Which statement about fleas is true

• A. Sucking mouthparts
• B. Only adults have wings
• C. Dog flea most common
• D. They feed on blood only at night

Answer: (A)

Fleas obtain their blood meals using piercing-sucking mouthparts. This specialization is what allows them to puncture the host’s skin and draw blood, so the statement about sucking (piercing-sucking) mouthparts is the correct description of how fleas feed.

Fleas are wingless insects; they do not have wings at any life stage, so a claim that only adults have wings isn’t accurate. The most common flea species on dogs and cats is the cat flea, not a dog-specific flea, making that statement false. Fleas also do not feed only at night; they feed on the host whenever access is possible, so restricting feeding to nighttime isn’t correct.