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Fleas find hosts and those hosts are warm-blooded animals. Naturally they are usually dogs and cats, but they can also be opossums, rats, and other rodents.
According to the ASPCA, since fleas can consume 15 times their own body weight in blood, they can cause anemia and a significant amount of blood loss over time. They can even cause tapeworm.
A female flea can lay 2,000 eggs, and fleas can bite up to 400 times a day, so you should have a flea prevention plan in place to keep your home and pets protected.
The most common diseases carried by fleas are Murine Typhus, Mycoplasma Haemofelis, Tapeworms, and Cat Scratch Disease. For more information on the listed diseases visit the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/fleas/index.html.
Eliminate Fleas from Your Home and Pets
The best line of defense is to prevent fleas from establishing a residence in your yard. Keep your grass cut low and bushes trimmed back, so they have fewer places to hide. Do not allow feral pets and wildlife such as opossums, raccoons, and stray cats onto your property, as they may carry fleas and other parasites. Follow your veterinarian’s advice and treat your pets with a monthly flea preventative, brush their fur before bringing them inside from the yard, and shave long-haired animals in the summer. The final step is to maintain a clean home by vacuuming carpets and throw rugs at least once per week. Mosquito Joe barrier treatments can also target fleas or provide a professional defense against the diseases carried by fleas.
The Life Cycle of a Flea
The life cycle of a flea consists of four stages: eggs, larva, pupa, and adult. They lay four to eight eggs that drop to the ground and hatch in one to twelve days. The larval stage lasts between four and eighteen days and is followed by the pupal stage. When fleas emerge from their pupal stage, they become adults and begin their search for food. It is important to note that fleas will likely mature much faster in conditions of high temperature and humidity.
Mosquito Joe can help!
Let Mosquito Joe of Andover-Peabody be your first line of defense against these disease-carrying pests. We offer mosquito control services that kill and prevent fleas and ticks and keep them from coming back. Contact us today or fill out a form to request a quote!
