Moorhen Flea vs Cat Flea

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Moorhen Flea Cat Flea
Scientific Name Dasypsyllus gallinulae Ctenocephalides felis
Order Siphonaptera Siphonaptera
Family Ceratophyllidae Pulicidae
Size 1.5-2.5 mm 1.5-3 mm
Habitat Woodlands Underground
Diet Blood Feeders Blood Feeders
Regions Europe Worldwide
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Moorhen Flea

A flea commonly found on small passerine birds including tits, wrens, and robins. It breeds in bird nesting boxes and natural cavities.

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Did You Know?

This flea is so common in European bird nest boxes that ornithologists routinely find them when checking boxes during the breeding season.

Cat Flea

The most common flea on both cats and dogs worldwide. Can jump up to 150 times its body length. A single female can produce up to 2,000 eggs in her lifetime.

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Did You Know?

Fleas can jump 150 times their body length — equivalent to a human leaping over a 75-story building. They achieve this using a pad of elastic protein called resilin.