Category Archives: Fleas

Everyone loves the summer. One of the seasonal perks is that you can wear looser clothing and give your skin a break from being covered up all fall and winter. Unfortunately, the summer is also filled with pests—like mosquitoes—ready and waiting to make you their next meal. Seeing pesky insects outside your home during the summer can be upsetting because it takes away from your ability to relax by your pool, on your deck, or patio.

Since we’re committed to making the outdoors fun, we’re going to explain how to get rid of summer bugs in your house and share insight into how you can manage these summer pests so you can take back your outdoor spaces. We’ll get started with a quick review of the most annoying summer pests.

Mosquitoes: When it comes to summer pests, mosquitoes are the belle of the ball. These annoying pests buzz around our ears, jab us, then bodies, looking for the perfect place to bite. Once they get their stinger into you, it leaves an itchy bite that gets slightly raised the more you scratch it. Mosquitoes love areas with standing water because it allows them to lay their eggs comfortably.

Flies: There’s nothing quite as annoying as flies that crash your outdoor activities. Flies are pros at wreaking havoc at any backyard event. If the constant buzzing isn’t enough to drive you crazy, the thought that they can also transmit harmful diseases, will put you right over the edge. Keeping them at bay and away from food and drinks is a full-time job.

Fire Ants: While not quite as annoying or mobile as mosquitoes and flies, ants can be a huge summertime problem. Ants come in a variety of shapes and sizes. And while most are harmless (sans the fire ant), you still don’t want them around your home or backyard activities. Ants are masters at getting into seemingly impossible crevices within your home, which can cause structural damage.

Wasps: and Hornets: A painful sting makes wasps and hornets some of the most dangerous summer pests you can encounter outdoors.Their activity usually heightens during mid to late summer, when the weather in most areas is warmer. If you encounter a hive in your yard, it’s best to seek professional help, as they can quickly become aggravated and aggressive.

Ticks: Ticks are stealthy pests that lurk in the shadows, literally. They are much more subtle in their approach to humans and pets. Rather than flying around (which they can’t do), they wait for just the right time to latch on to a host for a free meal. Unfortunately, ticks are not just a summertime problem anymore. Depending on where you live, ticks can be present all year long. In some cases, these blood sucking parasites can leave with more than just a red welt. Some ticks can transmit bloodborne diseases that cause serious illness.

Fleas: While most people think fleas are only found on our furry friends, the truth is, fleas can infest carpeting and furnishings too. And like the other pests we mentioned, they can also carry diseases that cause illnesses in humans and pets. Fleas also have the ability to lay large numbers of eggs, which enables them to multiply rapidly.

Termites: While ants and fleas are no picnic, termites are a whole different level of pests —ones you definitely don’t want in or around your home. While many termites feed off of wood, some have evolved to consume concrete. So whether you live in a wood or CBS construction home, an infestation could mean trouble for your property. If you think you have termites, get professional help immediately.

As you can tell, there is no shortage of annoying pests to contend with during the summer months. But what’s the best way to manage these summer pests?

How Can You Manage the Most Common Summer Pests?

How to keep bugs out of the house in summer starts with a proactive approach. The important thing to note here is don’t wait until you have a pests problem to act, take the necessary steps now. When it comes to pests, taking preventive measures now can help you avoid bigger headaches later. Here are some of the things you can do to ensure your home remains free of insects, such as:

Seal up Any Holes or Gaps

If there are any gaps or holes around your home, you can be sure insects will find them and invite themselves in. Failing to seal these entryways is like laying out the welcome mat for pests. Eventually, they will make themselves comfortable in your home. Inspect your home for potential areas where insects may enter and use suitable material to seal them. Our professional team of pest inspection pros can help here too.

Close Doors and Windows When Not in Use

Sometimes, during warmer weather, we may keep our doors and windows open to increase ventilation. However, this is another open invitation for insects of summer to come in and find a cozy spot. If you want to keep your doors and windows open, install screens that effectively keep pests out.

Keep Your Home Clean

Once pests enter your home, they begin looking for food and shelter. An uncovered trash can or food left on a counter is like ringing the dinner bell for insects. Flies, in particular, love food crumbs and will buzz around your house, looking for every scrap they can find. To combat this, immediately clean up crumbs and don’t leave garbage cans uncovered.. If things have already gotten out of hand, call in the local pros for help.

