Thursday, August 23, 2012

Flea: Revisit

  • The most common type of flea found in North America is the Cat flea (ctenocephalides felis) 
  • Despite its name can also be found on dogs and humans
  • Another type of flea sometime found in North America is the Dog flea (ctenocephalides canis)
  • The Dog flea is most commonly found in Europe
  • Adult fleas are approximately 1/8-inch long and are dark in colour
  • Adult fleas are wingless but can jump large distances because of their 6 legs
  • Fleas have 4 stages in their life cycle: egg, larva, pupae and adult
  • An adult female can lay up to 40-50 eggs a day IF she has a good blood meal
  • Larva are completely blind, however they are considered negatively phototaxic, which means they can sense light
  • Larva will primarily feed on dried blood in adult flea feces, but they will also eat shed skin, fur and feathers
  • Following the larva stage is the pupae stage
  • In this stage they can remain dormant for several months until the conditions are right for the adult flea to emerge
  • For them, the ideal conditions include pressure, vibrations, presence of carbon dioxide, correct temperature and humidity
  • When these are right, it means there's a suitable host that the adult fleas can use as a food source
  • If your pet is excessively scratching, it would be a good idea to check his or her fur for signs of fleas
  • Some signs to look for (aside from the obvious excessive scratching) is reddened skin, flea dirt (which is not actually dirt, but dried blood) and another obvious sign: fleas!
  • Just confirming that your pet has fleas will unfortunately not confirm just how bad the infestation is, since adult fleas found on pets only comprise about 5% of the total flea population
  • By applying a spot treatment to your pet(s)' fur, you will be able to fight the fleas found on your animal(s). 
  • To treat the fleas located in your home, you have 2 options: find a home remedy (which are NOT always effective or hire a professional, such as Cottage Country Pest Control to help rid your home of fleas


Cottage Country Pest Control can help rid your home of fleas at all stages of their life cycle, using one or more of our treatments for fleas. For more information, pricing or to book your appointment call us today at 705-534-7863 or email us today

2 comments:

  1. I will not have second thoughts to get rid of pests. I totally hate them. I will immediately hire pest control.

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