WHY FLEAS ARE BEST LEFT TO THE PROFESSIONALS

In South Carolina, fleas can be a year-round problem as it never really gets cold enough for them to slow down, especially since they live on warm-blooded animals in the winter. And if those warm-blooded animals find their way into your home, you could have flea infestations popping up over and over again in your home, all year round!

We all know that our pets can carry fleas into our homes. And though dogs and cats are common vehicles for fleas, they aren’t the only animals capable of bringing those parasitic pests inside. Any furry animal that finds a way to breach your walls can introduce fleas into your home. Fortunately, most wildlife animals will stay in your attic or some other secluded location they've broken into instead of roaming around and exploring your home. Rodents, on the other hand, have no problem exploring every inch of your home. And when they do, they can deposit flea eggs and nymphs along the way.

When those flea eggs fall off their hosts and land on carpets, furniture, or other items with fibers, the larvae that hatch from those eggs then get underneath those fibers, feed on the flea dirt (feces) left behind by adult fleas, and develop into cocooned pupa. Inside their cocoons, they will then develop into adult fleas and those adults will then wait for a suitable host to come by. If you have a dog or cat, your pet can pick fleas up outside but can also become a vehicle for fleas and spread flea eggs around your home. Those fleas will also feed on your pets. If you don't have pets, those fleas will have to bite you to get the blood meals they need to survive. That can make it harder for them to complete their life cycle inside, but not impossible.

Fleas Are Just Miserable

It can be miserable to have fleas living in your house. When a flea infestation is discovered, most people take quick action to get rid of those fleas. But the problem is that most people don't take the right action. There are many products and concoctions that work to kill fleas, but killing the fleas in your home is only one part of the solution. You have to stop the reproduction cycle. This can sometimes be a very difficult process.

Homeowners can spend a lot of time, effort, and money trying to solve their flea problem. They'll vacuum their rugs over and over again, wash all their bedding and clothing, and bathe their pets. They'll buy flea collars for their pets if they don't already have them, and some of those collars aren't cheap! They'll also purchase flea sprays that offer big promises and realize that, not only can those sprays be completely ineffective, but they also smell awful and can be dangerous when handled improperly. In addition, they'll move furniture around, quarantine their pets to certain rooms, and do many other frustrating chores to stop those fleas. Yet these steps may have to be done all over again if they're not done in a way that breaks that reproduction cycle.

Let's get back to those rodents we spoke of earlier. If you have mice or rats moving about your home at night, they can deposit new fleas into locations you've already treated. This can be extremely frustrating and can make it impossible to fix your problem.

How Do I Get Rid Of Fleas?

Getting rid of fleas takes some know-how, elbow grease, and products that actually work to break the cycle of flea infestation. That's why it is best to hire a licensed pest control professional to help arrest flea infestations. The professionals will use methods that are developed by entomologists and other educated pest professionals who are experts in their field. These methods work systematically to identify areas of infestation, conditions that are conducive to flea infestation, and other factors. Once a detailed inspection has been conducted, a pest service professional will then apply an appropriate treatment regimen that may require the use of pest control products. These products are EPA approved and highly-effective in the hands of a professional. They are powerful enough to eliminate flea eggs which are incredibly resistant to flea control products, and they are residual. After your treatment is finished, your home will continue to be a flea-free environment. Best of all, a professional can guide you in dealing with your rodent problem and offer helpful monitoring and control options, if needed.

Hiring a professional is much more convenient and effective than doing it yourself, and that’s the best way to deal with fleas. Those pests aren't just a nuisance, they can spread murine typhus, tularemia, parasitic worms, plague, and other harmful illnesses to you and your pets.

For effective flea control in South Carolina, reach out to Aiken Pest Control for immediate assistance!