Keep Your Yard Groomed

When you don’t keep your yard groomed, it’s an open invitation for insects of summer to come and hang out. As mentioned, mosquitoes love standing water because it’s the ideal place for them to lay their eggs. And overgrown grass is where ticks love to hide. Inspect your yard periodically for signs of insect infestation, eliminate any areas with standing water, keep your lawn at a manageable height (about 3 to 5 inches).

Conduct Tick Checks

Ticks are masters of disguise, which is why they often go undetected. What looks like a speck of dirt could be a tick. Since you can’t feel a tick bite, always check yourself, children, and pets for ticks after being outside for an extended period. If possible, perform a tick check before anyone enters the house. And be sure to follow these 7 Tips for Preventing Ticks In Your Yard. If you do find a tick on you, a family member or pet, follow these instructions on What to Do If a Tick Head Is Stuck in Your Skin.

Inspect Wood Structures

As mentioned, termites love eating wood, it’s also a great hiding place for many other insects, so inspect any wooden structures for signs of insects. Look for signs of deterioration, peeling paint, holes, or other damage to the wood. If you store firewood, always inspect it before bringing it into your home.

Protect Your Home From Summer Pests With Mosquito Joe®

Warm weather and the outdoors go together like peanut butter and jelly. However, managing the insects of summer can be a challenging task for any family, especially when you’re not equipped to deal with them. Taking a proactive approach to pest control is a great first step towards keeping them away from your outdoor activities.

If you need additional help, Mosquito Joe offers an extensive range of pests control services, including perimeter pest control, to help keep summer pests away. And as part of the Neighborly family of home service brands, all our work is backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise™, which guarantees your satisfaction. So, don’t let summer pests ruin your summertime, request a free quote today!

Flea bites are itchy and obnoxious — but what can you do? If you have pets, you have to deal with fleas. Right? After all, how dangerous are fleas, anyway? Aren’t they a small, irritating price to pay for the company of our beloved pets? Unfortunately, flea bites can cause more serious problems than you might think. For both you and your pet(s).

For those who are sensitive to them, flea bites can range from irritating to maddening for animals and people. They can also pose serious health issues for your pets, family, and you. The dangers of flea bites go well beyond skin deep. Let’s take a closer look at the dangers of flea bites and the best protection for you and your pets.

The Most Common Flea-Borne Diseases and Illnesses

While most flea bites are simply irritating, there are several dangers of flea bites that can be far more severe for people and animals. Let’s first explore what happens if a flea bites you. Then, we’ll dive into the most common flea-borne diseases and symptoms.

So, what happens if a flea bites you? When fleas bite, they are essentially taking a blood meal, and as they do, they inject a small amount of saliva into the skin. The saliva contains specific proteins that can trigger an allergic reaction in some people and pets. The bite swells, and the immediate area around the flea bite can become itchy and inflamed.

But fleas don’t just bite once and go on their way. They can bite multiple times, especially if they are disturbed while feeding. A flea bite rash occurs when a flea bites several times in close proximity, making the itchy inflammation worse, even for those who are not allergic.

Flea Allergy Dermatitis

The most common flea-borne disease is flea allergy dermatitis. This is an immunologic disease caused by an allergy to the fleas’ saliva and is both a common and serious danger of flea bites. Symptoms of flea allergy dermatitis can be severe and include:

• Intense itching all over the body
• Red, oozing lesions called hot spots
• Skin inflammation
• Hair loss
• Painful scabs

Dogs and cats afflicted with flea allergy dermatitis are driven to scratch, lick, chew, and bite at their itchy skin, even tugging out tufts of fur to relieve the itching and discomfort. Frustratingly, the only effective treatment for this flea-borne disease is to completely eliminate the flea bites by removing the biters from your pet, your home, and your yard.

There is no vaccine or treatment to make a person or pet less allergic to flea bites. Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) is a condition that describes pets who experience extreme allergic reactions to the saliva in flea bites, but people can also be allergic to flea saliva.

Humans who are allergic to flea bites experience intense itching, swelling, and redness at the bite site. In severe cases, the reaction can be more widespread. The itching can be so extreme that it can disturb sleep for many consecutive nights and impair daily activities. Scratching the itchy flea bites can lead to broken skin, which then becomes vulnerable to secondary bacterial infections.

