Table of Contents
They are small, wingless parasitic insects that feed and thrive on the blood of humans and animals. It has been estimated that Americans alone spend nearly $10 billion a year trying to control fleas. Trying being, the keyword here. Fleas are no doubt one of pet owner’s biggest expenses in your area. Throw in all the rampant wildlife potentially carry fleas and it makes the situation all that much more troubling.
This being said, the species of the flea that you’ll commonly encounter in your area is the cat flea. Do not be fooled by the name because this classification of the flea can be commonly found on dogs, humans, cats, and most certainly wildlife. Luckily, fleas don’t have to be such a big problem, with the right approach and information. That’s exactly what we are here to help you and your loveable furry friend tackle.
Identifying The Problem
You might think you know everything there is to know about the flea, but do you honestly know what the flea looks like? Just because it is a black or brown insect located on your pet; doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a flea. It could be a mite or a bed bug. You might even be looking at a cockroach and not even know it. Either way, you can likely see the need to be able to properly identify the flea. Luckily, this process shouldn’t be too hard to do, even with their small size. Adult cat fleas grow to anywhere from 1 to 3 millimeters and are brownish/black in color. They also have unique flattened bodies without wings.
It is this flat body shape along with their backward-pointing bristles that help them move through the hairs, feathers, and fur or your pets quickly and easily. This also makes them extremely hard to remove just by grooming. The six legs help with their jumping abilities, while their powerful claws help them stay always attached.
The larvae of the species, on the other hand, only grow to be around a ¼ inch in length and don’t have legs. They are dirty white in appearance and will most likely be found relaxing in your pet’s bedding.
Understanding The Flea Species
During a flea’s lifecycle, it will pass through several stages. Starting with the egg stage, going all the way to adulthood. Although this parasitic creature can jump nearly 50 times its body length, they don’t prefer to travel long distances without a host. They prefer to wait around and jump onto a host that passes by them. Once hooked on, they’ll remain attached until dislodged or pulled from the host, which won’t be one of the easiest things in the world to accomplish.
Without a proper host, adult fleas can only survive for a maximum of 2 weeks. Some only make it a few days, however. When invading short-haired cats and dogs, fleas might last anywhere from a few days to 8 days. They’ll live much longer and thrive on animals with think and long fur. Female fleas will immediately start reproducing just two days after a blood-feeding.
Anywhere from 4 to 9 days later, you can expect an average of 27 eggs per day thanks to her ability to consume 15 times her body weight in blood daily. A lot of this blood will be excreted as partially digested feces, which will be one of the very best ways to determine an infestation.
The feces of the fleas are fine, reddish-black dust that is commonly referred to as flea dirt. It is oftentimes found in your pet’s fur and bedding.
Flea Control
Eliminating and controlling fleas is an extremely hard task, but one that starts with good sanitation and treatment of your pet and its environment. It is possible to eliminate fleas from the property, but it will take time and proper treatment, especially during heavier infestations. These are all things we can help with, although there are plenty of things you can do of your own volition. Start with changing your pet’s bedding regularly and vacuuming thoroughly.
Vacuuming alone can remove nearly 30 percent of the larvae and 60 percent of the eggs from bedding, carpet, and other materials. Pay close attention to areas like under furniture, chairs, beds, and along baseboards. When discarding the vacuumed waste make sure you are doing so in a sealed container. Whether you don’t have the means to accomplish the above or just don’t want to fool with the endeavor, you can always feel free to give us a call.
If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.
