Fleas are known to be carried by a number mammals and birds including household pets. Both male and female fleas feed on the blood of their host and their bites can cause skin irritation and localised swelling. Some species of fleas are not dangerous, as they can transmit diseases such as bubonic plague, endemic typhus and tularaemia to humans.
Dog flea and the Cat flea are the most widespread and the most troublesome as household pests. Both species attack dogs and cats, and sometimes human.
Females lay several hundred eggs in their lifetime, with eggs able to hatch in about 10 days and become mature in about 10 days, therefore leading to large infestations within a relatively short period of time.