I think we’re donne here.
A flea is a hairy diadem to another flea, I suppose.
Red Hot Chili Peppers for the bass ref.
I just thought of, and TM now, the insult of calling a woman a flying cunt–a fearsome relative of a bitch on wheels.
“He” is a she, last time I checked. And I was simply making a statement as to how much I do hate fleas.
I just love how I can’t ask a question here without being ridiculed.
No, I am not a creationist religious fanatic in the least. Lost any belief in a ‘god’ a long time ago. Perhaps I didn’t phrase my question very well, or perhaps I’m just an easy target. Maybe a little of both. What I wonder is: Is there an ECOLOGICAL PURPOSE for fleas? If they vanished, what impact would be made?
Is that better?
That’s… not much better. No species has an “ecological purpose”.
Like, plovers clean crocodiles’ teeth and find their food that way (also avoid getting munched) in a neat symbiotic relationship ; but it would be silly to say that the purpose of plovers is to clean croc teeth, just as it would be silly to say the purpose of a crocodile is to provide food and protection to plover colonies.
They both exist. They both perpetuate themselves, first through feeding, then through reproduction. And that’s it. The same is true for every other living being out there, from amoebas to planet-sized psychic space whales (SotS, anybody ?).
If all fleas suddenly popped out of existence, well, fleas would be much bummed. Maybe another parasite would get its chance to shine and be complete freeloading dicks - at least that’s what happens in the corporate world :). But maybe not.
I’ll tell you, though, the social life of chimps would probably be very negatively impacted. Picking fleas off each other’s fur is a big bonding and community-building ritual among them I believe. Though I suppose they could just switch to alcohol and oral sex like everyone else.
No animal exists to provide some purpose. They exist because they’re good at propagation.
A curious creature is the flea.
You cannot tell the He from She.
But He can tell,
And so can She.
Your error is in using the word “purpose.” As has been said, the only purpose of a species is to make more of itself.
You appear to be talking about the species’ role in an ecological system. Parasites are just a much a part of any ecological system as predators. You might as well ask what purpose predators serve. In fact, ecologically speaking parasites fill a similar role to predators. The difference is that they only eat a little bit of their prey at a time, and don’t kill it outright. Parasites play a major role in controlling host populations, just as predators do. Severe parasite infestations can debilitate or even kill a host, thus reducing the numbers of the host species and preventing it from over-exploiting other species.
Among other things, fleas played a vital role in European history. Due to their tireless efforts they ended feudalism.
A flea and a fly in a flue
Were trapped. What could they do?
“Let us flee!” said the fly.
“Let us fly!” said the flea.
So they flew through a flaw in the flue.
This thread has become a tribute to Ogden Nash. (And, why not?)
Banquo:
…Fly, good Fleance, fly, fly, fly!
Macbeth III:3:17
Your turn.
Ogden Nash, he was smitten
With doggerel, and other verse
Once by a flea, he was bitten
Causing him, to rage and curse
*Some people think that fleas are black
But I don’t think it’s so,
Cuz Mary had a little lamb
With fleas as white as snow. *
Through three cheese trees three free fleas flew.
While these fleas flew, freezy breeze blew.
Freezy breeze made these three trees freeze.
Freezy trees made these trees’ cheese freeze.
That’s what made these three free fleas sneeze.
Really? you can’t see how it makes sense in any other context? How about this:
"I hate fleas! I wish they would just disappear from the planet. However, i remember some stories about bees dying off in large numbers and how that would negatively affect human beings (because of pollination or something, doesn’t matter), and I also hate spiders, but I know they kill a lot of other insects so getting rid of all spiders might have a detrimental affect on human beings and/or the environment.
I wonder if killing of all the fleas in the world would have any similar negative affects on human beings and/or the environment? I know, I’ll ask the helpful people at the Dope, and see if anyone has any insights on whether or not the lack of fleas in the world would have a significant effect on human beings and/or the environment."
Now, seems to me that is what the OP meant but childish nursery rhymes and incessant nit-pickery is what she got, instead of intelligent use of context clues to determine what the question was. Nice.
Actually, that’s a whole different order of parasites. 
But your point is well taken.