Pensacola Flea Pest Control
If you have a pet it is likely that you will get fleas on your pet or in your home at sometime, and that these fleas will get on and bite you or your loved ones. The most common flea found on pets and in homes in Florida is the cat flea. If your pet scratches itself often or you notice flea bites you may be having a flea infestation
Not only are fleas an irritating biting nuisance they can be harmful to you and your pets. They can cause anemia and hot spots. Some people and pets suffer from flea allergy dermatitis, lasting up to five days and characterized by intense itching, reddening at the bite site, hair loss and secondary infection. Cat fleas also serve as hosts of the dog tapeworm. This intestinal parasite is transmitted to the pet while grooming via ingestion of an adult flea carrying a tapeworm cyst.
Adult cat fleas are about 1/10 inch long, wingless, dark reddish brown and laterally compressed. Only the adult flea bites and feeds directly on the blood of a host. Cat fleas spend most of their time on the pet where they feed, mate and lay eggs. An adult flea generally lives less than three weeks on the host. Each female lays 10-20 eggs per day. The eggs are smooth and readily fall from the host to the ground where hatching can occur within 2 days. Whitish, worm like larvae hatch from the egg and feed on various mate rials, including dry excrement produced by the adult fleas feeding on the host. The larvae then pupate ( form a ca coon) from which the adult flea will emerge when the conditions are right. From egg to adult can take between 13- 18 days during warm weather.
Effective flea control requires eradication of fleas from 1.The pet 2. The Home 3. The Yard and control of the flea life cycle. Removal of fleas from the pet alone is futile. Immature fleas ( eggs, larvae, pupae) develop off of the pet and when adults emerge they simply jump on the host, causing subsequent re infestation.
EXTREME TERMITE & PEST CONTROL has the knowledge and the expertise along with the use of new and safe products to protect you, your pets and you home from a flea infestation.
1. Treat the pet: Removing fleas from pets may be done by a veterinarian, grooming parlor or by the pet owner,either before or during the treatment of the premises. Veterinarian prescribed flea control products (i.e. imidacloprid or fipronil) work very well usually eradicating fleas from the pet within 24 hours. A grooming parlor may use a flea shampoo that contains an insecticide such as pyrethrins or pyrethriods. The home owner may use a flea comb to remove fileas from a short haired pet. This method is least effective removing only 10-60% of fleas. Home owners may also use insecticide based shampoos.
2. Treating the home: Call EXTREME TERMITE & PEST CONTROL and schedule an appointment to have the home treated. Before the extreme technician arrives vacuum the entire house. This will remove flea eggs and stimulate new adults to emerge from their cocoons. This will expose them to the insecticide to be applied by the extreme technician. Extreme will apply a insect growth regulator, which works by interfering with egg development and molting of adolescent fleas.
3. Treating the yard: Flea larvae develop in shaded, humid areas. These areas can be treated by extreme. The lawn should be mowed to expose the flea’s environment. Insecticides registered for outdoor use will be applied to these areas along with pet resting areas.
Unfortunately many home owners wait until they have a severe flea infestation before they contact a pest control professional and as a result, those problems may require multiple treatments. These home owners may see fleas 3-4 weeks following the initial treatment. This is because flea pupae are protected from insecticides by their cocoons. As adults emerge over a period of 1-3 weeks they will be exposed to the insecticide residual, and they will also be eliminated.
Having fleas in your home is annoying and unsafe. Give us a call today for an appointment.