Flea

Fleas are an insect in the that can be found from spring to early winter. Fleas sell low no matter which villager played host to them, and likely a reference to the fact that they are despised (in the same way Cockroaches only sell for 5 bells). They appear as a dark brown, bouncing speck on a random villager, and they can be caught by hitting the villager with a net. In City Folk, every time the flea jumps, a little 'whew' sound can be heard. This will indicate if a flea is near.

If a flea is present it can be heard bouncing. Additionally it also changes the villager's catchphrase, usually related to something about them itching, among these catchphrases there is "itchy", "eek", "scritchy" or "gross".

Once the flea has been caught, the villager that played host to it will give a response, usually one of denial, shock, or gratitude, which corresponds to their personality. Snooty villagers will be horrified, and will ask you to keep it a secret, while on the other hand, lazy villagers will not be shocked or embarrassed, and will be happy to be free from the feeling.

Players cannot play host to fleas themselves, though on donation the flea does make an effort to harmlessly chase the player across the bug exhibit.

Donating to the Museum
As with all insects in the series, the flea can be donated to the Museum followed by a small talk by Blathers, the curator.



In Animal Forest e+
On donation the flea appears in the middle of the museum where it hops along the floor.

Upon donation, Blathers will reluctantly educate the player about fleas:

"Fleas, you see, are parasitic bugs that have existed since ancient times, and they have been discovered even in fossils beyond 40 million years old. According to one theory, fleas continue multiplying by producing dozens of eggs daily! Ah, how disgusting..." (translation)

In Wild World
Blathers, the curator of the museum, will unwillingly accept fleas for exhibition. Here, he speaks of the flea:

"Heed my words, (Player name)! Bathe often! Wash yourself thoroughly! And shampoo regularly! Allow yourself to become filthy, and fleas move in! Blech! The very IDEA... Now I feel itchy."

The flea can be found hopping around the first room after donation, but is usually near the pond. In the museum, the flea takes on a more redish color, though when you catch it it appears as black.

In City Folk
Again, Blathers will express his disgust at the flea in City Folk:

"Hoo now, have you ever had a chance to look at a flea up close and personal? They're utterly noisome! Especially vulgar are their flattened bodies, which allow them to wriggle into all sorts of places. Oh, mercy, I may need to sit on the floor for a moment. All this talk of fleas makes me feel rather woozy."

Once donated, fleas appear as a barely-visible speck, bouncing around on the path on the central terrace in the insect exhibit.

In New Leaf
After donating a flea, the sign in the museum will read:

"Fleas are tiny insects that feed on blood from humans and animals, which then results in an itchy rash. They use their piercing mouths to suck blood while injecting saliva into their host at the same time. Unlike mosquitoes, both males and females suck blood. The females are larger than the males."

Encyclopedia Information
When the player has caught the flea, they can find information about the insect in the bug menu. Below is the information regarding the flea:

New Leaf

 * "itchy"
 * "itch itch"
 * "skeerritch"
 * "itchy itch"
 * "I-T-C-H-Y"
 * "eek itchy"
 * "iiiitchyyy"
 * "NO MORE"
 * "eeeeeeeek"
 * "scriiitchy"
 * "itch-eek"
 * "itcaaaay"

Animal Forest e+
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New Leaf
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Further Information
The human flea, Pulex irritans, is a widespread species of flea that is thought to have originated from South America. Despite the name, they are found on all manner of birds and mammals, including dogs, pigs, chickens, monkeys and even some species of bat. They have, through evolution, lost their wings and have instead developed, long, powerful legs that can be used to jump incredible heights- roughly 200 times their body length.

Fleas feed on blood. After feeding, females lay eggs on the skin or hair of the host animal. A single flea can have over 500 offspring in its lifetime, which live in the host's bedding feeding on dust and dried blood excreted by their parents after feeding.

Trivia

 * If speed cheats are used in, the player will always catch a flea if they swing their net while running.
 * In, it has a yellow lid on the Bug Cage which would indicate a sell price of higher than 200. However, this is incorrect, as it only sells for 70 Bells so it should have a green lid.

Glitch

 * In New Leaf during events such as the Bug-Off, if a villager is creeping up to a bug with their net and they have fleas, they can be caught repeatedly until the villager stops creeping up to a bug.