Stop a Flea Infestation in Its Tracks!

When it comes to flea control, the best course of action is prevention. Fleas are difficult to eliminate. They can multiply quickly, hide in carpets and clothes, and live without a warm-blooded host for most of their lifecycle! If you know the right ways to protect your space against this small pest, it can be easier to prevent fleas from infesting your home and bothering you and your pets.

What Are Fleas?

Fleas are small, flightless bugs that live as parasites, feeding on the blood of warm-blooded hosts. They are reddish-brown with strong hind legs that make them excellent jumpers. However, fleas aren’t always in that physical state. They go through four phases during their lives: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. During each phase, the flea has different needs to survive and develop.

The Flea Life Cycle

• Eggs: After a female flea has had her first blood meal, she can begin to lay eggs. Most fleas can lay up to 50 eggs a day, and some will lay up to 2,000 in their lifetime. Eggs can hatch between one day and two weeks, depending on conditions, such as temperature and humidity. If eggs are laid on a host, which is typical, they can easily drop off into carpets and throughout a home or yard.
• Larvae: Once the egg hatches, a flea lives in its larva phase for up to two weeks. During this phase, the flea larvae nestle into carpets, fur, grass, or any other warm and hidden place. Larvae feed on organic debris and don’t require a host to survive.
• Pupae: After the larvae have gotten enough food and are further along in their development, they spin a cocoon and begin their pupa phase. Pupae can live in their cocoons for weeks to months while they transition into adult fleas. The cocoon protects them from negative environmental conditions – even bug repellents.
• Adults: When the pupa senses that conditions are safe and a warm-blooded host is nearby, it transitions to the adult flea phase and seeks a host on which to feed, mate, and lay eggs (if female). Depending on conditions, the adult flea can live on its host for days to weeks, even months. Without a host, an adult flea will only live up to about a week.

Even though only adult fleas bite, it’s important to get rid of fleas at any stage because they will quickly develop and multiply.

Are Fleas Dangerous?

Not only are flea infestations unpleasant and hard to get rid of, but they can also pose health risks to your family and your pet. Fleas bite people and animals, creating itchy and uncomfortable red spots. Flea bites have also been known to spread pathogens, including tapeworm, plague, and typhus. It’s no wonder no one wants a flea infestation!

How Do Flea Infestations Start?

The most common way fleas infest your home is by hopping onto your pet outside. They can hop from another infested animal, or they could latch on when your pet lies down in the grass. Additionally, fleas in other life stages might stick to clothing or objects outdoors. Unmanicured or long grass is more likely to harbor fleas. To keep your pets and yourself from bringing fleas inside, take preventative measures.

How to Prevent Fleas on Pets

• Bathe your pet regularly with pet-safe soap and warm water.
• Brush your pet with a fine-tooth comb.
• Get a bug barrier treatment outdoors.
• Limit your pet’s contact with stray animals.
• Contact your vet for flea prevention medication and methods.

Along with practicing flea prevention for dogs and other pets, it’s important to do the same for your home. If you find a flea on your pet, even if it doesn’t seem like there is an infestation yet, eggs and larvae may have come inside already and will soon develop into adults. If you suspect fleas are indoors, keep them from multiplying and developing into adults.

How to Prevent a Flea Infestation Inside the House

• Vacuum frequently. This will help pick up fleas at any of their four life phases. After emptying your vacuum into the trash, promptly remove the trash to keep any fleas that survived the vacuum from emerging again.
• Use carpet cleaners. Soap and other chemical carpet cleaners often kill fleas on contact, including larvae or eggs that are nested deep into carpets and other crevices.
• Wash fabrics with detergent and hot water. This includes your bedding, your pet’s bed, blankets, and soft fabric toys. During their egg stage, fleas can live almost anywhere, and you never know where they might be hiding.

To make sure your home is properly cleaned to prevent a flea infestation, hire a reliable cleaning service like The Cleaning Authority. Their professional home cleaning and sanitizing services help guard your home against “dust bunnies” and fleas alike.

Prioritize Flea Prevention

Protect your space before fleas get the chance to make it their home. When you follow tips in this article and schedule professional flea control services, you can let your pets outside with the assurance that they won’t accidentally track any fleas into your house. The Mosquito Squad team will assess the problem outside, develop a plan of attack in areas where fleas are likely present, then effectively treat the area! Contact us today for a free quote, or call Mosquito Squad at (877) 332-2239.