What Color Are Flea Eggs

There are three stages in the flea lifecycle prior to a flea emerging as an adult. These three stages include:

1. Egg;
2. Larva;
3. Pupa.

In most cases, the female flea will lay their eggs either on a host animal or on the ground. The eggs will eventually drip to the ground and will hatch into the second stage, larvae, in one to 12 days.

Appearance of Flea Eggs

The flea egg is virtually invisible to the naked eye. It is a good idea to get a magnifying glass if you are checking your animal or carpets for these eggs. The fact is that in most cases, the eggs will not show up where you would expect.

Shape and Size

The flea eggs measure approximately 0.05 millimeters and are about 1/50th of an inch long. This can be compared to a single crystal of salt or grain of sand. One end of a flea egg is larger than the other, which makes the look strikingly similar to chicken eggs.

Texture and Color

When you view a flea egg through a magnifying glass, they appear to be white. However, under a higher amount of magnification they are translucent and have a sheen that appears iridescent, much like the mother-of-pearl. The surface of the flea egg is completely regular and smooth. It does not have any projections, ridges, lumps or bumps. It is also not sticky, but rather dry.

Location

If you are searching for flea eggs, the most likely place that they will appear is where your animal sleeps, however they can travel to any area where your pet may go. The eggs do not cling to the animal’s fur, but will fall to the ground after being laid by the female flea. In most cases, the fleas will be considered adults in a period of no more than seven days, considering all conditions are right.

When you get rid of the flea eggs you are only ridding yourself of half of the flea infestation problem. You should also take time to wash the animals bedding on a weekly basis. You also need to pay attention to cleaning the corners and baseboards as even one single egg left over can cause hundreds more.

Being proactive about your flea problem will keep it from worsening. Knowing what to look for will also help you control the problem before it becomes worse.