328 



ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY. 



Before taking up the more typical forms, we may brieflv con- 

 sider the Aphaniptera, or fleas, which are usuahy considered as 

 flies that have lost their wings as a result of parasitic habits. 

 They are small, transversely flattened creatures, usuallv brown 

 in color, with small heads, piercing mouth parts, and the merest 

 rudiments of wdng-pads. To replace wings, thev are furnished 

 with greatly developed posterior legs fitted for jumping, and in 



Fig. 377. 



Rabbit flea, much enlarged. 



proportion to their size their leaps are wonderful. They live in 

 the adult stage among the hair of warm-blooded animals, sucking 

 blood, their form enabling them to move about easily in e\-en the 

 thickest fur. So also the position of the spines clothing the 

 body is such that every eflbrt of the insect pushes it for^-ard, 

 which accounts for the difliculty in holding a specimen when 

 captured. 



The larvae are whitish, small, worm-hke creatures, almost cylin- 

 drical in form and with small brownish heads which bear fairly 

 well developed mouth parts. They live upon partly decayed 

 matter in or near the lairs of the animals upon which the adults 

 feed, and the eggs are probably dropped at hap-hazard by the 

 females while the host is at rest. A rug used as a bed for a dog 

 or cat may be found full of eggs at almost any time during spring 



