# Flea: Friend or Foe!!!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-friend-or-foe/73472
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 22, 2001, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-friend-or-foe/73472 "2001-07-22T22:18:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Linear\_Crack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linear_Crack)
#### Post date: [July 22, 2001, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-friend-or-foe/73472/1 "2001-07-22T22:18:18Z")
No, not the bass player from the Red Hot Chili Peppers[sup]TM[/sup], but the dreaded blood–sucking **Flea** (_Siphonaptera_).
I have always been a **flea magnet**. Even as a baby my mom said they _loved_ me just as much.
If for some reason my house becomes infested with them, I seem to be the **primary** target. Sure, there are some on my cat, but I could swear those bastards have a thing for me. They don’t touch my fiancée, nor do they “bug” anyone else when they visit.
I could be just be walking down the hall and **feel** them jumpin’ on by the crap load. What really **bites** is when I stand still for any period of time. That’s when they have their way with me. I won’t even get into when I’m asleep in bed. Egads!!
The lil’ bastards come about once a year. Without warning, my house is completely inundated with these hopping, sucking, disgusting parasites. Once discovered, I frantically bug bomb the house to minimize my blood lose.
Unfortunately, in the interim, they _pop up_ everywhere (kitchen, bed, bathroom couch, you name it, they’re there).
My question is: Are fleas attracted to certain people? I’m not a very sweaty person, nor do I smell any different than most (that I can tell, that is). Why do they ignore others and flock to me like I’m the mothership?
---
### Author:  [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2001, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-friend-or-foe/73472/2 "2001-07-23T02:04:33Z")
From [http://www.pco.ca/flea.htm](http://www.pco.ca/flea.htm)
> [@](#):
>
> Fleas feed on blood and are attracted by the host’s carbon dioxide and body heat. In the case of humans, flea bites can be numerous because of interrupted feedings.
I believe mosquitos are also attracted by carbon dioxide and it’s well established that they prefer some people over others. Perhaps you have the highest CO[sub]2[/sub] and thermal signature in the house.
Here’s some more from [The Complete Book of Flea Control](http://www.4fleas.com/1sthalf.html):
> [@](#):
>
> Many flea species have eyes, but they are thought to be weak. However, many fleas can see light and they’re attracted to changing patterns of light and shadows. Fleas can possibly hear, but they most certainly can feel vibrations, such as footsteps from humans or pawsteps from pets. It’s uncertain whether a flea can smell, but fleas appear to be able to detect changes in carbon dioxide levels in the air. This is why fleas get excited and jump wildly whenever a human or animal breathes near them.
>
> The flea’s ability to find a host is perhaps best illustrated by an experiment that tested the senses of rabbit fleas. Two hundred and seventy fleas were marked (how, I don’t know) and dropped at regular intervals in an 18,000squarefoot field surrounded by fencing. Three rabbits were let loose and were allowed to remain in the field for a few days. When the rabbits were examined, they were found to contain about half of the fleas originally released (Ref. 1). Unfortunately, this experiment illustrates fleas can readily identify a potential host and travel some distance to attack it. This is not particularly good news for us, but we must be aware of the flea’s capabilities if we’re to control it.
---
### Author:  [@Linear\_Crack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linear_Crack)
#### Post date: [July 23, 2001, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flea-friend-or-foe/73472/3 "2001-07-23T06:17:58Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by beatle \*
> \*\*
I believe mosquitos are also attracted by carbon dioxide and it’s well established that they prefer some people over others. Perhaps you have the highest CO[sub]2[/sub] and thermal signature in the house.\*\*
[/QUOTE]
I can think of no other poster I’d rather take advice from on _this_ topic.
Thanks **beatle**! 😃
[sub] If you have any connections in the flea world, please put in a good word for me, will ya?[/sub]
So, all I have to do is figure out how one goes about changing their CO[sub]2[/sub] and thermal signature and I’m home free!!