Watch for Fleas!

Kids are back in school. Our afternoon rains are now in their predictable pattern. We’re about to hit the peak of Hurricane season, but so far the Gulf has been quiet despite meteorologists’ predictions. It may feel like autumn is coming soon in the Sunshine State (even without the changing leaves), but there’s still one summer pest that we need to be aware of. 

The perfect breeding ground for fleas is 50% humidity with temps 75-85 degrees. Sound familiar? Our milder winters and subtropical weather mean that fleas are pretty much active year round. But they are especially prevalent in September, October, and November.

Categorical Concerns

There are an estimated 2500 different flea species across the globe, 300 of which are found in North America, and only a handful that feed on and are a danger to humans. All of those can be found in Florida, with Ctenocephalides felis, the cat flea, the most widespread. 

Dog, human, and sticktight fleas are also common. Along with humans, sticktight fleas feed on a vast array of warm-blooded animals including dogs, chickens, rats, squirrels, rabbits, and mice. Because they’re so small but also have magnificent jumping skills, fleas can be hard to capture and nearly impossible for a homeowner to deal with on their own once the house is infested. 

Female fleas lay eggs in batches of 3 to 18 at a time, multiple times, adding up to 500 or more in just a few months. Those eggs are laid in the fur of the host animal or their bedding and can hatch in anywhere from one day to two weeks. A week or two later, the larva has grown enough to spin a cocoon around itself and, typically, a week later an adult flea hops out in search of a host animal.

Feeding Frenzy

But fleas can hang out in their cocoons for up to 5 weeks. Adult fleas require a blood meal to reproduce, usually locating it based on detecting vibrations. However, if they’re not able to access warm blood, they can feed on dead skin and hair cells, organic matter, and even their own feces. With a good, non-blood food source, fleas can survive from 3 months up to a year. 

That’s why you can find yourself attacked by dozens of biting fleas if your home were to be infested!

Disease Vector

Like mosquitoes, flies, and cockroaches, fleas are an insect that’s considered a disease vector. People primarily from California, Texas, and Hawaii can find themselves infected with murine typhus as a result of a cat or rat flea bite. Cat scratch disease is a condition spread by felines infected by flea bites. 

Of course, the most well-known disease fleas spread to humans is the plague. Fleas on rats and mice have historically been blamed for spreading the Bubonic Plague or Black Death in the 1400s, although recent evidence indicates infected guinea pigs might have been largely to blame as well. 

Scratching flea bites sometimes leads to bacterial infections. Tapeworms can also be spread to humans and animals when an infected flea is accidentally swallowed. 

Once your home is infested, you’ll need the help of a professional or maybe a couple of professionals. Start by getting your pets treated by a veterinarian. Flea collars are unnecessary and less effective than oral and topical solutions to eliminate fleas. 

Good News Pest Solutions then applies our unique strategy to treat your home and deal with eggs, adults, pupae and larval forms of fleas. The solution does require vacating your home for at least two hours and vacuuming before and afterwards. The treatment does not penetrate the eggs and pupae, but once the fleas emerge, the treatment will eliminate them within a few hours. 

As always, our solutions are designed to be as safe as possible for your family and pets, and this is no exception. For more details, or to talk to one of our highly-trained technicians, please give us a call!