Learning how to get rid of fleas in Meridian doesn’t have to be as complicated as it sounds. A flea infestation can easily be taken care of with proper prevention tactics and the assistance of pest control in Meridian.
Fleas - Types, Facts, And How To Identify
Even though most flea types appear the same, there are thousands of different flea species living worldwide. The most common fleas that Meridian residents may encounter include the cat flea (the number one domestic flea in the United States), the dog flea, the rat flea, and the human flea.
All fleas appear dark brown to reddish-brown in coloration (depending on when they last ate) and grow to approximately an eighth of an inch in length. Fleas can feed off any warm-blooded mammal, but they prefer to live and feed on hair or furry mammals such as cats or dogs. This is why proper flea protection for your pets is so essential.
The Lifecycle Of The Common Flea
Most fleas will have the same life cycle of four stages – egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Eggs are laid on a host mammal or in the fabric of your home, such as carpets. From there, a larva emerges and feeds on the host before becoming a pupa and creating a cocoon. The pupa will stay in this cocoon until signs of a suitable host are detected, such as body heat or body movement. This process may be short or last several weeks, depending on how close the pupa cocoon is to a suitable mammal host.
Once the adult flea emerges from a cocoon, they will feed immediately. Female fleas will begin to look for a mate and start laying eggs, further carrying on the flea life cycle. And because eggs and pupa can wait for weeks before hatching, it is crucial to eliminate all stages of the flea lifecycle to prevent re-infestation.
Three Reasons Fleas Are So Hard To Eliminate
A flea infestation can be challenging to get rid of, especially if you don’t have the help of a dedicated flea exterminator.
Review these reasons why you may be having trouble completely removing fleas from your home:
- Due to their small size, fleas are incredibly skilled at hiding on their host’s body, especially if there’s fur. They can also quickly get out of the way of danger and have tough exoskeletons, which make them difficult to crush.
- Fleas can hide throughout your home and stay dormant for long periods. This means that reinfestation is always possible unless you thoroughly remove every life stage of flea and eliminate all flea eggs around your home.
- Fleas are very prolific and breed quickly. Just one or two fleas on your pet can quickly lead to a widespread infestation that takes forever to eliminate without professional assistance.
Control, Extermination, And Prevention Of Fleas
The best way to get rid of fleas in your house and avoid itchy flea bites is to contact Sawtooth Pest Control. With the help of our professionals, we will eliminate flea infestations, and you won’t risk contracting flea diseases. Only our experts at Sawtooth Pest Control will be able to remove every life stage of fleas and ensure your property is protected year-round.