As a pest control company, we get a lot of questions about pest problems. Often, the questions are related to why pests have gotten in. This is especially true of fleas because they are so strongly associated with cats and dogs. But any home can get fleas. Let's take a closer look at Worcester flea infestations and see what we can learn.
Understanding the Cat Flea
The most common home-infesting flea in the United States is the cat flea. But don't let the name fool you. These fleas will get on dogs and other animals. They will also readily bite humans to get a blood meal.
Flea Identification
What does a cat flea look like? These fleas can appear as nothing more than tiny little specks springing from the floor. At between 1/16 to â…™ of an inch long, they are quite tiny. There is only one other tiny insect that will spring around inside your home, it is called a springtail. Springtails can be found in areas of moisture. Fleas can be found anywhere in your home. If you don't have a pet, you really don't have much need to know what a flea looks like. You'll know it by its ability to leap a tall building in a single bound.
How Do Fleas Get Into Worcester Homes That Don't Have Pets?
Fleas choose furry and feathery animals as hosts. If an animal with fur or feathers gets into your home, it can bring fleas in with it. You don't usually have to worry too much about birds introducing fleas to your home because they'll get into wall voids and attic spaces and the fleas are probably going to stay in those areas. You probably won't have to worry too much about squirrels, raccoons, and other attic infesting animals either. But we have two critters in Worcester that aren't content to stay in attic spaces. Mice and rats can explore an entire home. As they do, they drop flea eggs and flea dirt. When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the flea dirt, which is the excrement of adult fleas. They feed on the flea dirt because they can't get a blood meal from mammals during their larval stage. They draw blood from the excrement of the adult fleas. If they find enough to eat, they'll cocoon themselves, mature through the pupal stage and emerge as adult fleas. Adult fleas prefer to find a host with fur or feathers, but they'll come out of their cocoons to bite you and the other humans living in your home.
Are Fleas Dangerous?
There are many ways fleas can be dangerous to people, and how dangerous they can be is linked to whether or not a flea has been exposed to a sickly animal, like a dumpster-diving mouse or rat. This is why flea infestations in homes without pets should be addressed as quickly as possible. Dogs and cats can pick up fleas from the yard that have never been on a rodent. This makes their fleas less of a medical threat.
Flea Control For Homes Without Pets
Everything you do to prevent wildlife activity around your home can reduce mice and rats and reduce your risk of a flea infestation (along with a long list of other problems that rodents can cause).
- Keep exterior trash in sealed receptacles.
- Put fencing around food sources, such as gardens, berry bushes, and fruit trees.
- Put fencing over voids, such as the area under your deck or porch.
- Keep your lawn trimmed and unwanted vegetation plucked.
- Remove clutter from your yard that rodents will use as hiding places.
- Address any conditions that allow puddles to form on your property and next to your home.
- Put bird feeders at least 20 feet from your home. Seeds are a highly desirable food source for rodents.
- Invest in a residential pest control plan that provides monitoring and control of rodents. This is where we can help.
If you've been considering pest control service for your home, let your flea infestation push you over the edge. Every home should have pest control. It protects your home investment, safeguards your belongings, and reduces pest-borne illnesses. Reach out to Big Blue Bug Solutions. We don't just provide solutions for bugs. Our pest control professionals use advanced technologies and the latest rodent control strategies to manage the threat of rodents, and the fleas they carry. Get your protection in place today.
