Georgia's++Writing

Wednesday 8 June __Fleas__

L.I- write an explanation.

Fleas are small wingless insects. They are so small they are hard to see. Fleas can jump long distances and they bite. They also have a very different life-cycle to humans.

Firstly, flea eggs are about 0.5mm in length. Female fleas lay about 27 eggs a day. After 1-10 days the egg will hatch and turn into larva.

The larva are worm like, they are unable to drink blood like adult fleas. the larva move away from the light, burrowing into the carpet, cracks in floor boards and soil etc. They feed on fles droppings made up of partly digested blood. The larva moult 3 times before forming into pupa.

Fleas larva spin themselves into tiny cocoons. The flea pupae have to wait patiently for the right moment before emerging as an adult flea.

Adult fleas can only mate and reproduce if they have recently drunk fresh blood. Female fleas lay some of their eggs while they ar feeding.The adult flea stays with the same host since it was a pupa and now longs for fresh blood. So it jumps onto the next fresh blooded host Fleas can lay 500 eggs in 24 hours.

Finally, the life-cycle repeats itself, until they are killed by flea powder.