Flee the Flea!

If you have lived in Melbourne, Florida for any length of time you probably have either experienced a flea infestation or know someone who has. Fleas are no fun. They cause itching and can carry other diseases, though this is rare. But what is sure is that if you have a pet, fleas will make your pet miserable. If your pet is miserable, odds are you’ll be miserable too. So, what options do you have?

Obviously, you will start with your pet that probably brought them in your house to begin with. Once you give your animal a good flea bath, take their bedding and throw it in the wash, vacuum your carpets and throw out the bag. The fleas will survive in the bag if you don’t. If you want to get rid of the pupae from your carpet you will need to steam clean them. Vacuuming won’t remove the pupae because they stick to the carpet fibers.

Veterinarians are best able to recommend the appropriate flea control agents for your pets. Some are very strong insecticides and you should follow the directions carefully. So, you have taken care of your pets and the area they rest because the flea eggs fall off the animal and onto the bedding and area around it. But you don’t want to leave it at that because the problem will keep recurring. So, what’s next?

If you want to be sure that you won’t have any problems with fleas for a long time you should contact a professional pest control company. Most have programs that can eliminate fleas both indoors and outdoors. Yep, you’re thinking, “What’s the point of doing anything outdoors, they’ll just come back?” That is true, they’ll come back, but fleas are most prolific from August through September when the humidity is highest. The moisture promotes high larval development. Treating your yard before and after this time will reduce the population outside your home, which will in turn reduce the pests on your pets.

When you contract with an exterminator you will get a plan for ridding you of your flea infestation. It isn’t sufficient to simply treat your pet. Exterminators will typically use an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) inside your home to prevent the fleas from reproducing. In addition, the plan will likely include several treatments in the areas in your yard that are likely to harbor fleas living in your shrubs, where they like to hang out.