Basic Flea Biology

  • Estimated 2,500 species of fleas in the world, 325 in the U.S.  The most common is the Cat Flea
  • Fleas are wingless, dark-reddish brown in color, about an 1/8 inch long, and oval in shape
  • Can jump 7′ vertically and 13′ horizontally
  • 4 stage life cycle: egg, larvae, pupa, and adult. Under normal conditions it takes 3–6 weeks to go from egg to adult
  • Adult fleas prefer to feed every 2–3 days and must feed before laying eggs
  • Female fleas begin to produce eggs within 24–48 hours of its first blood meal
  • Eggs are laid in batches of 20 and can be laid daily. Female fleas will lay eggs continuously until they die
  • 1 female flea can lay up to 5,000 eggs in a lifetime
  • Total flea infestation is comprised of 5% adults and 95% pre-adults
  • Average life span of adult fleas is usually 4–6 weeks when a host is available
  • Pre-adult fleas can live up to 1 year (adults 2–3 years) if a host is not available

What to look for

  • Inspect your pets—look for small insects crawling in their fur around neck, face, and underside
  • Examine your skin for flea bites
  • Pepper like droppings in pet bedding and other areas where pets rest or spend time
  • While walking around with white socks, look for fleas “hitching a ride”

Prevention Tips

  • Treat your pets regularly with a proven quality product
  •  Regular vacuuming, including in cracks and crevices
  • Wash pet bedding regularly
  • Treat lawn on a regular basis
  • Keep lawn and landscaping well maintained

Where do Fleas come from in the first place?

  •  Wildlife (squirrels, raccoons, ground hogs, opossums, deer, birds, rodents, etc.)
  • Neighboring pets
  • Outside in your lawn

Areas to Inspect

  • Pet bedding and resting areas such as:  beds, furniture, rugs, etc.
  • Areas where pets enter the house
  • Inspect your pets

Treatment We Offer

Thorough interior chemical treatment using an adulticide and an insect growth regulator (IGR) is applied.  Exterior power-spray treatments are available if needed to address an infestation in the lawn and landscaping.  Adulticide materials kill larvae and adult stages while the IGR will prevent eggs and larvae stages from further development.  Adulticide materials have a residual life of 4–5 weeks and the IGR’s 7 months once applied.  Extensive interior preparation is required prior to treatment as well as arrangements made to treat all pets.  Re-treatments may be necessary within 15–30 days of the initial application to establish complete elimination.  A pre-project check list as well as a full explanation of all preparation procedures will be provided prior to treatment.