Our Service Area
Yorkville, Yorkdale Glen Park, York University Heights, York Mills, York Height, York, Yonge St Clair, Yonge Eglinton, Yonge And Eglinton, Wychwood Park, Wychwood, Woodhill, Woodbridge, Woodbine Racetrack, Woodbine Lumsden, Woodbine Heights, Woodbine Gardens, Woodbine Corridor, Woburn, Winston Park, Wilson Heights, Willowridge Martingrove Richview, Willowdale West, Willowdale East, Willowdale, Wildfield, Wilcox Lake, White Rose, Whitchurch Stouffville, Whitby, Whaleys Corners, Wexford Maryvale, Wexford Heights, Wexford, Weston Pellam Park, Weston, Westminster Branson, West Rouge, West Lynde, West Humber Clairville, West Humber Estates, West Hill, West Franklin, West Deane Park, Wesley Corners, Waterfront Communities The Island, Wards Island, Wanless Park, Vivian, Vista Heights, Vinegar Hill, Victoria Village, Victoria Park Village, Vaughan, Uxbridge, Utica, Upper Beaches, University, Unionville, Tullamore, Trinity Bellwoods, Trinity Bellwoods Park, Trefann Court, Trafalgar, Toronto Island, Toronto, Tormore, Topham Park, Thorton Woods, Thornhill, Thorncrest Village, Thorncliffe Park, Thorncliffe, Thistletown Beaumond Heights, Thistletown, The Village, The Peanut, The Kingsway, The Junction, The Golden Mile, The Entertainment District, The Elms, The Beaches, The Annex, Teston, Temperanceville, Taylor Massey, Taunton, Tam Oshanter Sullivan, Tam Oshanter, Swansea, Sunset Corners, Sunnyside, Sunningdale, Summerville, Summerhill, Sullivan, Streetsville, Strange, Stouffville, Stonegate Queensway, Steeles, St Andrew Windfields, St Phillips, St Lawrence, St James Town, Springbrook, South Riverdale, South Parkdale, South Hill, Solina, Snowball, Snider, Snelgrove, Six Points, Silverthorne, Silver Hills, Siloam, Shirley, Sherwood Forrest, Sherwood, Sheridan Park, Sheridan Homelands, Shep, Seaton Village, Schomberg, Sandhill, Sandford, Ryerson University, Rustic, Runnymede Bloor West Village, Runnymede, Rouge Park, Rouge Hill, Rouge, Roseville, Rosedale Moore Park, Rosebank Station, Roncesvalles, Rockcliffe Smythe, Riverview, Ringwood, Ridgewood, Ridgehill, Richview Gardens, Richvale, Richmond Hill, Rexdale Kipling, Rexdale, Regent Park, Recreation Island, Rattray Park Estates, Rama, R C Y C Island, Quantztown, Purpleville, Prospect, Princess Rosethorn, Princess Margaret Gardens, Princess Anne Manor, Preston Lake, Pottageville, Port Union, Port Lands, Port Credit, Pleasantville, Pleasant View, Playter Estates Danforth, Playter Estates, Pine Point, Pine Orchard, Pine Grove, Pickering Village, Pickering, Pelmo Park Humberlea, Peel Village, Patterson, Parkwoods Donalda, Parkway West, Parkway East, Parkview Hill, Parkdale, Park Royal, Pape Village, Palmerston Little Italy, Oshawa, Orchard Heights, Olympic Island, Old Toronto, Old Mill, Old East York, Oakwood Village, Oakville, Oakridge, Oak Ridges, Oconnor Parkview, Northwood Park, North York, North Toronto, North St James Town, North Riverdale, North Park, Nobleton, Niagara, Newtonbrook West, Newtonbrook East, Newton Brook, Newmarket, New Toronto, New Scotland, Nashville, Myrtle Station, Myrtle, Musselmans Lake, Muggs Island, Mount Pleasant West, Mount Pleasant East, Mount Olive Silverstone Jamestown, Mount Joy, Mount Dennis, Mount Charles, Mount Albert, Moss Park, Morningside Heights, Morningside, Moore Park, Mongolia, Mississauga Valley, Mississauga, Mirvish Village, Mimico Beach, Mimico, Milliken, Midtown Toronto, Metropolitan Area Apt, Meadowvale West, Meadowvale Village, Meadowvale South, Meadow Wood, Mayfield, Maryvale, Marvin Heights, Markland Woods, Markland Wood, Markham, Maple Leaf, Maple Grove, Maple, Malvern West, Malvern, Malton, Main Square, Macville, Lorne Park Estates, Lorne Park, Long Branch, Little Portugal, Little Italy, Little India, Lisgar, Linton, Lincolnville, Liberty Village, Leslieville, Lemonville, Leaside Bennington, Leaside, Lawrence