Fleas

What do fleas look like?

Fleas are tiny insects about the size of a pinhead and range in color from yellow to dark brown, depending on whether or not they have been fed recently. A flea that has recently consumed a meal will be swollen and have a paler brown color than a hungry flea. Fleas are wingless, but their hind legs are long and adapted for jumping 50 times their body length.

What do fleas eat?

They are parasites that feed on mammals and birds, including cats, dogs, horses, poultry, rabbits, rats, possums, raccoons, and humans.

How do you tell the difference between flea bites and mosquito bites?

Flea bites may resemble mosquito bites, but there are ways to differentiate between the two.

Flea bites appear as smaller red bumps that may be surrounded by a red halo. They tend to appear in clusters on the legs, calves, ankles, and feet, and are rarely found above the knee.

On the other hand, mosquito bites appear as large, itchy red welts. Mosquitoes will bite any exposed skin, resulting in bites randomly scattered all over the body.

Why do I have a flea problem?

Fleas are often found in homes with pets like cats and dogs. However, even homes without pets can have a flea problem. If your neighbors have pets that come into your yard, or if you've acquired used furniture from a home with a flea infestation, you could end up with fleas in your own house.

Additionally, fleas can be brought in by other animals such as mice, rats, squirrels, raccoons, and others that find their way into your home or yard.

How do I get rid of fleas?

Owning pets means staying on top of their flea preventative and vacuuming daily (and emptying the bag or cartridge right away) to get rid of fleas and flea dirt.

You can also prevent fleas by keeping your yard well-maintained and creating a barrier between your home and the lawn with crushed rock.

If you've developed a flea infestation in your home and cannot eliminate these biting pests on your own, contact Lindsey Pest Services for effective flea control that includes interior and exterior treatments.