Loading ...One of the most common type of pest that can be found in the house is the flea. Fleas are often particularly a problem to people who have pets at home. These insects are very small, agile and dark, which makes them easy to blend in on the fur of animals. They are often very difficult to kill because they can spread rapidly in a home. A flea infestation inside a home can make life difficult for both the pet and the home owner.
The Flea Life Cycle
To learn how to get rid of fleas, it is important to understand the life cycle of the flea. The flea will pass through four stages in a life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. During these phases the flea will be actively growing and developing into the blood sucking creature it grows up to be. In general, a standard population of fleas will consist of 50% eggs, 35% larvae, 10% pupae and 5% adults.
The time it takes for the flea to go from an egg to an adult will vary from two weeks to eight months depending on the conditions that are present at the time. Environmental factors like the access to food, temperature and humidity all play an important factor in the development of fleas. The female fleas will lay out to 50 eggs after having a blood meal. They can usually lay around 600 eggs during the course of their lifetime.
Adult fleas need to have a blood meal in order to survive. Unfortunately, fleas can survive for up to one year without having any blood to feed on. This makes it almost impossible for the fleas to go away without taking radical action on the fleas. It is quite common for fleas to remain in their cocoon until there is a food source that they can feed on.
Fleas will live on a number of different hosts which include humans, squirrels, dogs, cats, rabbits, mice, chickens etc. House pets are the most common way that fleas get inside a home. If a home owner has a pet that goes outside to play, they should always check the pet for fleas on the animal’s fur coat.
This flea cycle can occur in almost any location. This life cycle can occur in your home, the backyard, garden, or barn. There are a number of different areas where the flea can continue their life cycle. This can be problematic if fleas have infested a home. It can be very difficult to try and find all of the locations that they could be hiding.
I misconception that a lot of people have is that you need pets to have fleas. This is simply not true. You don’t have to have any pets for there to be a flea infestation in your home. One flea that manages to latch onto a human can create a whole colony of other fleas in a matter of weeks.
In order for home owners to eliminate fleas from their home, they need to kill the fleas that are in each stage of the life cycle. If you eliminate all the adult fleas you are forgetting about the other 95% of fleas that are in the other stages of the cycle. An effective flea treatment program will work to effectively stop this life cycle from continuing.
The Effects of Fleas
Although fleas are commonly considered to be just a nuisance, they can a number of conditions to humans. One of the most common things that occurs from flea bites is an allergic reaction. If you are bit by a flea there is a could chance that you could notice swelling and redness in the bite area. In some extreme cases bites can even lead to such things as anemia, tapeworms, and the stomach flu.
Besides the reactions that fleas can cause from their bites, they also work as transmitters of disease. Fleas can transmit a host of disease by taking the blood from one carrier and infecting another. It is important to use proper bug repellent if you think there is a flea infestation in your home to avoid getting bit by fleas.
Flea Control
Once you can understand how the flea life cycle works it is easier to learn how to get rid of fleas. A lot of people don’t realize that the fleas will continue to persist unless you find a sensible solution that can tackle the problem. If you simply round up all the adults, you would be missing the fleas that are in their egg, larva, and pupa stages. As mentioned before, these three early stages make up 95% of the total population of fleas.
People who have pets that have flea infections will need to treat the areas that the pet is frequented. If you have an outdoor pet you will need to treat your entire yard. Likewise, if the pet lives indoors you will need to treat the entire house to eliminate any fleas that are living inside. Failing to treat the environment that the pet lives in will not solve the problem. It is essential to treat the entire area to kill all the fleas in the life cycle.
If you are able to control the flea eggs that are hatching, you will be able to control your flea problem. Stopping the flea eggs from developing into adults is the best way to ensure your flea control works. If a flea treatment isn’t working it simply means that you are neglecting a specific area. Focus on treating the areas that you haven’t treated before and see if the problem still persists.
In order to work properly, a good flea treatment will take weeks to take full effect. The exact amount of time for the flea treatment to work will depend on a number of factors. One factor that has a significant impact on the treatment is the amount of fleas you have. If it is a small infestation you might be able to kill all of the fleas effectively in one treatment.
Flea Treatment Options
The general approach to flea treatments is an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system that targets a number of different factors. The IPM works by targeting the fleas at different stages of their life to effectively eliminate and control the flea population.
Adulticide is generally used to kill the adult fleas that are present in the home. To target the fleas that are in their other stages you will use a development inhibitor and a development regulator. These products are designed to prevent the flea development of early growth stages.
An all natural substance that is commonly used to treat pests is cedar oil. This is an proven treatment that is very effective at eliminate fleas that persists on animals. It is a great alternative to products that contain different types of chemicals and other toxic ingredients.
Whenever using any type of flea treatment that contains pesticides, it is important to take care when using it. You might find that the flea treatment will product reactions in your pet if you are not careful. Always read the instructions on any treatment option that you decide to take.
When dealing with fleas it is important to remember these three basic points:
1. Integrated Pest Management (treat fleas at all stage of the life cycle)
2. Treat the host and the environment
3. Treatments are recommended to be used for extended period of time
Although adult fleas can be killed using the adulticide to treat them, there isn’t another chemical that will consistently kill the fleas. Growth regulators can only work to prevent the fleas from developing into normal adults, but they cannot stop the development all together.
