How To Keep Fleas Out Of Your Bay Area Home

From the itchy bites they leave on your ankles to the way they make your pets scratch, fleas can cause nothing but trouble in Bay Area homes, but how do you get rid of them? Here’s what local residents should know about the lifecycle of fleas, the diseases they may transmit to you or your pets, some natural ways you can prevent them, and the trick to getting rid of them for good.

The Lifecycle Of Fleas In The Bay Area

Most of the fleas you’ll encounter in your Bay Area home have four different life stages, including:

Eggs: Once they find a host and can feed without interruption, adult fleas will mate and begin laying their eggs. Most of the time, fleas prefer to lay their eggs directly on the host’s fur or nearby. Any eggs they lay will usually hatch within one to ten days, depending on how ideal the conditions are.

Larvae: Once they hatch, fleas become larvae, and they are now able to move around on their own and begin drinking blood from their host.

Pupa: Within twenty days, fleas will spin a cocoon and enter their pupa stage. While they develop into adults, the cocoon helps protect the flea from hostile environmental conditions or pesticides. Fleas will stay in their cocoon until they sense the presence of a host, usually through body heat or movement, and that will signal that they’ve got a blood meal ready for them.

Adult: After they emerge from the cocoon, the pupae become adult fleas and start feeding and breeding as soon as possible. 

The Diseases Fleas In The Bay Area Can Transmit

Not only can they leave itchy red bumps on you or your pet’s skin, but fleas also have the potential to spread diseases, such as: 

• Murine typhus
• Tungiasis
• Bubonic lague
• Tularemia
• Bartonellosis

These diseases may be flea-borne, but fleas can also contract these diseases from rodents or other infected wildlife that they’ve fed on. Any diseases that fleas pick up from previous hosts can put you, your family, or your pets at risk. Besides the diseases listed above, it’s also important to note that fleas can sometimes transmit parasites, like tapeworms, as well. If one of your pets accidentally ingests a flea as they’re grooming, they’ll swallow the tapeworm as well. 

Natural Flea Prevention Tips For Bay Area Homes

Fleas aren’t always easy to prevent, but there are some natural tips and tricks that Bay Area homeowners can use to reduce the risk of a flea infestation, such as:

• Be careful where you walk your pets, as fleas tend to hide in tall grass, weeds, or low-hanging tree branches where they are able to jump onto unsuspecting hosts.
• Treat your pets for fleas throughout the entire year, not just during the spring or summertime.
• Wash your pet’s items regularly as fleas may lay their eggs on your pet’s bedding, blankets, or even toys. Laundering these items regularly will help eliminate flea eggs.
• Bathe your pets regularly to help spot early flea infestations. Fleas lay their eggs in your pet’s fur, and the easiest way to both reduce as well as spot them is by examining your pet’s fur while grooming and bathing.
• Store your food and trash properly to prevent other wildlife hosts from bringing fleas into your home. Leaving out food or letting your trash cans overflow can lure in flea-infested rodents, raccoons, or other animal hosts to your home.
• Make sure you vacuum often to get rid of any flea eggs that may be in your carpet or on your furniture. 

The Trick To Getting Rid Of Fleas In Your Bay Area Home For Good

Fleas may not always be easy to get rid of once you have them, but there is one effective solution to keeping them away, and that’s by working with Bay Pest Solution. With over forty years of experience and a trustworthy reputation that speaks for itself, we’re the trusted pest management company for Bay Area homeowners. If you see signs of fleas in your home or you suspect that there may be a flea infestation on your Bay Area property, contact us today at Bay Pest Solution to learn more about our flea control services.