10 Fascinating Facts About Fleas

10 Fascinating Facts About Fleas Fleas?! Theyve (literally) plagued humankind for centuries, but how much do you know about these common insects? Lets start with these 10 fascinating facts about fleas. Fleas Are Infamous for Their Role in Transmitting the Black Death During the Middle Ages, tens of millions of people died of the plague, or Black Death, as it spread across Asia and Europe. Cities were particularly hard hit. London lost 20% of its population to the plague in just two years during the mid-1600s. It wasnt until the dawn of the 20th century, however, that we identified the cause of the plague – a bacterium called Yersinia pestis. What does this have to do with fleas? Fleas carry the plague bacteria and transmit it to humans. An outbreak of the plague often kills a large number of rodents, particularly rats, and those bloodthirsty, plague-infected fleas are forced to find a new food source – humans. And the plague isnt a disease of the past, either. Were fortunate to live in an age when antibiotics and good sanitation practices keep plague deaths to a minimum. Fleas Lay Their Eggs on Other Animals, Not in Your Carpet A common misunderstanding about fleas is that they lay their eggs in your carpeting and furniture. Fleas actually lay their eggs on their animal host, meaning if your dog Fido has adult fleas living in his fur, those adult fleas are doing their best to keep him infested with their offspring. Flea eggs, however, arent particularly sticky or well suited for staying put, so they mostly roll off your pet and land in his dog bed or on the carpet. Fleas Lay a Lot of Eggs Without intervention, a few fleas on Fido can quickly become a maddening flea infestation that feels impossible to defeat. Thats because fleas, like bed bugs and other bloodsucking pests, will multiply quickly once theyve found a good host animal. A single adult flea can lay 50 eggs per day if its well fed on Fidos blood, and in its short lifespan can produce 2,000 eggs. Adult Fleas Poop Blood Fleas feed exclusively on blood, using their piercing, sucking mouthparts to siphon it from their hosts. An adult flea may take as many as 15 blood meals in a single day. And like any animal, a flea produces waste at the end of the digestion process. Flea feces are essentially dried blood residue. When they hatch, flea larvae feed on this dried blood waste, which is usually left in the host animals bedding. Fleas Are Skinny Fleas typically inhabit the fur or feathers of host animals. If they were built like most bugs, they would quickly become entangled. Flea bodies are quite thin and smooth, making it easy for a flea to move freely between pieces of fur or feathers on their hosts. A fleas proboscis, the straw-shaped beak that enables it to pierce skin and siphon blood from its host, remains tucked under its belly and between its legs when not in use. Most Flea Infestations in Homes Are Cat Fleas, Even in Homes Without Cats Remarkably, scientists estimate there are over 2,500 species of fleas on the planet. Within the lower 48 U.S. states, flea species number approximately 325. But when fleas infest a human habitation, theyre almost always cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis. Dont blame kitties for this annoyance, though, because despite their common name, cat fleas are just as likely to feed on dogs as they are on cats. Dog fleas (Ctenocephalides canis) can also be a pest problem but are mainly found on dogs that spend all or most of their time outdoors. Giant Fleas Plagued Dinosaurs as Early as 165 Million Years Ago Compression fossils from Inner Mongolia and China suggest that fleas pestered the dinosaurs, too. Two species, dubbed Pseudopulex jurassicus  and  Pseudopulex magnus, lived in the Mesozoic era.  The larger of the two dino flea species, Pseudopulex magnus, was an impressive 0.8 inches long, with equally impressive mouthparts capable of piercing dinosaur skin. These ancestors of todays fleas lacked the ability to jump, however. Fleas Prefer Humid Environments Fleas dont thrive in low humidity, which is why they arent as much of a pest problem in arid areas like the Southwest. Dry air prolongs the flea life cycle, and when the relative humidity falls below 60 or 70%, flea larvae may not survive. Conversely, the flea life cycle accelerates when the humidity is high, so keep that in mind when trying to control a flea infestation. Anything you can do to dry out the air in your home will help you win the battle against these bloodthirsty pests. Fleas Are Skilled Jumpers Fleas dont fly, and they would never be able to catch your dog in a foot race (despite having six legs to Fidos four). So how are these tiny insects able to get around? Fleas are amazingly adept at flinging themselves into the air. Cat fleas, our most common flea pest, can propel themselves a full 12 inches forward or upward. Thats a jumping distance equal to roughly 150 times its own height. Some sources compare this to a human landing a long jump of nearly 1,000 feet. Fleas Aren't Picky About Whose Blood They'll Drink In 1895, the Los Angeles Herald offered some facts about fleas to its readers. The flea, the Herald writer declared, shows a preference for women, children, and persons with thin skins. Thick-skinned men may have been offered a false sense of security by this column because fleas will gladly drink whatever blood is available to them. Fleas are sensitive to the vibrations that travel through the floor as people and pets walk through the house. They can also detect the presence of carbon dioxide we exhale. Should a sound or scent suggest a potential blood host is nearby, the hungry flea will jump in its direction, without considering first whether the host is a man, woman, or child. Sources: Plague: The Black Death, National Geographic website. Accessed online October 18, 2016.Plague: Ecology and Transmission, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Accessed online October 18, 2016.Ridding Your Home of Fleas, by Mike Potter, University of Kentucky Department of Entomology, fact sheet #602. Accessed online October 18, 2016.Some Facts About Fleas, Los Angeles Herald, Volume 44, Number 73, 23 June 1895, page 21.Physicians Guide to Arthropods of Medical Importance, 6th edition, by Jerome Goddard.Fleas, Purdue University Department of Entomology. Accessed online October 18, 2016.Giant Bloodsuckers! Oldest Fleas Discovered, by Stephanie Pappas, LiveScience website, February 29, 2012. Accessed online October 18, 2016.Monster Fleas Put the Bite on Dinosaurs, by Jeanna Bryner, LiveScience website, May 2, 2012. Accessed online October 18, 2016.

