The human flea, Pulex irritans, is a minor pest that rarely lives in houses. It has four life stages - eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. As an adult, it is a hard-skinned, spiny insect with piercing mouthparts that jumps to bite humans. Flea bites cause irritation and soreness. Fleas can spread diseases like plague and typhus between rats and humans by regurgitating bacteria during feeding. Control methods include destroying rodent hosts, using cats, traps, and zinc phosphide pellets.