Ernies Pest Control
Termites, roaches, rodents-professional pest control service.
Fleas Pest Control Facts and Prevention
Ernie's Pest Control services Toledo, Northwest Ohio and Lower Michigan.
Preventive measures for all pests you can take are :
- Do not leave piles of clothing, papers or other miscellaneous things laying around
- Regular cleaning and maintenance of your home or business
- When cleaning, check under carpet edges and baseboards
- Do not have dirty dishes piled up and sitting for long periods of time, especially not in old water
- Especially in hot weather, put your food scraps in plastic before disposing of them
- Schedule regular pest control maintenance
- If you see one pest or insect, chances are you are not seeing rest. A call to Ernie's Pest Control should be made to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
Fleas Pest Control and Information
Fleas (Order Siphonaptera)
Charactersistics
- 1/2 - 1/16 inch long
- Fleas are covered in spines and piercing mouthparts
- Powerful legs allow them to jump 7-8 inches vertically, and 14 - 16 inches horizontally
- Carrier of disease organisms and parasites to human and animal hosts
Habitat
- Parasite that attaches to a host
Diet
- Larvae feeds on organic debris, particularly the feces of adult fleas, which contain undigested blood
Reproduction
- Eggs hatch in 7-14 days
- Fleas nest their eggs in the ground, upholstery, carpet and bedding
Cat Flea Pest Control and Information
Cat Fleas (Centocephalides Felis)
Characteristics
- 1/16 inch
- Reddish brown
- Cat fleas are laterally flattened, allowing them to move easily through the hairs of animals
- The cat flea is the species most involved in most home infestations
- Cat fleas will attack cats and dogs alike and is usually carried in by an animal
- Infestations build up quickly
Habitat
- Fleas are ectoparasites of animals meaning they feed on the blood of an animal to produce eggs
- Fleas live on the outside of an animal
- Fleas feed and lay eggs when the animal is sleeping, so where the animal sleeps is where you will find fleas
- Fleas are acquired in the yard
Reproduction
- One female flea can lay about 18 eggs per day, just 20 fleas on a dog can produce 360 eggs in a day and 2000 eggs in a week
Pest Control Tips
Treatment for fleas has 4 steps :
- Preparation for treatment
- Treatment of the animal
- Treatment of the inside premises
- Treatment of flea activity sites outside
Step One : Preparing for treatment
- Remove all items from the floors, under beds and closets
- Wash or replace bedding
- Vacuum thoroughly all carpets and rugs, under beds and upholstered furniture
- Clean all wood, tile, and linoleum floors by sweeping and mopping
- Clean concrete floors with soap and water where pets rest or play
- Remove all pets, including birds or reptiles, cover fish tank with a damp towel and turn off the air filter
- Replace any pet bedding outdoors and make all shaded areas, crawl spaces, etc. ready for treatment
- Arrange to be out of the home for several hours until the treatment has dried thoroughly
Step Two : Treatment for the pet
- A number of on-animal treatments are now available, all treatments should be done under the direction of a veterinarian
Steps Three and Four :
- Call a pest control service to arrange for treatment. The chemicals are better handled by a professional exterminator
**After a home is treated it may take up to 2 weeks or longer for no fleas to be seen. Flea pulpae are unaffected by the treatment until they emerge from their cocoon. It will take several weeks for all adult fleas to emerge and come in contact with the treatment.**