Cat fleas: new approaches to a familiar pest

Catriona McIntosh, University of Aberdeen, will deliver this Aberdeen Entomological Club seminar entitled "Cat fleas: new approaches to a familiar pest". It will be held at the James Hutton Institute in Aberdeen.

The cat flea is a major pest species, as the most common ectoparasite infesting dogs and cats in much of the world. Infestations cause irritation to pets and owners alike. On top of irritation, the cat flea can also contribute to the spread of tapeworms and several bacterial infections. As they are so common cat fleas are major targets of the animal health industry, and so of major economic importance as a pest species. My research focuses on using modern molecular biology techniques to increase our knowledge of these pests, and find new targets to tackle them. This talk will discuss the biology of the cat flea, its importance as a pest species and some of the new approaches being used to find remedies against them.