Park South, Lawrence Park North, Lawrence Park, Lawrence Manor, Lawrence Heights, Laskay, Lansing Westgate, Lansing, Lambton Mills, Lambton Baby Point, Lakeview, Lamoreaux, Koreatown, Kleinburg Station, Kleinburg, Kipling Heights, Kinsale, Kingsway South, Kingsview Village The Westway, Kingsview Village, Kingscross Estates, Kinghorn, King Creek, King City, King, Kettleby, Kent Gardens, Kensington Chinatown, Kensington Market, Kennedy Park, Keelesdale Eglinton West, Keelesdale, Junction Triangle, Junction Area, Islington City Centre West, Islington, Ionview, Iles De Toronto, Humewood Cedarvale, Humberwoods, Humberside, Humbermede, Humberlea, Humber Valley Village, Humber Summit, Humber Heights Westmount, Humber Grove, Humber Bay, Humber, Hornby Station, Hope, Holton Heights, Holt, Holly Park, Hoggs Hollow, Hillcrest Village, Hillcrest, Highland Creek, Highfield, High Park Swansea, High Park North, Heritage Park, Henry Farm, Headford, Harmony, Harbourfront, Harbord Village, Happy Valley, Hanlan, Hammertown, Hagermans Corners, Guildwood, Greenwood Coxwell, Greenwood, Greektown, Grange Park, Grahamsville, Gormley, Gorewood Acres, Goodwood, Glenville, Glenfield Jane Heights, Glen Major, Glen Leven, Glen Agar, Glasgow, German Mills, Garden District, Frasers Corners, Fort York, Forest Hill South, Forest Hill North, Forest Hill, Flemingdon Park, Fisherville, Financial District, Fashion District, Falgarwood, Fairview, Fairport Beach, Fairport, Fairhaven, Fairbank, Eversley, Etobicoke West Mall, Etobicoke, Eringate Centennial West Deane, Eringate, Erindale Woodlands, Erindale, Erin Mills, Ennisclare Park, Englemount Lawrence, Enfield, Emery, Elms Old Rexdale, Ellesmere, Elia, Elgin Mills, Eldorado Park, Elder Mills, Eglinton East, Edenbridge Humber Valley, Ebenezer, Eatonville, East York, East Gwillimbury, East End Danforth, East Danforth, East Bayfront, Earlscourt, Dunkerron, Dufferin Grove, Drumquin, Downtown Toronto, Downsview Roding Cfb, Downsview, Dovercourt Wallace Emerson Junction, Dovercourt, Dorset Park, Don Valley Village, Don Vale, Don Mills, Dixie, Distillery District, Discovery District, Derry West, Del Ray, Deer Park, Deckers Hill, Davisville, Davenport, Danforth East York, Danforth, Crescent Town, Coventry, Courtice, Corso Italia Davenport, Corso Italia, Corktown, Coppins Corners, Cooksville, Concord, Coleraine, Cliffside, Cliffcrest, Clearview Heights, Clearview, Clarkson, Clarks Corners, Clarkes Hollow, Claremont, Clanton Park, Clairlea Birchmount, Clairlea, Claireville, Cityplace, Churchville, Church Yonge Corridor, Chinatown, Chestnut Hills, Cherrywood, Charnwood, Centre Island, Centennial Scarborough, Centennial Park, Centennial, Cedarvale, Cedar Valley, Cedar Mills, Cedar Dale, Castlemore, Castlederg, Castle Green, Cashel, Casa Loma, Carleton Village, Caledonia Fairbank, Cachet, Cabbagetown South St James Town, Cabbagetown, Buttonville, Burnhamthorpe, Browns Corners, Brooklin, Brookhaven Amesbury, Brockton Village, Brock Road, Broadview North, Britannia, Bridle Path Sunnybrook York Mills, Briar Hill Belgravia, Brampton, Bramalea Woods, Bramalea, Box Grove, Bolton, Bogarttown, Bloordale Gardens, Bloor West Village, Bloomington, Blake Jones, Black Creek, Birchwood, Birchmount Park, Birchcliffe Cliffside, Birch Cliff, Beverley Acres, Bermondsey, Bennington Heights, Bendale, Belford, Beechborough Greenbrook, Bedford Park Nortown, Bedford Park, Beaumonde Heights, Bayview Woods Steeles, Bayview Village, Bay Street Corridor, Bathurst Manor, Banbury Don Mills, Balsam, Ballantrae, Baldwin Village, Baby Point, Aurora, Audley, Atha Road, Armsdale, Armour Heights, Armitage, Armbro Heights, Applewood Hills, Applewood Heights, Applewood Acres, Annex, Altona, Almira, Alloa, Algonquin Island, Alexandra Park, Alderwood, Ajax, Agincourt South Malvern West, Agincourt North, Agincourt, Agerton.
