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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 BULLETIN No. 248 



Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology 

 L. O. HOWARD, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



August 14, 1915 



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FLEAS., Jfi* " 



<0 e 



By 



F. C. BISHOPP, Entomological Assistant, Southern 

 Field Crop Insect Investigations 



CONTENTS 



Page. 



Introduction 1 



Hosts of Fleas 2 



Biting Habits 3 



Life History 4 



Length of Life of the Adult 7 



Breeding Places . . . 8 



Factors Influencing Flea Abundance . . 9 



Page. 

 The Jumping of Fleas and Other Means 



of Spread 10 



Fleas as Carriers of Disease 11 



Fleas as Parasites of Man and Animals . 16 



Natural Control 22 



Artificial Control 23 



Remedies for Bites 31 



WASHINGTON 



GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 



1915 



