You Could Be Accidentally Attracting Fleas In Jacksonville

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family sitting on front porch of pest free home

Fleas are tiny, annoying pests that like to chill out in warm, humid environments. They're incredibly resilient and can survive three months without food or in extreme temperatures as low as -60 degrees Celsius. Flea bites can cause itchy, reddish blotches and spread dangerous infections to humans and pets. You can protect your family from a flea infestation through active pest control in Jacksonville. 

The Life Cycle Of The Common Flea

The flea's life cycle begins with an egg. Flea eggs are very small, only about 1/2 mm long, and can be white or cream-colored. Mature adults typically lay eggs on infested animal coats. The eggs are sticky and hide within the pet's fur; however, they can fall off the animal and onto carpeting or furniture. 

The eggs hatch into larvae after approximately 48 hours at room temperature. The larvae can live for up to two weeks. They feed on flea feces from adult fleas and other organic matter found on your pet, such as dead skin flakes and dried blood from previous bites. 

The pupal stage is the next phase of a flea's life. The pupae are oval-shaped, smaller than adult fleas, and found in your pet's bedding or carpet. They are typically inactive, only responding to vibrations in the environment to emerge and feed. 

Adult fleas are the last stage and only emerge from the pupal cocoon when a host has a clear presence. Adults bite on animals or humans to obtain a blood meal. Maturation allows them to breed and begin laying eggs. 

Are You Accidentally Attracting Fleas?

A flea invasion can be difficult to control once these parasites spread their eggs across your home. But could you unknowingly be encouraging them to invade? Here are three habits that can support an infestation in your Jacksonville home:

  1. Leaving Your Lawn Untended: Fleas love warm, moist, and dark environments to set up their nests. Your overgrown turf grass can provide a perfect breeding ground for the pest as they await you and your furry friends to emerge for a blood meal. Keeping the lawn maintained is an inexpensive flea control measure for Jacksonville homeowners.  
  2. Failing To Groom Your Pet: The easiest way to identify a flea pest problem is to run a clean comb through your pet's fur. Grooming your pets can help you identify the reddish-brown insects jumping from their coat or the dark "flea dirt" they leave behind. Grooming your pet can help you discover an infestation before it gets out of hand. 
  3. Encouraging Birds And Wildlife On Your Property: Vermin such as raccoons, deer, wild birds, and rodents can carry fleas onto your property. The infested animals can drop adult fleas or eggs that later hitch a ride back into your house on your pet's fur or your clothes. 

How To Get Fleas Out Of Your House

Eliminating fleas from an infested home is a tall order. Here are several tips to help you out:

  • Vacuum your furniture, carpets, and mattress to pick up eggs and larvae.
  • Groom your pets with flea shampoo to kill adult fleas.
  • Use steam cleaners for your infested clothes and pet bedding.
  • Consider a natural flea killer such as diatomaceous earth.
  • Hire a Jacksonville pest control company for professional flea treatment and spraying.

The most effective way to remove fleas is to partner with home pest control professionals to put preventative measures in place to keep these pests away. 

No More Fleas In Your Jacksonville Home

The best way to protect your loved ones is to hire a local pest control company to exterminate flea infestations in your home. B&T Pest Control can send pest control experts to your home to identify the source of the fleas invading your house. 

Our trained professionals then recommend effective treatment options to remove fleas. We also provide suggestions for preventative pest control measures you can take to avoid a future infestation. Call us today tolearn how we can eliminate the nasty pests in your home.

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