Why are moose fleas dangerous?

Each mushroom picker, going to the forest, understands that there he is waiting for not only mushrooms or berries, but also bloodsucking insects. If a mosquito can be protected by special sprays and gels, it is unlikely to be saved from tick bites or deer bloodsuckers.

Who are moose fleas?

These bloodsucking insects have many names, but elk, or deer, they are called because these animals became the main breadwinners of fleas. However, fleas can often attack smaller forest dwellers, such as foxes, badgers, wild boars. They were found in the wool of bears and even on birds. Naturally, having entered the forest, a person can also be attacked by such an insect as a deer bloodsucker, whose bite is quite unpleasant.

The habitat of the insect is extensive: it occurs in North America and Scandinavia, in the European part of Russia, in Siberia and even in northern China.

More often than other regions in Russia elks fleas are found in Pskov, Novgorod, Kaluga, Leningrad, Tver, Yaroslavl and Vladimir regions. The number of insects directly depends on the number of moose and deer in a given territory.

Elk fleas - photos

This insect does not look like a fly, except that it has wings. The deer bloodsucker has this peculiarity: after it hits the body of a new victim, it drops its wings and fastens itself to the hairs of the victim. Now the insect becomes like a tick, although it is not a relative.

Elk fleas have a flattened body, and the size of the insect is from 3 to 3.5 mm. On the flat head there are two large eyes occupying ¼ of the entire surface of the head. But apart from these big eyes, the insect still has three simple eyes. Mouth in insects is a hard short proboscis. The legs of the bloodsucker are strong, with tenacious claws, due to which they cling tightly to the victim. Wings are transparent, reach a length of 6 cm, which is twice the length of the body itself. However, elk fleas fly very badly and only for short distances.

In order for the bloodsucker to make a flight, a good reason is required. This is caused by the smell and warmth of an approaching moose or deer. Hunted insects only during the day when it is light. Clinging firmly to the victim, the pseudo-cheek throws down its wings without regret, so as to freely burrow deep into the victim's hair.

What's next?

Up to three weeks the insect leads a full and sedentary lifestyle on its victim. After this period, it becomes sexually mature. Interesting is the fact that the bloodsuckers stick with the partner together, to find a pair on one animal is not at all difficult. Sometimes there are up to three hundred insects on the victim! The fertilized female brings offspring 15-20 days after fertilization. She lives up to 6 months and during this period is able to give life to 30 new individuals.

Young pupae, covered with a hard shell, fall to the ground. This happens for the period from October to March. Until August, the insect is in this condition, and then turns into a young fly.

Bites

Biting the bloodsucker is painful, and at one time sucks up to 1 mg of blood. Trapeznichat an insect per day can up to 20 times. How much blood loses an animal for a day, having on its body up to 300 individuals bloodsuckers! The youngest of the cloven-hoofed animals are often lagging behind in the development of the loss of blood, and the animal's fur is very dirty due to the feces excrement. The site of the bite turns red, a dense knot appears on it, which does not last until 20 days.