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The flea is a parasitic pest that feeds on a living host. The insect has long, flexible legs for jumping distances up to 13 inches. The extraordinary jumping capability allows the insect to hop from one host to another with little effort. Fleas are parasitic insects that need to feed at least every 14 days. Compared to the bed bug, another parasitic insect, the flea will not survive longer than 2 weeks without a living host. The bed bug, on the other hand, can survive up to 200 days without a living host. Another difference between the two parasitic species is the host preference. Fleas prefer animal hosts, while the bed bug prefers human hosts.
Cat Flea “Ctenocepalides felis”
The cat flea “Ctenocephalides felis” infests more domesticated pets in the United States than any other species. The cat flea is an aggressive parasite that targets felines. However, the cat is not the cat flea’s only victim. The species target dogs, deer, squirrels, racoons, and ferrets as well.
Flea Infiltration Leads To Infestation
Home infiltration of fleas is similar to that of the bed bug and tick, another parasitic insect species. The flea, tick, and bed bugs infiltrate homes with the help of a human or animal. The insects utilize their hopping capabilities and tiny claws to find new hosts and hiding places. Throughout the infiltration, the victim may or may not be aware of the occurrence, depending on if the flea recently fed or is starving.
Unlike the bed bug, the flea continues to victimize its hosts. The insect will feed at least every 12 hours and procreating. The mature female flea lays up to 50 eggs every day. She deposits her eggs in the host’s fur, where it will have immediate access to a blood meal upon hatching.
Within a few short weeks or months, the flea infiltration will transition into a full-blown flea infestation. As the colony grows, the fleas will become more aggressive, feeding continuously, and causing mild to moderate discomfort.
Flea Treatment Option
A few fleas will transition into an infestation in a few months. Flea treatment is complex, even more so than other pest control strategies. The first step of the process is to treat all domesticated pets with flea shampoo, powder, and spray. In severe infestation cases, flea-infested cats and dogs may need to be treated multiple times with over-the-counter treatments.
Once your pets are deemed flea-free, they may need to be removed from the home. As long as the home is infested with fleas, your pets are under a constant threat of reinfestation. We suggest a boarding facility until your home is treated and deemed flea-free.
Our professional flea management utilizes custom treatment strategies, based on evidence collected through a visual home inspection.
Flea Pesticide Environmental Risks
Conventional insecticides utilized to eradicate fleas do pose an environmental risk that can be fully eliminated by heeding the manufacturer’s recommendations. Our flea pest control products are approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency “EPA”. All pesticides sold in the United States must be approved by the EPA before consumers can legally purchase them.
Scheduling A Home Flea Inspection
Our customer support team is on standby 5 days a week and some weekends to process your home inspection request. We may need up to 48 hours to dispatch a certified technician to your home. A representative will contact you to set up an appointment for the inspection.
If you believe your flea problem is dire, we recommend our same-day and emergency pest control services.
Preventing A Repeat Flea Infestation
The only way to keep your property flea-free from here on out is flea preventative. Over-the-counter flea shampoos, collars, sprays, and monthly treatments are necessities when pets are involved. These flea preventatives will protect your pets during future flea encounters. Since there is no possible way to avoid encounters, the preventatives will deter fleas from victimizing your pets in the future.
Other flea preventative measures include visual assessments of pet’s fur, following outdoor excursions, install metal sheeting or fencing around porches and decks to keep wildlife out, and routine lawn maintenance.
It is also recommended to install “do not feed the wildlife” signs along the perimeter of your property. Encourage other household members, visitors, and neighbors to be on the lookout for fleas throughout the summer season.
If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.
