Flea Control
House turning into a Flea Circus? Fleas are tiny bloodsuckers with a knack for taking over your house whether you like it or not. With a frenzied appetite similar to a piranha’s, these insects are known to employ hoard tactics to drain your pets and your family of their precious plasma. You may find that you’ve come into your home after a brisk jog with your dog, only to find that shortly after; you’ve got what looks like dark crumbs jumping around your home like Michael Jordan with superpowers.
How does one get fleas? The long and short of it are that your family pet has gone outside to do their business or take a quick walk, only to pick up a dark passenger in the form of the flea. They’ll hop on to an unsuspecting host, sensing their body heat and that they’re full of blood. Fleas are on your pet for two reasons: to feast on blood and to lay their eggs. As your pets re-enter your home, they will scratch the areas in which the fleas are biting, dislodging the eggs that they’ve laid in their fur, which will fall out over your home. Without a doubt, if your pets were there, the eggs are there.
Are Fleas Dangerous? In the past, fleas have been linked to widespread outbreaks in various parts of the world. The famous “Black Death” in medieval Europe is thought to have been caused by the fleas on the backs of rats that lived in the densely packed cities of feudal kingdoms. But, with today’s advancement in medical technology and sanitation it is very unlikely that a human will contract the “Black Death” from fleas.
How do I get rid of them? The first step is contacting Budget Pest Control Inc. for advice on our flea control and what preparation is needed before flea service can be performed. An integral step in both preventing and minimizing future flea infestations is to have your pets treated with flea prevention and treatment medicine. Next, our fully trained, experienced technicians will need to go over your particular flea infestation in great detail. Information on flea sightings, pet habits and other details will need to be gathered in order to provide you with a customized flea service plan that comes with a fully written guarantee to make sure these blood suckers don’t keep giving you fits.
Had enough? Give us a call! After a chat with one of our friendly, knowledgeable office personnel regarding our flea control, you will be armed with a plan of action, an estimate and if you wish, one of our certified pest technicians’ sent out to help in a jiffy.
Stats
Fleas are tiny parasites that are about 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch long. They are flightless creatures but can jump up to 7 inches vertically and 13 inches horizontally. The flea is very skinny and has a body that is adapted to weaving though the hairs of animals to feed on their blood with their specially adapted mouth parts. Fleas have four stages of their life cycles. The first is the egg, flea eggs are tiny white ovals that can be found on pets or in your carpet. Next the flea hatches into the larval stage, which looks like a small worm or grub. Next that larvae spins itself into a cocoon and incubates while it turns into an adult flea.
Did You Know?
- It is nearly impossible to crush a flea to death. Their bodies are specially adapted to withstand enormous pressure. However, you can kill them by rolling their bodies back and forth.
- If a flea were the size of a human it could jump about 300 feet, or the length of a football field!
- The flea has been on planet Earth as its own species for approximately 100 Mil
Myths & Facts
Myth: Fleas only feed & live on pets and animals.
Fact: Fleas can live anywhere in your home and latch onto and feast on any host that happens to walk or crawl by. Carpets, bedding and furniture make great homes for fleas in all stages of the life cycle.
Myth: Keeping your house clean prevents fleas.
Fact: Fleas can infest even the cleanest house. If your pet has fleas and brings them into the home fleas don’t care if you have a million things crammed into one room or a nice tidy arrangement of furniture, they will infest it either way. However, keeping a tidy house is very helpful for the treatment of fleas.
Signs of An Infestation
- Seeing your pets scratch at their fur excessively can be an indication that you have a flea problem in your home.
- Seeing fleas jump up from the carpet or drapes is a strong indicator that you have a flea infestation in your home.
- Finding eggs or larvae in your carpet, drapes or furniture is also a good sign that you have a flea problem.
