Egg to adult in 7 days (under favourable conditions).
Adult lives approximately 90 days.
Feed on birds blood.
Favours warm, moist conditions.
Common in birds nests and poultry houses.
Capable of reducing bird egg–laying efficiency. In severe cases it may kill young, sick or old birds.
In homes, bird mites may bite people in search of food.
0.6 – 0.7mm long.
Soft yellow/green body and eight legs.
When fully fed the body appears bright red.
Adult fleas are generally brownish in colour, and 1–8mm long.
The eyes as well as the antennae are apparent. Their mouthparts are well adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood and project downwards from the head.
This species is the most common bird flea, the hen flea.
Bird fleas can only live for a short time indoors and only in nests.
They breed during the nesting period when the host and/or young are available for regular blood meals.
Adult bird fleas live in bird nests. When the birds move from the nest, the adult fleas must find a new host.
If the nest is reused, the pupae will hatch,mate and continue the breeding cycle.
Bird fleas can multiply enormously in hen houses, breeders, batteries etc.