Fleas
Adult Fleas are about 1/8” long, body laterally flattened (side to side) and wingless. Their color is brownish-black to black, but reddish-black when full of blood. Females are twice as long as they are high. Mature larvae can be up to 1/4″ long, are very slender and whitish in color. Adult fleas can jump up to 3’ into the air (that’s 250 times their own height).
Biology
Female Fleas lay 4-8 eggs after each blood meal, laying up to 500 eggs during their lifetime. The eggs are deposited on the animal and will fall off or are shaken off, so they are frequently found in cracks, crevices or the fabric where pets sleep. The eggs usually hatch within 1-12 days and take an additional 1-2 weeks to go through their pupal stages. Life cycle (egg to adult) can take as little as 2 weeks, but under harsh conditions or if there is a lack of food sources the Flea pupae can remain dormant for up to a year. The adult Fleas are stimulated to emerge from their cocoon by mechanical activity, an increase in carbon dioxide or vibrations around them.
Even though the preferred hosts of Fleas are dogs and cats, they will readily bite and can survive using other species as hosts, including humans. Depending on conditions, adult Fleas can live for several months.
It is not necessary to have pets in the building in order to have fleas present. Since fleas can jump about 6” vertically, they can easily hitch a ride on shoes, pants, etc. Fleas can also be present even if the building has been vacant of people and animals for as long as six months. This situation can occur because of the potentially long pupal period and also because adult Fleas can live for months without food.
How blue pest control can help.
Achieving control of Fleas requires a multi-step process, and every step is very important.
Any pets in the house must be treated for Fleas, either by the owner or vet/groomer, This must be done before the Pest Control Service.
Indoor control is achieved by removing all small items from the floors before having us treat. Toys, Clothing, etc. It is extremely important to vacuum both before and after treatment, making sure the vacuum bag is removed immediately and disposed of outside.
Outside control is typically an exterior foundation, door, and window treatment, as well as a granule insecticide in the soil around the foundation.