FLEAS AND THEIR CONTROL. 7 



Some infestations of residences come from breeding places l)eneath 

 the houses. The fleas in these cases usually are furnished by stray 

 animals which sleep under the buildings. The immature stages de- 

 velop in the accumulation of dust and vegetable matter in the lieds 

 of these animals. Instances are not uncommon in which such infesta- 

 tions have extended to lawns, barnyards, and, in fact, all over the 

 premises, although as a rule the center of infestation is in some one 

 definite place frequented by animals. 



The infestations of the human flea are usually less severe than in 

 the extreme cases above mentioned, and the breeding places often are 

 more widely extended. 



A number of instances in the Southern and Central Western States 

 have come to notice in which hogs appear to have been the source 

 of gross infestations by the human flea. The adult fleas feed on the 

 hogs and breeding takes place in the beds of these animals. In some 

 instances the source of infestation is in the hog runs, but more usually 

 it is derived from hogs sleeping under houses or in barns. 



FLEAS INJURIOUS TO POULTRY AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



Fortunately the higher domestic animals are comparatively free 

 from flea attacks. Horses, cattle, sheep, and goats are very seldom 

 annoyed, although a few instances have been noted in which the 

 sticktight flea infested horses. Hogs are infested to some extent, but 

 seldom heavily enough to do any damage. 



THE STICKTIGHT FLEA. 



The sticktight flea, or southern chicken flea (figs. 4, 5), probably is 

 the most important of our live-stock infesting species. This form 

 attacks a number of different hosts, including poultry, dogs, cats, and 

 some wild .animals. As has been stated, the adult fleas remain during 

 the greater part of their lives attached to the host animal. On dogs 

 and cats they are largely found on the ears, particularly along the 

 edges. In the case of poultry infestations fleas are most conunon on 

 the heads of the hosts, where they are to be seen in groups or patches. 

 This habit of attaching in clusters seems to be well marked, and an 

 infested fowl often may be recognized at a considerable distance by 

 the dark flea-covered areas about the eyes, comb, and wattles. Figure 

 4 illustrates the usual mode of infestation on a chicken's head, and 

 figure 5 shows one of the fleas much enlarged. When the fleas are 

 excessively abundant they may be found in similar patches on the 

 neck and various parts of the body. 



This flea is most common and is of greatest importance in the 

 Southern and Southwestern States. It has been rejiorted as injurious 

 to poultry as far north as Kansas. The injury is most marked in 

 young chickens, which when fairly heavily infested often die quickly. 