Bartonella

Thus far, we have focused on the dangers of flea bites themselves. Because some people and animals are allergic to flea saliva, any bite can harm their health. But what if the flea is infected? That pathogen, too, enters the wound along with the saliva. So, each new host, whether a person or pet, can be infected with whatever disease or bacteria the flea carries.

Unfortunately, fleas are often infected by Bartonella bacteria and can spread the infection to the animals they bite. In dogs and especially cats, Bartonella is associated with severe conditions, including heart disease, eye inflammation, and seizures. Treatment requires extensive use of antibiotics over an extended period of time.

Bartonella is also one of the dangers of flea bites to humans. If an infected flea bites a cat, the bacteria replicate in the cat’s bloodstream. When the cat scratches, it can get the bacteria on its claws. If it then scratches or bites a human, that person may contract cat scratch fever. While a fairly uncommon flea infection, its symptoms range from problematic to devastating, including the following:

• Fever
• Headaches
• Loss of appetite
• Exhaustion
• Severe muscle pain
• Serious eye infection
• Swelling of the brain (encephalitis)

Tapeworms

Tapeworms are another common danger of flea bites. As dogs and cats lick and groom the site of irritating flea bites, they may ingest a flea. If the flea has ingested tapeworm eggs, the eggs can pass into your pet’s digestive system. That can result in a tapeworm developing in your pet’s intestines. The worm’s sucker-like mouth hooks into the intestinal walls, where it continues to eat and grow.

Tapeworm symptoms in pets include the following:

• Weight loss, even with normal food intake
• Lethargy
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Dull coat
• Itchy anus, leading to pets “scooting” along on their rear

It is possible, though rare, for humans to be infected by a tapeworm.

Additional Threats to Your Pet From Flea Bites

Fortunately, the possible dangers of flea infections described above don’t happen with every flea bite unless you’re allergic to the flea saliva. However, in addition to itching and irritation, there is an additional threat to your pet and family that occurs with every bite: anemia.

Anemia

Anemia is one of the dangers of flea bites that affects people as well as pets. Every time a flea bites, it drinks blood. While no single bite drains a significant volume of blood, each bite adds up.

Generally, healthy people and pets affected by flea bite anemia will just feel fatigued and lethargic for a while. However, older, sick, or infirm people or pets are at a greater risk of anemia when bitten by fleas over an extended period of time.

How Can You Prevent Fleas?

The only way to completely avoid the dangers of flea bites is to entirely eliminate fleas from your property, pets, and home. Preventing flea bites on your pet is far easier than eradicating a flea infestation, but it takes effort. Let’s see what you can do to prevent fleas from infesting your pets, home, and yard.

Preventing Fleas on Your Pet

The first place to prevent fleas is directly on your pet, the most susceptible host to the nasty biters. These are the best ways to protect your pet from the dangers of flea bites:

• Consider using flea collars as part of a multi-pronged flea prevention approach.
• Look into monthly, topical flea treatments that can kill adult fleas and eggs.
• Prevent your pets from spending time in flea-infested locations, including your yard. If they do spend a lot of time outdoors, schedule a barrier treatment to effectively reduce the risk of flea and tick bites.
• Limit the access wildlife has to your property where your pets spend time.
• Brush pets regularly using a flea comb.
• Use a topical flea spray to kill fleas removed by the comb or for spot treatments where your pet scratches.
• Bathe pets regularly using flea shampoo. (Check your pets’ sensitivity to specific products, as some pets react adversely to certain shampoo ingredients.

Preventing Fleas in Your Home

Preventing fleas in your home largely depends upon keeping them off your pets and your property. However, once a single flea enters your home, you’re likely to get many more. The following care will help keep fleas out of your home:

• Sweep and vacuum frequently and well. Vacuum carpets, rugs, and sofa cushions. Empty the vacuum outdoors so living fleas and viable eggs don’t get back in.
• For serious flea infestations, steam-clean carpets to kill adult fleas and their eggs.
• Wash the bedding, yours and your pet’s, frequently.

Preventing Fleas on Your Property

Avoiding the dangers of flea bites relies most heavily on keeping fleas off your property and away from your pets. The following steps will help keep your property free from biters:

• Mow your grass frequently.
• Avoid over-watering your lawn and landscaping.
• Fix any irrigation leaks and leaky faucets.
• Treat dog houses or dog runs with insecticide for fleas.
• Keep weeds, fallen leaves, and garden litter off your property.
• Keep wildlife away from your property.
• Do not store food outdoors.
• Keep tight lids on trash cans.
• Regularly schedule professional flea control treatments.

