Flea: Super Jump

James Addison

https://www.wired.com/2013/04/animal-superpowers/

Flea (Siphonaptera) Boing! Annoyingly, fleas are the most super-powered of the super jumpers. Their explosive power comes from a coil of energy-storing protein that acts somewhat like a spring. Located in the flea’s thorax, the spring transfers energy down through the flea’s legs, until it reaches and compresses the bug’s toes. Then, boom goes the flea, sometimes traveling roughly 200 times its body length. Other super jumpers include kangaroo rats (able to spring a distance 45 times their body length), jumping spiders (100 times their body length), and tree frogs (150 times). Video: Cambridge University/YouTube