The hen flea - Ceratophyllus gallinae
The hen flea - Ceratophyllus gallinae feeds on many different birds, as well as a few mammals. This flea is most common on poultry, but will also bite humans or household pets, becoming household pest if not eradicated properly.
Hen fleas spend most of their time among the material of the host's nest, and only hop on to the birds to feed for short periods. Vast majority of hen flea hosts in Europe are hole nesting tits, mostly great tits and blue tits. Hovewer, if excessive numbers of this flea are allowed to occur on poultry, this could cause anaemia.
Ceratophyllus gallinae breeds during the bird nesting period when the host and the young are available for regular blood meals. The larvae feed on detritus amongst the nest material and on undigested blood which the adult fleas pass in their faeces. The larvae develop in a few weeks, and pupate inside a silk cocoon. Then they emerge as adults, mate and continue the cycle. Emergence from the cocoon is being triggered by the rising temperatures as well as other processes. Adult fleas leave the nest soon after the young birds have fledged, with some being carried away on the young birds themselves. Those flea larvae that are left in the nest will spin their cocoons for pupation, and then remain in these throughout the summer, autumn and winter, as either larvae or pupae. If the nest is reused by birds the following year, then the pupae will hatch and the adults will mate, feed on the new hosts, and continue the cycle. If the nest is not reused the following spring, the adults hatch and gather near the nest entrance, where they wait for any occasional bird.
Treatment for Ceratophyllus is performed using an insecticides such as malathion or carbaryl. These are used for flea control as dust formulations and both poultry and the poultry shed should be treated.
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