It is also important to keep pets active in the rooms that are infested by fleas. Because fleas are more attracted to animals than people, having a pet in a room is going to attract the fleas to the pet. Although you might not like the idea of having your pet loaded with fleas, it is better than having a family member covered in fleas. Fleas prefer animals and will latch on to them before they go after people.
One thing that you should always avoid when it comes to fleas is leaving a room empty in hopes to let the fleas “starve.” As mentioned before, flea can last up to a year before they are starved out. This is something that is impractical and should be avoided. If you stop going into a room that has fleas, they will begin to move into other areas of the home.
3 Initial Flea Control Steps
If you notice fleas have entered your home there are some initial steps that you can take to try and solve the problem. These steps are designed to try and control the flea population in your home and do not ensure that you will eliminate the entire population. Because fleas can be active in any part of your home, this is an effective treatment for carpeted floors.
1. Collect sheets, bedding, rugs and wash them in soap water. Bath soap is an effective insecticide that can be used to properly control the flea population in your home. While bath soap can be an effective treatment for some fleas, it is not guaranteed to eliminate the problem from your pets.
2. Vacuum up the entire house. Vacuuming produces a number of desired results. The vacuuming can help to catch all the eggs that are laid in the carpets of your home. Although the larvae often aren’t sucked up, it work to eliminate a large portion of the flea eggs. Be sure that you remove your vacuum bag to prevent any of the fleas from getting out.
3. Use a steam cleaner on your carpets. Once you have finished vacuuming your entire carpet area you can then work to get the carpets steam cleaned. The steam cleaning will effectively work to eliminate any larvae that have latched on to the carpets after you have vacuumed everything.
How to Get Rid of Fleas on People
Fleas can enter a person hair in a matter of minutes can cause itching. The first thing you should do when you notice a flea on you is take a bath. Bathing in warm soapy water is a must at the first sign of fleas on your body. Take the time to ensure your entire body is soaked through – especially your hair. Continue taking baths one to two times a day until you are sure that your flea problem is eliminated.
You will want to use a comb on your hair daily and try and drag out any fleas that are living in your hair. There are special combs that are specifically designed to help drag out fleas from the hair. It is important that you comb your hair ever day to ensure the flea population is not radically increasing.
How To Get Rid Of Fleas on Pets
Always be careful when it comes time to treating your pet for fleas. There are a number of products out there that can be hazardous to different types of pets. Reading the label before you use the treatment is a must for any type of flea treatment that is being used. If a treatment is meant for a particular type of animal you shouldn’t use it on another animal.
Just like treating humans, the first thing you need to do with your pets is was them in soap water. Make sure the water has plenty of soap to ensure that it can kill the fleas. When the pet is in the water you can work to scrub him up and down. Running a special flea comb through the hair of your pet can ensure that you take out all the individual fleas that are currently on him.
There are a number of sprays that you can use on your pets as well. Before purchasing any type of spray for home use it is important to look up some product reviews that are available. In general, product reviews can be a great resource when it comes to select a product that can work for your animal.
Popular Flea Control Products
Advantage Once-A-Month Topical Flea Treatment for Cats – This is a once a month treatment for cats that are infested with fleas. It works specifically to kill the fleas before they are able to lay eggs and larvae before they are able to hatch into adults. The product is specifically designed for cats that are at least 8 weeks and weight between 9-18 pounds. The treatment works to prevent any re-infestation for up to 4 week periods.
Victor M230 Ultimate Flea Trap – This is a cleverly designed product that attracts and traps the fleas. The non poisonous, odor free trap is safe to be used any small children and pets. It will work to attract fleas up to 30 feet away in every direction it is put in. The design of the trap works to lure the fleas by using heat, color, light, and a sweet odor. People who continually flee problems should consider what this trap can do.
Merial Frontline Plus Flea and Tick Control For Dogs – This product is specifically designed to deal with flea problems on dogs. It is a fast acting, long lasting flea control product that will work to eliminate fleas on your dog. The formula is designed to offer continuous flea control for up to 30 days before it needs to be reused again. The Frontline Plus was designed for dogs that weight between 45 to 88 pounds.
Fleabusters Rx for Fleas Plus – This is a solution for people who have flea infestations in their home. You can use the Fleabuster Rx to rub into your carpet and work to eliminate the flea population. It is an odourless, non staining formulate that is an extremely fine powder. As a side benefit it can also kill roaches and ants.
Springstar S102 Flea Trap – This pesticide free permanent flea trap works to use heat and light to attract fleas up to 25 feet away. The fleas fall through the grid on the trap and are trapped on the stick pad at the bottom of the trap. It can work to for up to 3 months before you need to replace the pads on the bottom of the trap.
Find A Treatment That Works For You
If you have a flea infestation it is important to treat the host and the environment the host is living in. If your infected pet lives in the backyard, treating the backyard is a must for the fleas to go away. The same can be said about treating an indoor pet. It is essential for you to kill all of the fleas at every stage of the life cycle to prevent them from coming back.
The type of flea treatment that works best for your will vary depending on your situation. If you have a dog that continues to get infested with fleas, you will want to look for a good product that can prevent fleas from laying eggs on your dog. Similarly, if you have tried a treatment that doesn’t seem to be working, try something new. Learning how to get rid of fleas doesn’t have to be difficult if you are willing to try different things. Patience and persistence are two things you will need to eliminate any flea infestation that you have.
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