Fleas are a common problem that can happen in any home. They often get carried in on the coats of pets and feed on the blood of humans and animals. The fleas themselves do not live for more than four days without this supply of blood from a host, but the larvae which hatch into fleas need organic matter rather than blood to survive.
This is why it’s often a good idea to get professional help when dealing with a flea problem; you can find out more about this. If the larvae are not dealt with effectively, they hatch into fleas, and pretty soon you are faced with an infestation. If you want to try addressing the problem yourself first, there are some facts that it’s useful to know.
Fleas do not take long to spread
If you think you have been bitten by a flea, you may be tempted to just ignore the issue and hope that it goes away on its own. It’s important to realize that fleas are not normally alone, and once they are in your home they multiply quickly. Female fleas lay approximately 5,000 eggs during their lifetime. That is a lot of eggs to lay in a period that can be anything from 30 to 90 days in length.
Assuming that all of these eggs hatch, you can see how quickly fleas can take over your home. These pests may not spread any diseases, but they are a nuisance and their bites itch intensely.
Action to take when you have fleas in your home
- As soon as you think that there are fleas present in your home, there are certain steps that you need to take. You need to:
- Treat pets for fleas.
- Launder bedding and clothing, to get rid of fleas, eggs and larvae.
- Vacuum carpets. Not only does this get rid of fleas, eggs and larvae, it also encourages fleas to emerge from their cocoons. This makes it a lot easier to kill them.
Remember that getting rid of fleas is not always as easy as it seems. You may think that you dealt with all of the pests, but they may have found a place to hide, in curtains or carpets. If you believe that some fleas may have escaped your clutches, it’s time to seek professional help; click here for more advice.
Professional exterminators will spend time examining your home, to determine if fleas are present and where they are located. Once they have determined how widespread the problem is, they will discuss a plan of action with you. They will use processes and chemicals that are safe and effective, to rid your home of the fleas that have taken up residence. If you do not seek professional help with the situation, it will only become a lot worse. Given the speed with which fleas reproduce, your property could soon be home to thousands of fleas if you let it.