Environmental Flea Control

Sometimes, environmental flea control is essential to stop potentially harmful flea bites.

While the most effective flea control is one that cuts off fleas’ access to your pets, this isn’t always practical. Some pets are sensitive to flea collars and topical flea treatments. Meanwhile, even once you kill the adult fleas that bite your pet, more trouble could be lurking. Eggs and immature fleas in your home and on your property can take months to mature to the blood-sucking stage. Ugh! So, environmental flea control measures become critical.

Some beneficial nematodes, specifically Steinernema Carpocapsae nematodes (SC), kill flea larvae on your property. The nematodes are microscopic living creatures that need moisture to live. First, water the soil of your grass, garden, and shrubs. Apply the nematodes in the early morning or late afternoon, then water again. It will take several weeks to see the results. Reapply in eight weeks.

There are also flea sprays you can use to treat your pets’ outdoor bedding, patio cushions, and dog runs or kennels. Some work for treating the grass, shrubs, and other vegetation where fleas like to hide. Many of the most effective flea sprays on the market are derived from plants.

Professional flea control to treat your property is another approach to environmental flea control. Your service professional comes to your home armed with the tools to kill adult fleas and their eggs. They target all the spots where fleas like to hide, treating your plants, dog runs, kennels, and any place where fleas are prone to shelter.

Often, the best way to eliminate flea bites is through a comprehensive approach. Topical dog flea bite treatments, together with home hygiene and an environmental flea control like Mosquito Joe®, can help you tame an infestation.

Contact Mosquito Joe® for Effective Flea Control

While fleas and the dangers of flea bites are common problems for pets and their parents, you don’t have to fight them alone! Mosquito Joe makes the outdoors fun again for both you and your pets by controlling nasty biters like mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks.

Our service professionals arrive promptly, in uniform, and driving a marked van. They have all the equipment and expertise required to effectively keep fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes away from your property. And all of our work is backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise™, which ensures your satisfaction.

Our barrier treatment sprays are effective at seeking out pests where they hide, live, and breed. Not only can we make your yard and garden enjoyable again for you and your pets, but we also provide tips and advice on how to protect you, your family, your pets, and your property from annoying biters.

To learn more or to get started, contact Mosquito Joe nearest you today to help make flea bites a thing of the past.

Every year, pet lovers dread the return of warmer weather because with it comes flea season. The nasty biters can drive cats, dogs, and even some people frantic with the incessant itching they cause. These bites are not a mere nuisance; they can trigger allergies and cause serious infections for both pets and humans. Thankfully, you can stop dreading the return of warmer weather when you learn how to get rid of fleas for good. Although it won’t be easy as there are many facets to the fight, winning this battle is well worth the effort.

Understand the Stages of the Flea Life Cycle

Understanding the flea life cycle is critical to learning how to get rid of fleas in the home. The four-stage life cycle makes ridding your homes of fleas seem like a never-ending battle. Only 5% of the flea population in your home are adult fleas that are visible to you. The other 95% cannot be seen by the naked eye. So, treating just the adults does little to abate the problem. You also need to learn what kills flea eggs and larvae and use it to reclaim your home.

Flea Eggs
Female fleas can lay up to 50 tiny eggs a day and over 2,000 in their short lives. The eggs are laid on your pets, who then innocently transfer them to other animals and cozy spots in your home. Flea eggs hatch in 1-10 days, which means a new population is not far off.

Flea Larvae
Flea larvae are hatchlings that grow up to ¼ of an inch, feeding on “flea dirt” or pre-digested blood produced by adult fleas. They avoid sunlight, living in dark areas deep in your carpet, bedding, shaded locations in the yard, and upholstery.

Flea Pupae
After 1-6 days, a larva spins a thick, sticky cocoon around itself. Pupae are challenging to get rid of as they stick to their surroundings. They also attract dust and debris, which means they blend in easily and are difficult to see. In addition, the cocoon protects the pupa from most home flea sprays.

