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Sticktight Flea

Echidnophaga gallinacea[5]

The sticktight flea is a small, dark flea that embeds its mouthparts in the skin of its host and stays put for days or weeks; it is the main flea of poultry and also attacks dogs, cats and people.[1][3][4]

Group
Insect
Order
Siphonaptera
Family
Pulicidae
Sources
5 cited
Updated
2026-10-17

No licensed photo of this species is available yet; the identification notes below describe what to look for.

On this page
  1. Identification
  2. Look-alikes
  3. Where it lives
  4. Biology
  5. Damage and signs
  6. Health risk
  7. Control
  8. Related profiles
  9. Common questions
  10. Sources

How to identify it

  • Adults are dark brown and about half the size of a cat flea; on chickens they cluster on featherless skin such as the face, comb and wattles, looking like dark specks embedded in the skin.[3][1][2][4]
  • Dogs and cats that have contact with backyard fowl can pick them up as well.[1][4]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Cat flea and other fleasMost fleas move freely through fur or feathers, while sticktight fleas embed and stay in one spot; the sticktight flea is also less than half the size of a cat flea.[1][3]

Where it lives

An occasional poultry pest in temperate areas and a major one in subtropical and tropical parts of the Americas; it can be a severe poultry pest in Florida, where the fleas are usually more common in the cooler months.[3][2]

Biology and life cycle

Females lay eggs while still attached; the eggs fall into litter or soil, where the larvae feed on organic debris, and the life cycle takes 1 to 2 months.[3][2][1]

Infestations can begin through contact with wild birds.[2]

Damage and signs

  • Heavy infestations cause irritation and blood loss, can kill young birds and reduce egg production, and fleas embedded around the eyes can cause swelling that interferes with vision.[2][4][3]
  • Hosts include chickens, turkeys, pigeons, pheasants, quail, dogs, cats, people and many other mammals.[3][1]

Health risk

Sticktight fleas can attach to people as well as pets, but UF/IFAS notes they are not known to transmit any diseases.[3][1]

Control

Prevention

Keep wild birds away from the flock, and keep dogs and cats from contact with infested birds.[2][1]

Sanitation

Clean out the coop: remove and replace contaminated shavings, litter and straw, where the larvae develop, to break the life cycle.[4][1]

Traps and physical control

A few fleas can be removed by grasping each one with tweezers and pulling it off.[1][4]

Pesticides

Treat the birds with a pyrethroid insecticide registered for use on birds (typically permethrin), and pets with a flea product registered for them; follow the label.[4][3][1]

Common questions

What are the dark specks stuck to my chicken's comb and wattles?
Clusters of dark specks embedded in the comb, wattles or face that don't brush off are likely sticktight fleas.[3][4][2]
Can my dog get sticktight fleas from my chickens?
Yes; dogs and cats that have contact with infested backyard fowl can pick them up.[1][4]

Sources

  1. UF/IFAS Extension (EDIS), “Sticktight Flea, Echidnophaga gallinacea (ENY-244, P. G. Koehler, R. M. Pereira and P. E. Kaufman).” web.archive.org/web/20251005121304/edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/mg236 (accessed 2026-10-17). Archived copy (Internet Archive, captured 2025-10-05); the original page https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG236 returns 410 Gone (publication retired from EDIS).
  2. UF/IFAS Extension (EDIS), “External Parasites of Poultry (ENY-290/IG140, P. E. Kaufman; reviewed July 2022).” web.archive.org/web/20251220211336/edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IG140 (accessed 2026-10-17). Archived copy (Internet Archive, captured 2025-12-20); the original page https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IG140 returns 410 Gone (publication retired from EDIS).
  3. Merck Veterinary Manual, “Fleas of Poultry.” www.merckvetmanual.com/poultry/ectoparasites/fleas-of-poultry (accessed 2026-10-17)
  4. Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, “Sticktight fleas, body lice discovered in 30-week-old laying chickens (case study, M. Ficken, August 9, 2024).” tvmdl.tamu.edu/case-studies/sticktight-fleas-body-lice-discovered-in-30-week-old-laying-chickens/ (accessed 2026-10-17)
  5. iNaturalist, “Echidnophaga gallinacea taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/270667 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-17. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.