Fleas are one of the more important groups of insect pests because they not only cause discomfort by biting, but they can transmit several diseases such as plague and murine typhus. Cat fleas are found throughout the United States and the rest of the world.

Adults about 1/8”(2.5mm) long. Body laterally flattened (side to side); wingless. Color brownish black to black, but reddish black when full of blood. Females head twice as long as high. Compound eyes well developed. Both genal and pronotal combs present, each composed of 16 spines, and genal comb’s first anterior spines of about equal length.