Adult Flea
In 8-12 days, the pupae emerge from their cocoons as voracious adult fleas who must begin feeding immediately. They find a host, like your cat or dog, and suck their blood. After the first feeding, adult female fleas are ready to breed and lay eggs in just a few days. Adult fleas live primarily on a single host, feeding on blood and laying eggs for weeks to a couple of months.

Now that you understand the lifecycle of the flea you will be better equipped to rid them from your home. Understanding how to get rid of fleas includes obtaining information on how to kill flea eggs and larvae as well as adults is vital to success. Here are some successful strategies to eradicate fleas.

When Is Flea Season?

Fleas are a year-round problem across the southern and western United States. Elsewhere, flea season, or the time of greatest flea activity, can last for 6-9 months, from early spring through fall.

How Do You Get Fleas in Your House?

The most common way fleas enter the home is by hitching a ride on the family dog or cat. But they can also come in on an old piece of furniture or carpeting. They can also arrive by way of mice, rats, or other mammals that enter the garage or attic. So before you bring something into your home, give it a thorough inspection to ensure it’s not hiding any unwanted guests. It’s also important to make sure your pets receive regular flea treatments.

From the Backyard
Fleas can live and reproduce in shaded spots outdoors, ready to jump onto passing animals or people. As small as a flea may appear, they can jump a significant distance and are very good at hitching a ride on any animal or human that passes by. So, if you want to know how to get rid of fleas in the home, don’t overlook your yard.

From Other Pets Entering Your Home
Hosting playdates for your pup is a great way to socialize your dog and ensure their happiness. But having other pets in your home is another opportunity for fleas to come too.

From Your Pet’s Exposure to Other Animals
Whether at the dog park or your own backyard, when your pet is outdoors there is a good chance they will be exposed to other animals. Even in your fenced yard, you may have visits from wildlife such as skunks, squirrels, rabbits, deer, possums, etc. These other animals carry fleas that may drop eggs to hatch in your yard, and then adult fleas leap onto your pet.

The Neighborhood
Fleas can be a nightmare to control because even once you rid your home and property of these biters, new ones can come in from the neighborhood. So if your neighbor is experiencing a flea problem, there is a good chance that you will too.

Effective Flea Fighting Strategies

Yes, you can learn how to get rid of fleas. Unfortunately, if you share your life with pets, there is no way to rid your home of fleas forever. However, integrating the following strategies into your lifestyle will help you enjoy a flea-free home.

Sanitation
When figuring out how to get rid of fleas, you’ll quickly discover that sanitation is key. Thoroughly clean areas of your home where fleas often breed. Wash your pet’s bedding, your bedding, and your rugs. Then sweep hard surface floors and vacuum the carpets, upholstery, and curtains. A steam cleaning of the carpets and upholstery is helpful for treating severe infestations. Use the hottest water possible and plenty of soap as you clean. This process is what kills flea eggs and larvae.

Pet Treatment
Every pet in your home must be treated for fleas. Bathe your pet with flea shampoo, paying careful attention to the face, neck, belly, and around the tail. Use a fine-toothed flea comb to remove any remaining fleas. A flea collar or a monthly topical flea treatment is highly recommended for all cats and dogs, whether they reside in or out of your home. These topical flea treatments kill flea eggs and larvae as well as adult fleas.

Home Treatment
Hiring professional flea control services to treat your home and garden is the best way to completely disrupt the flea’s life cycle. If you are vigilant with keeping surfaces and furnishing in your home clean, you might only need an outdoor service to get rid of fleas around the exterior of your home.

Follow-up Treatment
Fleas are tenacious pests with a complex life cycle. During the pupae stage, they are resistant to a broad range of flea control products. So sanitation, pet treatments, and home spraying will have to be repeated to get rid of fleas. Plan on at least two or more follow-up treatments within 5-10 days of the initial treatment. Together with continued and vigorous sanitation, this gives you the best chance to break the flea life cycle completely. But if you have pets, you’ll need to continue these practices to keep your home free of these nasty biters.

We Can Help You to Get Rid of Fleas

Fleas are exceptionally fit for survival, but Mosquito Joe can help you to get rid of fleas in your home and yard. Our comprehensive pest control services are available across the country. If you’ve tried every home remedy to get rid of fleas and are making no progress, don’t worry—we’re here for you! We offer barrier sprays, natural treatments, and perimeter control services that effectively keep pests away for up to thirty days. Learn more about how to get rid of fleas with our services, request a quote online, or give us a call at 1-855-275-2563.

