Fleas

Fleas are ectoparasites that feed on blood, transmit diseases and parasites, and take over outdoor spaces in the blink of an eye. Though fleas are tiny in size, they are incredibly hearty. They have a hard shell and body, flattened from side to side, making it almost impossible to squish them. They also are equipped with large back legs that make it easy for them to jump out of the way of danger or onto a host to begin feeding and breeding. Some believe that only pet owners have to deal with flea problems, but the truth is any indoor, or outdoor space could become overrun by fleas because of their prolific breeding habits. While fleas do live and feed on cats and dogs, they also feed on many other hosts, including rodents, wild animals, and livestock. They prefer animal hosts, but if people are around, they will also feed on our blood.

Usually it’s wild animals, rodents, or stray pets that introduce fleas onto a property. As they travel across your lawn or forage for food in trash cans or gardens, flea eggs will drop off the host and onto your property. Fleas develop best in shady, damp areas. They are often found in tall grass and under things like shrubs, decks, woodpiles, and leaf piles. It is common for you or your pets to come into contact with fleas when spending in your yard or other outdoor spaces (parks, fields, wooded areas) and then bring them into your home. A rodent infestation is another common way an infestation occurs; rodents will bring fleas with them into homes they are nesting in. Fleas will also hitchhike into homes on things like secondhand rugs and upholstered furniture.

Let the professionals at Infinity Pest Solutions, LLC help protect your property against fleas through our effective flea control services and the following prevention tips. Make your yard less conducive to flea activity by keeping the grass mowed short and removing grass, leaf, or brush piles from your yard. Keep shrubs and bushes cut back to help the sundry out the ground around your home. Reduce wild animal and rodent activity on your property by keeping lids on trash cans, picking up uneaten pet food, and removing bird feeders. To keep fleas out of your house, regularly inspect your pets and yourself for fleas before coming inside. Always check secondhand items for fleas before bringing them into your home.