Most pests we know of, such as mosquitoes, cockroaches, and rats, are easily noticed as they are easily perceived by the naked eye. However, many other types of pests exist globally, with many small enough to avoid one’s notice.
In addition to ticks, the regular flea is the bane of many pet owners worldwide. Learn why every home can be infested with fleas and their risks to your family.
Where do fleas come from?
Fleas can be found in the wild and generally jump onto living hosts, like cats and dogs, whenever they can find them outdoors. Additionally, they can also stick on other things, such as old pieces of furniture and the skin or clothing of guests whose homes are infested.
While fleas don’t usually prefer human hosts, it’s not uncommon for them to jump onto humans from time to time. Lastly, they can do without hosts due to their small size and simply jump into open windows or under doors. As a precaution against infestations, it is recommended to vacuum regularly and bath your pets after they have had their fun outdoors.
How long do fleas live?
Fleas typically reproduce by laying their eggs on a pet’s fur or their beddings. When it comes to the actual infestation, it only takes a few fleas to make it happen – since these pests are very prolific, they are capable of laying as much as 500 eggs in just a few months!
After hatching, flea larvae take roughly one or two weeks to about six months to mature. Once they reach maturity, they envelop themselves in insecticide-resistant cocoons and remain inside them for roughly five weeks or more, only emerging when they feel the presence of a potential host through vibrations.
If allowed to proliferate, fleas can potentially cause harm to both family members and pets in the house, with the latter being more prone to severe complications. Fleas can cause prolonged itching in humans, which in turn leads to infections or exacerbate any respiratory illnesses or complications you may have.
Moreover, some people may be allergic to flea bites, which then causes their immune systems to overreact and result in anaphylaxis. This severe allergic reaction can be life-threatening if not treated immediately.
Fleas sustain themselves by sucking on their hosts’ blood and prefer to live in humid or temperate conditions. Under these ideal conditions and with enough food to go by, fleas can live for as long as a month to an entire year.
However, they tend to perish if they go for two to five days without blood or when their surroundings are too hot or dry.
What to do during a flea infestation
Thankfully, getting rid of a flea infestation is not as harrowing as other infestation removal procedures, such as termite removal. Here are a few things you can do to eliminate them from your household
1. Thoroughly wash or outright throw away beddings or blankets where the fleas’ potential host spends most or a lot of their time (i.e., those of your dog or cat).
2. Vacuum more often, since the vibrations will spur the flea pupae to get out of their cocoons and expose them to the insecticides in the area.
3. Use insecticide sprays or insecticide foggers decisively and only treat areas where fleas can be found. Once applied, steer clear from those places for a while (typically a few hours) until the insecticide dries.
Conclusion
Despite not posing any serious health risks than other common pests, fleas can still pose a problem to you and your furry friends at home. If you ever notice signs of a flea infestation at home, it may be best to call on pest control companies to curb an infestation before it begins.
At PestClinic, our reliable team of pest control experts comes have decades of combined experience dealing with pesky pests and solving the problem down to its roots. Whether it’s a cockroach, bed bug, termite pest control or more, don’t hesitate to give us a call and let us help you protect your home and ensure the safety of your family!