What do you think of when you think of the circus? Maybe lions and tigers. Maybe acrobats and tightrope walkers. Maybe peanuts, cracker jacks, or cotton candy. Maybe clowns. Maybe all of the above; maybe none of the above. However, here’s something we’re pretty sure you DON’T think of when you think of a circus: fleas.

Yet believe it or not, fleas - yes, those horrid, biting, itchy, pet-infesting creatures we hate - have a long and storied history of circus performance!
Robert Hooke / Wikipedia
The flea circus trend, credited to a Louis Bertolotto who launched his flea troupe in the 1830s, took the western world by storm for nearly 150 years. Circus fleas were trained to perform such stunts as pulling carts, doing flips, jumping through hoops, and more.
Roebot / Wikipedia
But as odd and intriguing and potentially disturbing as the idea of a flea circus is, there's more. People in bygone eras also used to dress fleas. That's right, dress them up as cute flea couples in tiny little colorful outfits. For real. Originally a form of Mexican folk art, these dressed fleas also became popular in America in the early 1900s.
Wikipedia

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And wonder of wonders, these two trends - flea circuses and dressed fleas - come together right here in West Virginia at the West Virginia State Museum on the Capitol Complex in Charleston.
Cristy / OIYS
Meet Emmiline and Alexander, the two best-dressed West Virginia circus fleas you are ever likely to encounter.
Cristy / OIYS
Billed as the museum's most popular exhibit, these two fleas starred in a New York flea circus in the 1800s. They've made their home in West Virginia since 1906.
Cristy / OIYS
That means that not only are these the best dressed fleas in West Virginia, they're likely the oldest fleas in West Virginia as well!
So now you know the strange tale of West Virginia's two dressed fleas. Learn something new every day, eh?
Charles Frederick Holder / Wikipedia
Have you ever seen these famous West Virginia fleas?

If not, head over to the West Virginia State Museum to meet them! Admission is free, and there are lots of other fascinating exhibits to explore as well.

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West Virginia State Museum, 1900 Kanawha Blvd E #435, Charleston, WV 25305, USA