Fleas

Flea Identification & Prevention

What Are Fleas?

Fleas are tiny, parasitic insects that feed on the blood of host animals to survive. Over 2,000 known flea species are found here in the United States, but the cat flea, scientifically known as Ctenocephalides felis, proves to be the most common household invader. Despite their name, cats are not the only hosts that the common cat flea will feed on. Humans, dogs, rats, mice, and many other animals can all fall victim to these fleas at one point or another.

These tiny pests can use their strong legs to leap horizontal distances of more than 150 times their size! This ability allows them to hop from host to host and reproduce rapidly in light of this steady source of blood meals. Female fleas can produce up to 1,500 or more eggs in their lifetime, meaning that if these biting pests find their way into your home, you could go from a completely flea-free home to dealing with a massive flea infestation within the span of just two or three months!

Are Fleas Dangerous?

Unfortunately, fleas can be dangerous to both us and our pets. Not only are fleas known carriers of pathogens that cause tapeworm and bacterial diseases, but they can also cause a lot of itching for you or your pets with their irritating bites. Flea bites typically look like small, red bumps on the skin's surface and are usually rather itchy and uncomfortable. In addition, if these bites are scratched excessively, it can lead to severe skin infections and painful irritation.

Why Do I Have a Flea Problem?

Contrary to common belief, you don't have to be a pet owner to have a flea problem. While it is true that cats and dogs commonly carry fleas into our homes after playing outside, that isn't the only reason you may be having an issue with fleas on your property. In addition to our pets, mice, rats, opossums, and other wildlife animals often carry fleas and other parasites onto our properties, sometimes even right into our homes! So if you're dealing with a flea problem in your home or yard and you don't have any pets, then you may have an underlying rodent infestation on your property that needs addressing.

Where Are Fleas Commonly Found?

Fleas depend on blood meals from warm-blooded hosts to survive, and while they do bite humans, they prefer to live on mammals with a lot of fur so they can easily hide within their hair. These tiny parasites try to always remain on an animal host as adults, but flea larvae and eggs are rarely found on pets. Instead, their eggs roll off the host and land in grass, dirt, carpets, or bedding and hatch when conditions are perfect, and often, even when a host is nearby!

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How do I get rid of fleas?

Complete flea removal is almost impossible to accomplish on your own. Fleas reproduce rapidly and can infest your entire property in less than three months! One flea can turn into 2,000 before you know it, and that number becomes even larger if you started with three or four fleas. The only way to be 100% sure that your California home and pets remain protected from the irritation and disease that fleas can bring inside is by contacting a trained pest professional from Accurate Termite & Pest Solutions!

Our trained service technicians will do the following when they come out to your home:

  • Inspect your home for signs of fleas.
  • Identify the areas with the most flea activity.
  • Implement a treatment plan to get rid of every single flea on your property.

Here at Accurate Termite & Pest Solutions, we know how to get the job done right the first time. To get your flea protection in place, reach out to us!

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