Warmer weather offers the opportunity to spend more time outside with loved ones and pets. But the increase in temperature also leads to more pesky insects like ticks and fleas in your yard. Like many homeowners with furry friends, you may be wondering, “do flea and tick collars work to protect my pets?” Fortunately, a wide range of flea and tick collar varieties are available to keep your pets safe through flea and tick prevention.

How Do Flea Collars Work?

There are different versions of flea collars, and each works a little bit differently.

Typically, flea collars are made of plastic and do one of two things: repel fleas or eliminate them outright. Some collars may only provide one function, while others may do both. Either way, the insecticide must be involved for fleas to be repelled or eliminated.

Flea collars that release a strong odor around your pet’s neck repel fleas through the gas coming from the collar. These types of collars tend to be less effective because they only prevent fleas in the area around the pet’s neck, not their entire body.

Other flea collars are designed to release a small dose of active insecticide onto your pet’s fur, slowly spreading across their skin over time and with movement. When fleas and ticks encounter these active ingredients, they are poisoned on contact.

Another type of flea collar releases an insecticide that absorbs into your pet’s fatty skin layer. This causes fleas to die only after your pet is bitten.

Depending on the collar, the active ingredients could include:

• Flumethrin
• Imidacloprid
• Permethrin
• Tetrachlorvinphos

Related Topic: How to Remove a Tick from a Dog

How Well Does a Flea Collar Work?

There’s much debate on how effective flea and tick collars are. They can be an appropriate preventative measure against fleas and ticks but may not be the best solution for every situation.

Although flea collars are not highly effective when used alone, combining them with other flea control offers better pet protection. For best results using flea collars, experts recommend selecting a brand that contains IGRs (insect growth regulators). IGRs ensure that flea larva doesn’t mature into adult fleas. This keeps flea infestations from reoccurring, as they can do when using a collar that only targets adult fleas and not the larva.

If you’re curious about the effectiveness of a specific flea collar, visit the manufacturer’s website to learn more about the product.

Flea and Tick Collar Safety

If flea collars work by emitting chemicals, are they safe for your pets and home?

Sometimes it can seem like a double-edged sword to protect pets in a safe manner when eliminating pests. Insecticides are necessary to repel and eliminate fleas and ticks, but large doses for an extended time may cause more harm than good.

For example, flea collars containing organophosphates can cause a toxic reaction in pets and people when exposed to them for a long time.

Additionally, permethrin flea collars, which cost less, can be harmful to cats. Felines tend to be more sensitive to permethrin than other mammals like dogs are. In fact, some cats are so sensitive that they can react to permethrin even after casual contact with a dog that’s been treated with it.

There’s even a risk of permethrin overdose when pet owners place flea collars designed for dogs onto a cat. These products can have up to 45% more permethrin than needed to protect your cat. Signs your cat may be having an adverse reaction to a flea and tick treatment include tremors, seizures, and, in some cases, death.

Is a Flea Collar Right for Your Pet?

Most flea collars are recommended for dogs, but do flea collars work on cats too? Yes, there are flea collars that are appropriate for felines, but keep an eye out for any reactions your cat may experience to a new collar. Because they have an increased sensitivity to some flea collar ingredients, cats have a greater risk of skin irritation and other reactions.

Speaking to your veterinarian about choosing the proper flea collar for your pet is highly recommended. Any flea collar can pose some danger to a household with multiple pets, as they may lick or chew each other’s collars, resulting in toxic exposure. But your veterinarian can help you minimize risks and reactions by finding the best collars to meet your household’s needs.

Advantages of flea and tick collars include:

• Ease of use. Topical flea protection often requires an application and drying time, but with a flea collar, you can protect your pet in the time it takes to secure the collar.
• Cost-effective. Typically, flea collars provide up to six months of protection at a reasonable price.
• 24/7 protection. Flea collars stay with your pet and deliver consistent protection.
• No prescription is required. Most flea and tick collars can be purchased over the counter without a prescription from the vet.

Do Flea Collars Kill Fleas?

Flea and tick collars are designed to kill most fleas and repel ticks. Depending on the type of collar you have, it may only kill adult fleas and not flea eggs (larva) or young fleas (pupa).

