Category: Fleas

Fleas are some of the most annoying and popular year-round pests in South Carolina. Fleas enjoy hitching a ride on our 4 legged furry friends or human loved ones, so they can make their way inside our homes. In this blog, we will teach you what to look for and how to remove fleas from your home or yard. 

Signs of Fleas

The first step in learning how to remove fleas is to know what symptoms will start occurring once a flea has invaded a pet or human in your home. If you or a pet begins itching this is a major sign of flea infestation. You can spot these little creatures sometimes as well. Fleas are on average 2.5 millimeters long, which makes them visible to the naked eye. Another sign of fleas is if your skin or a pet’s skin becomes irritated, red, or has scabs. 

Fleas Appearance 

Fleas are extremely small and hard to spot but their most distinctive feature is their capability to jump significantly far distances in comparison to their size. Their color is usually black or dark brown and may be seen on your pet’s fur or on a person’s skin. 

Fleas won’t remain on humans, which makes it hard to locate hiding places. Only 5% of the population of fleas will be found on your pet at any given time. Fleas find dark places to call their home. They are often found in baseboards, carpets, and pet bed crevices. 

Treatment of Fleas 

Knowing the treatment of fleas is important to understand how to remove fleas from your home and yards. Flea treatment for pets should be applied as directed to begin re-infestation. It is best to speak with your veterinarian about the best way to treat your pet. You will want to remove as many hiding places as you can. To kill any fleas, larvae, and eggs, wash your pet’s bedding and toys in hot water. The use of a spray bomb, or powder treatment, and vacuum your house often, throwing away the bag each time to get rid of larvae and eggs from your safe haven. 

A flea comb is great to use because it can capture the fleas. You can use this on your pet by working the flea comb through their hair, starting close to the skin. Dispose of the fleas in a bowl of soapy water to ensure they don’t survive. 

It is important to not forget about treating your lawn because fleas make their way inside your home by connecting to your pet. You can treat your lawn by applying specific sprays which will feed and strengthen your grass, but also kill the fleas. You can also mow high (but not too high). When cutting your lawn, cut it to the ideal height for a specific type of grass. Extremely tall grass provides fleas a place to hide, while grass that’s too short (less than 2 inches) will not attract spiders or ants, which both prey on fleas. 

Contact 

Now you know how to remove fleas from your living spaces and yards, but there can be challenges along the way. Exclusive Pest Control knows the exact persistence and care of how to remove fleas and successfully complete the job. It is a process that will take time over a couple of weeks to destroy the fleas at every life cycle and the end of the infestation once and for all. Contact Exclusive Pest Control today to schedule a consultation and to learn more about how to remove fleas. You will be one step closer to being flea-free once you call the professionals at Exclusive Pest Control.

Flea bites can be annoying, itchy, and can even become infected if they are scratched and left untreated. Removing a flea infestation from your home can be difficult, but with persistence and care, it can be done. Getting rid of fleas is a multi-step process that will need to be carried out over weeks in order to destroy fleas at every life cycle and end the infestation once and for all.

Flea Bites and Other Signs

Flea bites are itchy, often reddish, raised bumps. The reaction to the bite depends upon the sensitivity of the person bitten. Some people will barely notice they’ve been bitten, while others will develop red, itchy, raised bumps that may persist for days or even weeks. If you have pets, you will need to treat them and their bedding and toys as well as your home and yard. Fleas are most commonly found when people begin suffering bites or notice their pets scratching, but you may see live insects on your legs or in your pet’s fur.

What do Fleas Look Like?

Fleas are extremely small and may be difficult to spot. The most distinctive feature is their ability to jump great distances in comparison to their diminutive size. They are usually black or dark brown in color and may be seen crawling in a pet’s fur or on a human’s skin. They will not remain on humans, finding it difficult to find hiding places. In fact, only 5% of the total flea population in your home will be found on your pet at any given time. Fleas like dark places and will seek out baseboards and carpets, as well as crevices in pet beds and other materials, for their hiding places.

Treatment

Flea treatment should be applied to pets as directed, to prevent re-infestation. Talk to your vet about options for the best way to treat your pets. In the home, it is necessary to remove as many hiding places as possible. Wash your pet’s bedding and toys in hot water to kill any fleas, larvae, and eggs. Use a spray, bomb, or powder treatment, and vacuum the rooms frequently, throwing away the bag each time to remove larvae and eggs from your home. Don’t forget the lawn. Fleas make their way inside by hitching rides on pets and people on their way indoors. A professional exterminator can help you decide which treatments will be the safest and most effective for your family.

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