places that seem impossible to reach without flight! Sometimes they can even get up onto tables, chairs, beds and other horrible places. How is this possible? Lets take a moment to look at the facts!
While fleas cannot fly, they have an amazing ability to jump large distances with relative ease. In fact, fleas can jump approximately 4-5 feet upwards! Many wonder how it’s possible for such a small pest to be able to accomplish such an amazing feat of acrobatics. Their secret lies in their strong legs and another very important element. Fleas are equipped with something called Resilin. This protein has very similar properties as rubber and it gives the flea a sort of springboard (once its compressed) that launches it forward (or upwards) when it wants to reach certain places in your home. During its airborne assault, it can land on your pets or you, looking for fresh blood (yikes).
Do Fleas Fly On Humans and Can People Get Fleas?
Flea Bites on Humans 
Fleas can pose a serious health risk to your pets. However, contrary to popular belief, people can get fleas as well! We have already answered the question to “do fleas fly around” so we know that they must jump onto people. In fact, while your pets may be responsible for bringing fleas into your home, either from other animals or from your garden, their owners are often the ones that suffer. A couple days back my cat had a bit of a flea problem so I applied a few of the natural removal methods found here in this article and they worked very well. However, upon waking up the next morning, I found a few fleas in the bedroom and after careful inspection, those damn fleas had jumped onto my husband! While it was simple enough to kill them, I thought it was interesting that people can get fleas just as easily as pets! In fact, to answer the question in the previous paragraph, humans are a favorite when it comes to personal transport for fleas. Just think of yourself as a personal driver for the flea, only you just don’t know about it 
Flea Control On Pets – Are Your Dogs And Cats Safe?
Unfortunately, one of the frustrating things that most pet owners have to deal with is fleas. Fleas have the ability to multiply very quickly and can be very hard to get rid of. In my personal experience, dogs seem to be the most vulnerable to flea infestations so if you see one of them scratching, take immediate action to ensure that they are not brought into your home. Just like humans, fleas use dogs and other pets as their own personal transport to get to other areas in your home and garden. I highly recommend you take a look at this article to learn how you can help your pets if they have fleas.
Got Pet Fleas Or Human Fleas? Solutions That Work!
If you are suffering from fleas or have a pet that has a flea problem, you are probably desperately looking for a treatment for fleas or perhaps a flea treatment that is natural and safe. The good news is that there are a few methods that really work! However, before you go about trying to kill them, you need to know how to identify a flea. Many have asked “are fleas black or brown” and based on experience, they are usually a combination of yellow, black and brown. They are about 2mm in size in your pets fur. You may find that they try and hop away when inspecting your pet so preferably do this outside. Since they are so small, you may also need a strong torch and someone to help you investigate this properly. Don’t forget to check your furniture! (Source: Do fleas fly onto your couches?)Once you have confirmed that its fleas and not ticks (an article about tick removal will be published this month), simply follow the steps below:
- Mix a small amount of rosemary oil and warm water and give your pet a daily bath for about a week.
- Another good method is to use standard yeast and rub it onto your pets skin a couple times a day for a week.
- Lastly, if you have had limited success with those natural methods (I recommend you try them first), use a flea spot treatment from Advantage or Frontline. If you have young cats or dogs, make sure you get the correct one for their age group otherwise the results can be fairly disastrous. Also try and purchase something that has IGR (insect growth regulator) compounds as this kills the flea larvae, eggs and other underdeveloped fleas that often escape the regular cleansing of your home. Do dog fleas fly? Nope, as mentioned, even pet fleas are flightless bugs.
Frequently Asked Questions On This Article (Do Fleas Fly)
Q: Do fleas die in winter?
A: While fleas can die from extreme cold. Unless you live in subzero temperatures, fleas will not die! To be honest, if you do live in these conditions, your pets wouldn’t have fleas in the first place! 
Q: Can humans get fleas?
A: Yes, humans are frequently the target of fleas that breach the defenses of your home and invade your living space. Since this question is asked on a regular basis, I have written an article on it here.
Q: Is prescription medication required for flea bite hypersensitivity?
A: In most cases, this is not needed unless you have a severe reaction (extreme itchiness or swelling) to their bite. If in doubt, ask a registered health practitioner for advice or search The Bug Squad for more facts about fleas that will be of use to your specific condition.
Q: Do Fleas Fly Or Crawl?
A: Neither really, they are land based and get around by jumping onto their next target.
Q: If fleas cannot fly, can ticks fly?
A: No, these insects are also unable to fly to their feeding grounds.
Q: I notice a number of small insects fly around by home that look like fleas flying, are you 100% sure they cant?
A: Yes, you may have a fruit fly problem, see that link for more details.
In conclusion, fleas do not fly but they are known to use other forms of transport such as pets and humans to get around. Additionally, despite various opinions, humans can get fleas and they can often leave rather nasty red marks on your skin. However, the good news is that these pests can be removed and while I always recommend natural methods, using a flea poison can also yield effective results. If you have a severe flea problem in your carpets, beddings, couches, etc. you can also call in an exterminator. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comment section below and I will try my best to get back to you within 24 hours. Please support The Bug Squad by sharing us on your social media platform of choice or find us on Google+. Thanks for reading my article on “do fleas fly”.