Flea Identification & Prevention

Fleas rarely jump from host to host. Instead, flea transmission is done through eggs. After their first blood meal, female fleas can lay up to 100 eggs in a day. These eggs are not attached and will often fall off the host. A flea egg can lay dormant for up to 100 days until the right conditions for hatching occur. 

A majority of infestations originate from outside. Common carriers are dogs, cats, raccoons, opossums, and coyotes. While these carrier animals walk around they continuously drop eggs off their bodies. Fleas thrive in the same shady protected areas your pets like to cool off in. During the day these animals seek shelter from the elements and create what is known as flea hotspots. A cool place like under a deck or beneath bushes are great places to relax for wild animals and pets alike.  

Another common source of fleas is from dormant eggs. Moving into a new home can cause a previously dormant flea population to re-emerge. You don’t even need to have pets. If the previous owner had fleas simply living inside will trigger the flea eggs to hatch causing a new infestation.

After her first blood meal, a female can lay up to 100 eggs a day! These eggs are not attached so they fall off the host and lay dormant until conditions are right for hatching. Larvae hatch from the eggs and feed off any available natural material like dead insects, pet hair, vegetable matter, etc. The larva can live up to 18 days before they die, or given adequate food, cocoon for up to 4 days while it metamorphosis into an adult. An average adult flea lives for 2 to 3 months, but given optimum conditions, an adult flea can live up to a year and a half!

When exterminating fleas it’s important to attack all stages of the flea life cycle. Even if you thoroughly clean and do everything right, you may find yourself fighting the same flea infestation a few months later. If you’ve done everything and you’re still having flea problems contact a professional for advice.