Introduction 5 



squirming about and feeding upon the organic debris in which 

 they live, particularly the excreta of the adults. In structure 

 they are more or less maggot-like, legless and eyeless. The 

 body as a whole is divided into a head, three thoracic segments, 

 and ten abdominal segments which are richly provided with 

 bristles. When ready to pupate (after two moults according to 

 many authors) the mature larva spins a silken cocoon covered 

 with dust and attached to the substratum. Within this cocoon 

 the pupa develops, and in the later stages of its development 

 the species can frequently be identified. The length of life of 

 the mature flea varies with the species and with conditions. 

 Certain species are exceedingly hardy and are capable of going 

 without food for unbelievably long periods. Bishopp (1931) 

 states that during the summer the average longevity of the 

 human flea without food is about two months, of the dog flea 

 somewhat less, and the sticktight flea still less. 



The fleas which have proven themselves pests in the East are 

 the human flea, the dog and cat fleas, the two chicken fleas, and 

 the oriental rat flea. When these are in human habitations, 

 they usually originate from the sleeping places of animals. If 

 they are in hog pens, barns, cellars, outhouses or beneath build- 

 ings the most effective control is spraying with creosote oil, ac- 

 cording to Bishopp (1937), and usually one light spraying will 

 wipe out an infestation. Since creosote oil is objectionable be- 

 cause of its odor and causticity, it is desirable to use some other 

 material for controlling fleas in living quarters. The scattering 

 of flaked naphthalene over the floor of each infested room at 

 the rate of five pounds per room has been recommended. 



Dogs and cats may be kept free of fleas by regularly applying 

 derris or pyrethrum powder next to the skin. Hogs may be kept 

 free of the human flea by sprinkling their backs with crankcase 

 oil or crude petroleum every two or three weeks. For control- 

 ling the sticktight flea on chickens, dogs, and cats, it is neces- 

 sary to bring derris powder or carbolated vaseline into actual 

 contact with the fleas. Rat fleas and ground squirrel flsas can 

 be controlled only by campaigning against their hosts. This 

 may take the form of complete elimination of the animals by 

 fumigation, poisoning, trapping, or shooting, or by rat-proofing 

 buildings where rats can obtain food and shelter. 