It is also worth noting that some flea collars only emitting an odor around the neck are ineffective at killing or repelling fleas, not in the immediate area around the collar.

Flea and Tick Prevention for Your Pets

If your pet spends a lot of time outdoors, flea and tick collars can be a useful tool to keep them safe. While these collars provide some level of protection for pets, they may also raise concerns when you consider the repellant is in direct contact with your pet and easily accessible to children.

If you have such concerns, there is a better alternative. Your local Mosquito Joe offers traditional and natural barrier spray treatments to help keep fleas and ticks off your pets so you can all enjoy your outdoor time. To learn more about how to protect your family and household pets from fleas and ticks, give us a call at 1-855-275-2563 or find a location near you.

Ninja-like, disease-carrying, blood-sucking creatures. Sound like something from a horror movie? Guess again. It’s only fleas. That’s right, those pesky bugs Fido keeps bringing inside cause more than just itchy skin. And once fleas make their way indoors, it becomes your number-one priority to get rid of them. Luckily, we know how to stop an infestation in its tracks.

Keep reading if you want to know how to get rid of fleas in the house fast.

To Find a Flea, You Must Think Like a Flea

Fleas are tiny. Each is only a few millimeters long. Even if you manage to find a flea, catching one is another ballgame. Fleas can jump a staggering 12 inches into the air! Luckily, once you know their favorite hiding places, it’s easier to track and get rid of them.

Here’s where you should look:

• Hiding in pet fur
• On furniture—both for humans and pets
• In the carpet
• Under the covers

Deep cleaning is one of the best ways to reduce unwelcome flea infestations. Regular vacuuming will help pull both adults and eggs out of the carpet. Washing bedding in hot water will kill any nesting fleas.

Keep your eyes open for signs of a flea infestation. If you have pets, you may find traces of blood near their bed or favorite hangout spots. Trails of “dirt” may actually be flea feces. That’s right—insect poop. Use a flea comb to remove any live bugs. But be aware. Picking off fleas is just as tricky as removing a tick from a dog.

Why Are Fleas So Difficult to Eradicate?

There’s never just one flea. The moment you notice a high-hopping, fast-moving bug scurrying across your pet’s fur, assume there are thousands more of them. But, it takes more than just a can of bug spray to get rid of them. And any fleas in the house will continue to multiply until you get rid of every single one.

Why are fleas so much more challenging than other types of insects? Tackling a full-blown flea infestation requires several different treatments along with maintenance care. These critters have a unique life cycle: egg, larva, pupa and adult. You need a variety of approaches to target fleas during each stage. And if that isn’t enough to give you a case of the heebie-jeebies, a female flea can lay around 40 eggs every day of her life! It’s a non-stop circle of life (and not the heart-warming kind like in The Lion King).

When it comes to treating a flea infestation, consistency is key. Be warned, however, it may take several weeks and multiple treatments to fully eradicate them. Once you’re in the clear, be sure to schedule preventative treatments to keep them away.

Treating Fleas on Your Pet

The last thing your pet wants is a colony of fleas feasting on them. Not only do they cause incessant itching, but fleas can also transmit diseases and parasites. If you notice fleas on your cat or dog, it’s time to take action right away.

A quick dip in the bathtub is a great way to remove any live fleas. These insects are not very good swimmers and will try to escape. Flea collars, topical liquids and oral medications are other options. Ask your vet about the best preventative treatment to keep your animal flea-free all year long.

Put a Stop to Fleas in Your Yard

Now that you understand how to eradicate fleas in the house, it’s time to attack them in their natural habitat—outdoors. There are countless hiding places for fleas in your lawn. Grass, trees, and flowers are a few of their favorites.

But did you know fleas despise sunlight? They really are nature’s vampires. If you want to get rid of fleas in your yard, make sure you regularly mow the lawn, which can serve as a source of shade for them to hide under. Removing any loose brush or overhanging branches will also reduce places for the fleas to hide.

Turn to Mosquito Joe for Flea Control on Your Property

Besides basic lawn care, a barrier treatment from Mosquito Joe will keep fleas from invading your property. Not only does this treatment tackle fleas, but it also prevents ticks and mosquitoes. We know you don’t want fleas in the house, and our team will help you get rid of them once and for all.

Visit us online or call 1-855-275-2563 to request a quote from our flea exterminators.