Do flea larvae bite?

Summary

Cat flea larvae don’t bite. They neither live on hosts nor suck blood. Flea larvae are free-living, not parasitic. They feed on adult flea feces and eggs in the environment.

Details

Flea Larvae don’t Bite

Flea Larvae aren’t Parasitic

Cat flea larvae are free-living. They don’t have a direct parasitic relationship with a host. The larvae don’t live on hosts, nor do they suck a host’s blood for sustenance. Flea larvae won’t bite dogs, cats, or humans.

Chewing Mouth-Parts

The mouth-parts of adult fleas are well-adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Larvae don’t have mouth-parts for parasitic feeding. Instead, they possess powerful mandibles for chewing solid food.

What Flea Larvae Eat

The biting and chewing mouths-part of flea larvae allow them to graze on food in their environment. They feed on adult fecal blood (flea dirt) and conspecific eggs.

References