Flea Infestation: How to Get Fleas to Flee
If you’ve ever dealt with a flea infestation, you know how hard it is to get rid of them. Normally, they get into your house by hitching a ride on your dog or cat.
Then, your pets scratch them off onto your carpet. Once they are in your carpet, they procreate quickly and before you know it, it’s not one or two fleas.
You have thousands. So, how can you get rid of fleas before you have a full-blown flea infestation
What You Need to Know About Fleas
Fleas are small and unless you know what to look for, you might not notice them until they are out of control. Each flea is about an eighth of an inch long, wingless, and reddish-brown in color. They are bloodsuckers and they actually prefer your animals to your couch or your carpet.
Not only do fleas bite dogs and cats, they also feast on humans. If you notice small welts, that itch like crazy, on the lower parts of your legs, there is a good chance you were bitten by fleas. In California, fleas are prevalent year round since it never gets cold enough to put them in stasis.
Fleas carry and transmit typhus. This alone makes them a public health threat. More commonly, they transmit bacterial diseases and parasites. Regardless, they are nasty little bugs.
The Life-Cycle of a Flea
Female adults produce up to twenty-five eggs a day for about three weeks. Normally, these eggs are deposited on a host (such as your dog). However, when you dog scratches, the eggs fall off and populate the surrounding area.
The eggs hatch, and then larvae begin their transformation into adult fleas. This only takes three days. Then it is time to feed and the fleas start looking for a host.
Pre-Treatment for Fleas
The first step in getting rid of fleas in your home is to vacuum. This removes most of the eggs and larvae. Make sure you clean in areas where your pets sleep, eat and lay. Seal the contents in a bag and dispose of it in an outdoor trash container.
Thoroughly wash all the pet’s food and water dishes, along with their bedding. Have your cat or dog treated for fleas at the veterinarian’s office or at the groomers at the same time you begin treatment in your home?
Professional Flea Treatments
Fleas are hard to get rid of and even though there are flea bombs on the market, you will get much better results using a professional service. A pest control company will treat your lawn in addition to the inside of your home. That way, your dog or cat won’t bring in new fleas after you’ve gotten rid of the old ones.
If any of the eggs are left after vacuuming, you may find a reinfestation occurring after a couple of weeks. Therefore, you may need to have your home treated more than once in order to get rid of all the bugs. Normally, these retreatments are part of a pest control package.
Finding a Pest Control Company
Accurate Termite and Pest Controls stand behind the services it provides. Our warranty covers flea re-infestations within the designated period and we always provide our guarantees in writing. If you have a flea infestation problem and live in Southern California, call us for more information on our pest control services.
if you’ve ever dealt with a flea infestation, you know how hard it is to get rid of them. Normally, they get into your house by hitching a ride on your dog or cat. Then, your pets scratch them off onto your carpet. Once they are in your carpet, they procreate quickly and before you know it, it’s not one or two fleas. You have thousands. So, how can you get rid of fleas before you have a full-blown flea infestation.
We continue to be Southern California’s preferred termite and pest control service, provider.
