PROFESSIONAL PEST CONTROL 
Call  206.48MICE9   (206.486.4239)

Fleas

The flea is a tiny wingless insect with a hard and laterally flat body designed to easily navigate through pet hair. The flea also has legs designed for jumping great distances and mouth parts designed to suck blood. This external parasite feeds upon the blood of a host, usually a mammal. There are several species of fleas, but the one that most commonly affects dogs, cats and other house pets in North America is the cat flea, also known as Ctenocephalides felis. While this type of flea can bite humans, it does not infest us, as the human is not an ideal host. This flea prefers cats, dogs, rabbits and similar small mammals.

Fleas Life Cycle

The flea's life cycle is comprised of four stages:

• Egg: An adult female flea can lay up to 40 eggs a day. The eggs are laid on the host, but will dry and fall off that host into the environment (pet bedding, carpet, etc). Eggs typically hatch within about two days.

• Larva: When the eggs hats, larvae emerge. These tiny worm-like creatures feed upon flea feces (basically dried animal blood) in the environment. The larva goes through three molts before it becomes able to spin a cocoon and enter the pupal stage. The larval stage typically lasts from 5 to 15 days.

• Pupa: Once in the cocoon, the larva begins its transformation into the adult flea. The cocoons are nearly indestructible and attract dirt and debris that camouflage them. Pupa can remain dormant in the environment for many months. Fleas in the pupa stage will not emerge until they sense a host. They are able to do this by sensing factors like warmth, vibration and carbon dioxide

• Adult flea: A fully-developed flea only emerges from its cocoon when a host is available. The newly-emerged flea jumps on the host right away and begins the blood meal. A female flea will begin to lay eggs within 24-48 hours of her first blood meal. She defecates blood from her host that will fall off the host along with the eggs, re-starting the life cycle. Adult fleas can live for about 4-6 weeks depending on the environment.

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Does Your Home Have Fleas?

If you suspect you have a flea problem, you probably do. For every flea you see, there are most likely at least 50 you don't see. If you have flea bites on yourself, remember that humans are not ideal hosts and imagine how many bites your pets likely have.

The best way to detect fleas is by using a flea comb. The teeth on these small combs are very close together and designed to travel through hair, picking up everything on the coat. Use the comb all over your dog's body, but pay close attention to the lower back around the tail, as this is a common "flea-zone."

If you find no fleas but do see tiny pieces of black debris, this may be flea dirt. Flea dirt is the fecal material of fleas and consists mainly of dried animal blood. On close examination, flea dirt will have a reddish-black appearance. To confirm it is actually flea dirt, try putting the debris on a white paper towel and wetting it slightly. You will see that it runs reddish-brown.

Fleas establish themselves in large populations where pets and other animals are present. The most common signs of fleas are excessive scratching by pets and observing the tiny red-brown insects hopping onto carpeting, furniture, or drapes.

Eliminating fleas from your home usually requires the use of several methods of treatment for both your home and your pets. Professional Pest Control will provide a comprehensive inspection and treatment plan to effectively free your home from fleas.

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PROFESSIONAL PEST CONTROL 
Call  206.48MICE9   (206.486.4239)