what positive things do fleas do?

Question

they are part of nature and must have been created for some purpose, but their only function seems to be as an irritant to humans and other creatures. I am an animal lover and am not looking for an ethical debate about this, I simply find myself wondering: what IS the purpose of a fleas existence? What do they do that is actually good? Anything?

Answer 1

Fleas are part of the check and balance of nature. They are vectors to help introduce disease into populations, and thereby help control the populations.

They help control populations, even if they do not introduce disease. When animal populations (like rats) become too large and too overcrowded the flea population expands. The fleas suck the blood of their host animal.

Sucking the blood of course weakens the animal. Fewer of them will be able to survive and breed, and many will start to die. This curbs the growth of the population of both fleas and their host naturally, as the host population goes into a decline.

So the "good" they do in the long run is actually a good thing, even if it is rather ugly. Lions prey on animals and keep populations in check...so do fleas.

~Garnet
Homesteading/Farming over 20 years

Answer 2

They help fight wars and kill people without so much land and building destruction.

The "Enemy" is weakened and killed off in great numbers, but the rebuilding of whole societies and art and banking does not need to be done.

Imagine if they had put fleas about to start the bubonic plague again, instead of dropping an H-bomb on Hiroshima.

Answer 3

I agree with you. It is really annoying and I could not find any positive thing they do. The only thing they do is an entertaining feature in cartoons and in children's song "Shoo flea don't bother me..."

Answer 4

Why do people assume that all live creature have a benefit or purpose. Many creatures in this world are pests and parasites that benefit nothing but themselves.