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FLEAS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

LEARN ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT FLEAS AND FLEA PEST CONTROL.

ABOUT FLEAS AND FLEA CONTROL

Fleas are a very common household parasite in Australia, some species known to infest humans regularly: cat fleas, dog fleas and human fleas. When a flea bites, it can cause symptoms such as itchiness, redness, wounds and infections caused by scratching. Flea bites on humans can affect the quality of life and health of a person, which is why flea control is necessary to prevent a flea infestation at home.

But before you get rid of those pesky pests, here’s some information you need to know about them:

How fleas are spread

While fleas are wingless parasites and don’t have the ability to fly, they have strong legs that allow them to jump from host to host. A flea can jump from your pet’s fur to your furniture, and from your furniture to your skin. Sooner or later, as they breed and more enter the home, this can cause an all-out flea infestation under your roof without you even realising it. That’s why at the first sign of a flea infection, you have to nip that in the bud as soon as possible.

Finding out if your home has fleas

Fleas are quite small, so they’re difficult to spot. Pet lovers especially know that frustrating feeling of painstakingly looking for fleas on your fur babies and barely scratching the surface. But the best way to find out if you yourself have fleas is if you’re suffering from bites. The bites typically look like red dots and can typically be found on your shins, ankles or feet. These could be coupled with allergic symptoms such as hives, swelling or difficulty breathing if you happen to have a flea allergy.

Other signs that your house may have fleas include the presence of residue from their droppings or if your pet is scratching more than usual. When you see this, it might be to get both your pet and your house checked out (for both your and your pet’s sake of course).

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FLEA PEST CONTROL

vIf you’ve recently had a rodent problem, or your pet (or even family member!) has been scratching more than normal, you might also have a flea problem. While it’s incredibly unpleasant and uncomfortable, there are effective ways to get rid of them:

Different ways to prevent fleas

There are a lot of ways to prevent fleas from popping up in your home, and it starts with practising good cleanliness habits and keeping consistent with them.

Control outbreaks by vacuuming carpets and rugs every two days and clean under beds where dust accumulates. Don’t allow your pets under the house as dry dirt makes an ideal flea breeding ground. Make sure to also vacuum pet bedding regularly.

Once that’s done, throw out the vacuum bag or empty the vacuum cleaner’s contents into an airtight plastic bag (time to break out the rubber gloves!) and discard it immediately to get rid of captured larvae and pupae (also known as young and teenage fleas to you and me).

The usual pet regimen also applies. Treat your pets with washes, powders, ‘spot’ preparations or treatments recommended by your vet.

Post flea infestation, you can make sure your home is really free from fleas by setting off a Mortein Flea Bomb, which is designed to kill all fleas in the area, as well as breaking their breeding cycle with a special Insect Growth Regulator for three months protection from re-infestation.

H2: More general information about fleas

Knowing the best ways to prevent flea infestation is a crucial part of keeping your home free of fleas. Aside from that, here’s some more general info about fleas that might come in handy:

Flea life cycle

Most fleas lay several hundred eggs per female, either in the nest of a host or on the host from where they usually fall into the nest. The larvae, with three instars, live in the nest from several weeks to many months, feeding on organic matter. Learning how to get rid of fleas is crucial for the health and comfort of the host.

The larvae pupate within various shaped cocoons in the nest and adult emergence can be delayed up to several months until a suitable host is present. The vibration of a host arriving is enough to trigger the emergence of adult fleas.

In Conclusion

Fleas may seem hard to get rid of due to how small they are, but with the right methods and protocols, flea control isn’t impossible. Keep in mind the steps laid out above and practise good hygiene habits all the time. Besides that, you can also use the best flea repellents you can buy to fight the threat of flea infestation. Remember, preventing flea infestation starts with you at your own home, so don’t take it for granted and do your best to keep your home flea-free.

References:

  • Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.-b). Fleas. Better Health Channel. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/fleas
  • Kahn, A. (2021, January 6). Flea infestations. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/fleas
  • Whelan, C. (2021, July 19). What are signs of fleas in your bed? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/identification
  • Zborowski, P., & Storey, R. (2003). A field guide to insects in Australia. http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BA48208842

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