what exactly is a fleas purpose in our lives.Are they on the food chain for anything?

Answer 1

Each creature has its own favored flea. Cat and dog flees are different although a starving flea may bite anyone available for a meal. There is at least one flea that specializes in humans. Long ago humans left their 'nests' to find fresh quarters when their old homes became infested with fleas. As a result humans became nomads and populated the entire habitable earth. You are here because of the human flea. Of course nowadays with insecticides, humans travel a lot to take new jobs. BTW, do not approach dead animals in some western states (NM?) because they may have died from the endemic plague there and a starving flea may leap from the carcase to you. Hope this doesn't leave you sratching your head.

Answer 2

Fleas like a lot of animals (ew--roaches) don't seem to do a whole lot for humans. But that is just our ego-centric view of things. Truly these animals serve or exist in a niche--i.e. they are able to survive where other animals don't. So...fleas may serve no useful purpose in a human's life, it is very purposeful in other animals. First the flea would argue (if such a thing is possible) that it finds its life useful. Also, there are other animals that eat them. The chimpanzee grooms other members in their group and typically eats the insects that it finds. So in this case the flea is serving 2 purposes in the chimpanzees life. It is provide substance (while minimal) and also a social interaction. Grooming another individual is a sign of affection, caring, and deference in the chimp's world. It also helps form bonds between members that allows the group to become stronger as a whole. A stronger group gets more food...and yet becomes stronger.

So...I'm sure this is more than you ever wanted to know about a little flea. But just about every animal/plant in the world does affect another species...you just have to think outside the box and outside of human perspective sometimes to see it.

Answer 3

Outside of anthropecentric interest, fleas are an effective disease vector, which helps to control populations in the natural world. And everything becomes food/nutrients for something else...