Unfortunately, the warm days are behind us. Autumn is here, and with that change in the weather comes a serious surge of fleas. Believe it or not, the fall surge of fleas pushes the population up to 70% higher in most northwestern homes. And of course, just because it’s getting cool outside, it doesn’t mean we can lock our pets up 24 hours a day. They still need to get outdoors to play and answer nature’s call. This is a perfect opportunity for some stray fleas to take refuge on a warm host and invade our homes. That isn’t the only way fleas find their way into our domains, though.
I Don’t Even Have an Outdoor Pet! Where Do Fleas Come From?!
Some of you may feel unclean because you’re finding fleas inside your homes. The truth is it has little to do with cleanliness and more to do with nature doing what it was designed to do, survive. Mice and rats are actively looking for warm areas to nest right now, especially in a cold autumn climate like the South Portland area. Since there is little food out in the wild as winter rapidly approaches, rodents are also looking for a stockpile of edible items along with a place to stay warm until spring. Our attics, sheds, and garages are perfect places for these rodents to find easy access to both, and unfortunately, these common rodents are often loaded with fleas. As the rodents venture into our buildings to scavenge our cupboards and any leftovers they can scrounge in the form of crumbs on the floor or food in the trash the expanding population of fleas starts to stray. They’ll hunker down in our carpets, furniture, and beds, and if they’re really lucky, they’ll find our indoor pets. This will make the population explode even further and soon, your home is completely infested.
Flea Infestations Multiply Rapidly
Once fleas have taken up root in your home, they immediately get to work trying to procreate. A single female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day, and after just 5 days, these eggs will hatch and the new fleas start looking for a food source. If your infestation has reached a pinnacle, you will wake up with fleas on your arms and legs, feeding off of you as you were lying in a warm bed all night long! This ability to multiply is what makes fleas an often infuriating infestation to control, and is a great motivator to act fast and seek the best methods for the removal of this pest.
How to Get Rid of Fleas
First, it’s time to break out of the vacuum. Thoroughly vacuuming the carpets and furniture will ensure that eggs and maybe even some adult fleas will be sucked up and captured inside the bag of your vacuum. Be sure to dispose of it properly or they’ll find their way out. Second, if you happen to have any pets, make sure you treat them. Otherwise, all of the hard work that you’re doing will be for no reason. Once the pets have been treated, wash and dry all sheets and blankets at a high temperature. Third, and most importantly, call a professional to come in and take care of the leftover fleas once and for all. Big Blue Bug Solutions can help you exterminate your flea infestation and can even provide you with year-round protection and prevention. Fleas can pass disease so not addressing the issue may be putting your family, your pets, and yourself in danger of a much more serious problem. Fall is here and so are the fleas! Call today.