How to get a job without applying for it

How to get a job without applying for it What could be better than getting a new job with minimal effort on your part? Yes, it sounds impossible, but you can land a great new job without ever having to apply for it. Sure, the typical path to the next job in your career journey often requires some hard work and dedicated job hunting- searching out open positions that fit your skill set and requirements, leveraging your network to uncover opportunities, carefully crafting targeted cover letters and resumes, diligently completing applications and sending out emails, interviewing, following up, and waiting- and most of us have gone through this process several times. However, there is an alternate path, and it’s usually a much more direct and easier one to your next job. According to a recent Business Insider article, those who possess an array of valuable and marketable skills that their respective industries prize will have companies and recruiters seeking them out, regardless of whether or not they’re seeking a new job. It pays to at least be open minded when this happens: â€Å"In today’s economic environment, people with valuable skills in leadership roles are likely to be receiving more and more  calls from recruiters. You never know if the opportunity that will be presented will be more attractive than your current role. And, you can gain a boost of 15 percent or more in your compensation by being willing to make a change, likely far outpacing the raise you can expect in your current role.†It’s true- even if you’re not looking for a new job, with the right mix of experience and skills you just might be a passive job candidate- an attribute prized by recruiters- without even knowing it.According to  Business Insider,  recruiters seek out people who are open to new opportunities  but not actively seeking them. The logic is that if someone is a talented candidate and is currently unemployed or is actively seeking out a job while currently employed, the re might be some sort of issue. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but it’s an assumption recruiters can often make. On the other hand, even if there isn’t an issue, chances are that the well-qualified person is applying to many companies at once. Recruiters don’t want to waste time courting someone who can easily decide to take an offer from another company.However, if recruiters seek out candidates who aren’t actively looking, those risk elements disappear.It’s clear that being a passive candidate can open up a world of new professional opportunities to you. So how can you become one? Business Insider offers up some ideas about how you can do to help subtly set yourself up as a passive candidate in your field.Recognize and build key skills.The key to becoming a prized passive candidate is to possess the skills in your field that companies are eager to have on their teams. Learn what skills leaders in your industry possess and what comp anies are looking for, and then make sure your skill set fits the bill.Join appropriate professional organizations.Most professions have industry recognized associations and organizations, and it’s in your best interest to become a member of as many as possible. Not only will it help you build your network and provide an array of social opportunities, it can also get you on the radars of recruiters when they’re looking to source talent. Make an effort to get involved and attend events whenever possible.Don’t neglect social media.The truth is, many recruiters scour social media when on the hunt for passive candidates. They’re looking for industry leaders, mavericks, and disrupters whose social media pages reflect their passion, dedication, and accomplishments. If you want to be viewed as a viable passive candidate, make sure your social media brands you as a serious professional with plenty to offer potential employers.Join LinkedIn groups.Building on the two previous tips, make sure you take full advantage of professional groups on LinkedIn. It is among the most widely used sites by recruiters looking for passive candidates, and for many of them, their first stop just might be looking at members of professional groups in their respective fields. If you’re not using LinkedIn to its fullest potential, you just might be doing yourself and your career a disservice.   Keep your certifications, skills, and awards up to date.This advice is not only good for growth in your current job, it’ll help impress and attract recruiters. The more distinctions and honors you have under your belt, the more desirable you’ll be.Here’s the bottom line- if you want to have a future where potential jobs come looking for you, and not vice versa, you should work to set yourself up as a valuable passive candidate. Use the strategies and advice provided here and you’ll be on your way to making future job hunts much easier!