Fleas Are One Itchy Problem, but Slug-A-Bug Can Help

PUT A FLEA INFESTATION ON THE FLEE WITH SLUG-A-

BUG

Even if you don't have a dog or cat in your house, you could still have a fl ea control problem. Successful control involves the home, the pets if present, and the yard.

THE FLEA FACTOR

There are more than 2,000 diff erent species of fl eas in the world, but to most people, they mean one thing - intense itching and irritation.

It can be tough to spot a fl ea because most are just 1/8 inch long.

There are three main types of fl eas - dog fl eas, cat fl eas, and sticktight fl eas. But the cat fl ea is, by far, the most common fl ea in households throughout the United States.

The cat fl ea is reddish brown, and wingless. There bodies are laterally compressed. They also have mouth parts able to pierce and suck blood from a host.

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IDENTIFYING FLEAS

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THEY’RE SERIOUSLY HUNGRY

There are many diff erent problems with fl eas, but the biggest one is that they bite anything they can fi nd.

They won't make a dist inction between your dog and your foot, they' l l just jump on and start bit ing.

Flea bites are small round spots with a t iny red halo around it . They may cause itching and individuals who have sensit ive skin or small chi ldren can begin to suff er al lergic dermatit is, which causes considerably more itching as well as hair loss, and even secondary infections.

Another increasingly common fl ea problem is that they can transmit diseases. They can serve as a host to tapeworms, transmitting them not only to your family pets, but to your children as well. They can also transmit a murinelike typhus disease according to new research. The symptoms include headaches, chil ls, fever, vomiting, and rash.

THE CAUSE OF ILLNESSES

Most adult cat fl eas will remain on the host itself. Fresh blood is required to produce eggs, and females have the ability to lay 20-50 eggs per day. The eggs take just two days to hatch in some cases. The eggs are white in color and oval shaped. They are 1/32 inch long, and very smooth.

Eggs then hatch into fl ea larvae, and are about 3/16 inch long. They are fairly hairy and may look like little worms. They have a large head, but do not have eyes or legs. In order to grow into adults, they have to be in an area where 75% relative humidity occurs. They eat and crawl around for about 8 days,

then build themselves a cocoon, where they grow into adults. The warmer it is, the more quickly the larvae develop. In a normal room temperature home, the cycle can take eighteen days to occur.

Adult fl eas live about thirty days on the host.

THE LIFECYCLE OF A FLEA

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Adult fl eas spend most of their time on a pet, if there is one in the home.

Adult fl eas lay their eggs on your pet, but those eggs are quick to fall off. They can hide anywhere including the cushions, carpet, or even your bed. Any place your pet spends time, there are likely to be fl ea eggs.

After they hatch, the larvae use the area around them as protection. They feed on adult fl ea feces, which can accumulate throughout your house.

Before they can become adults, the larvae have to transform into pupae within a cocoon. The cocoon is resistant to insecticides.

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A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER

In most cases, you'll need to approach

flea treatments from a three step perspective:

Your HomeYour PetYour Yard

TREATING YOUR HOME FOR FLEAS

Focus most of your treatments on areas that your pets use. You will fi nd most of the eggs & larvae here.

Begin by vacuuming your whole house. Make sure you empty the bag or canister immediately and wash it in hot soapy water, as fl eas & fl ea eggs could be hiding inside. And be sure to get the vacuum bag or garbage out of the house quickly as vacuuming can cause the eggs to hatch.

Wash your pet's bedding and any throw rugs.

Contact a professional pest control company to ensure the problem is taken care of, and try to keep your pets from areas that are harder to treat l ike your child's play room.

You can expect to see fl eas for up to two weeks after fl ea treatment.

TREATING YOUR HOME

While you're treating your home, you should also treat your pet. Make to use a fl ea shampoo as well as an ongoing treatment

regimen. There are many great fl ea control products on the market that your

vet can tell you about to help keep fl eas off your pet.

TREATING YOUR PET

While most fl ea control problems can be controlled just by treating your pet and your home, in some cases, it's necessary to treat the yard too. Want a quick way to fi gure out if your yard needs treatment? Put on a pair of white socks, pulled up to your knees. Walk around your yard for a few minutes. If you have fl eas, you'll be able to see them quickly.

TREATING YOUR YARD

There are many kinds of treatment options today, but to save money, lots of people opt for do-it-yourself treatments. While these may have a fairly temporary eff ect, they cannot truly eliminate the problem the same way professional pest control company help can.

DO IT YOURSELF TREATMENTS

The largest independently owned pest control company in Brevard County, we off er

cutting edge solutions to help you deal with your flea problem for good.

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