Fecundity and Longevity of the Adult Cat Flea, Ctenocephalides Felis Felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)1

Fecundity and longevity of the adult cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis felis, was studied with adult fleas confined inside microcells compressed to the necks of cats. Egg production began 2 days after the 1st blood meal and reached maximum levels by the 4th day. Generally only ½ of the ovarioles contained mature oocytes, with a mode of 6 and a maximum of 13 eggs contained in the abdomen. An average of 13.5 eggs/day/flea was obtained from 10 individual females, with a maximum average egg production of 22.3 eggs/day. The average total production of an individual flea over her life-span was 158.4 eggs, with 432 eggs the maximum observed. Fecundity was significantly higher in microcells containing a single female flea than in cells with 4 or more females. On-host longevity of female fleas ( $\bar x$ = 11.2 days) was significantly longer than that of males ( $\bar x$ = 7.2 days).