Flea Identification & Prevention

Fleas are parasitic pests that feed on hosts' blood from the outside of their bodies. Adults can consume up to 15 times their body weight in blood per day.

Their preferred hosts are dogs, cats, rodents, and wild animals. If people are available, they will feed on our blood, but we aren't their preferred hosts, and fleas won't seek us out as hosts.

Fleas are tiny, about the size of a fleck of dirt, and we identify them by their oval bodies that are flattened from side to side. They are wingless but have powerful back legs, which allow them to jump vertically at least six inches.

While fleas are extremely annoying, they are also a danger. Most people and animals are allergic to their saliva and develop itchy rashes around their bite sites. Those that are very sensitive to their saliva can require medical attention. Fleas are also dangerous because of their ability to spread disease and parasites.

Fleas are prolific breeders, and a small initial infestation that is overlooked can quickly get out of control and take over both your yard and home.

There are several places you or your pets can come into contact with fleas and unintentionally bring them back to your property, where they become a problem. Some common places where fleas establish large populations are kennels, groomers, campgrounds, parks, wooded areas, and playgrounds.

Fleas are also regularly introduced onto our properties by flea-infested wild animals like rodents, raccoons, skunks, and other wild animals traveling to and from your property.

Adult fleas spend their lives within the fur of one of their animal hosts feeding on the blood of their host and breeding. After the females lay their eggs, the eggs roll off the animal's back and onto the ground below, where they develop into new adult fleas.

Flea eggs develop best in damp, shady areas. Outside, flea infestations are regularly discovered under decks, shrubbery, tall grass, and piles of leaves, wood, or other yard debris.

In houses, fleas that have not found their way onto a host are in bedding, rugs, and upholstered furniture. Moving flea-infested items from one home to another is a common way for fleas to spread.

Fleas are tricky to eliminate once they establish themselves in any indoor or outdoor space. If you spot fleas or signs of fleas on your property, contact Harpoon Pest Solutions so we can help you eliminate them.

Through our home pest control services, our professionals will inspect for signs of flea activity and conducive conditions on your property that may attract them. We will then review our findings with you and develop a treatment plan unique to your property's pest control needs. For local flea control that you can count on, contact us today.

Fleas are challenging pests to prevent, but by implementing the following tips, you can help to stop them from taking over your yard or home. 

• Place your pets on a year-round flea control preventative.
• Keep your yard's grass cut short. 
• Remove yard debris and leaf litter from your yard and against your home's foundation.
• Inspect yourself and your pets for fleas after spending time outside.
• Regularly vacuum your home's floors and upholstered furniture.
• Thoroughly clean and inspect any secondhand items like upholstered furniture or rugs you are bringing into your home for flea activity. 
• Make your property less attractive to flea-covered wild animals using fencing, removing bird feeders, and keeping lids on trash cans. 

Harpoon Pest Solutions is here to help you eliminate current problems with fleas through our effective flea treatments.