Southwestern A-1 Pest Control

Just about anyone with a pet has dealt with a flea or fleas at one time or another, but even with no pets, fleas can still be a nuisance in our homes. Fleas can live on any warm-blooded animal, but seem to prefer to live on humans, cats, dogs, opossums, rats and other rodents. They can also be found in carpet, on shoes, pant legs, or blankets & bedding. Fleas are parasites that feed on blood. They are very tiny, flat and difficult to see with the naked eye. The adult flea averages 1/8th of an inch in size. They are dark, reddish brown in color and have 6 legs.

The Flea life cycle consists of four stages; eggs, larva, pupae and adult. Female fleas lay eggs that turn into grub-like larvae. The larvae then develop into pupae and settle inside a cocoon. When something warm moves by the pupae, they quickly exit the cocoon and jump on the animal or human body. Fleas can spend up to one year in a pupal case and once they have reached adulthood, will live for about 100 days. Temperature and humidity determine the length of the flea's life cycle. As the temperature rises, the flea life cycle is shortened. Fleas multiply quickly, and often go undetected until there are enough around to be felt or seen.

The health of humans and animals were at one time greatly threatened by the diseases that fleas carried. Fleas are best known for their part in spreading the Bubonic Plague. They also can transmit the bacterial disease "Murine Typhus" to humans through infected rats. Fleas have the ability to transfer tapeworms and cause anemia in pets. Although it is possible that these diseases can be transmitted by fleas, it is very rare and unlikey.
Nevertheless, Flea bites can still cause a lot of itching and scratching and they are a general nuisance when they invade our homes and infest our pets.
Southwestern A-1 Pest Control is here to help you in wiping out fleas from your house and surroundings. Make an appointment today!

Even as small as they are, they are equipped with piercing mouths that help them in sucking blood. The flea has no wings. They jump from one place to another and can jump up to 8 inches high.

FLEAS