They attach to the fur of the animals from infested dirt or foliage. They usually live in the underbelly area. Once their host goes inside of your home, fleas transfer to your carpet, drapers, furnishings or indoor plants. Fleas thrive in warm, moist places.
Fleas Prefer Areas That are Shady, Moist, and Humid
The truth is, most pets become infested with fleas when roaming outside. There is mixed information in terms of whether fleas live in the grass, but most researchers agree that fleas do prefer outdoor areas that are shady, moist, and humid.
Fleas like hiding in crevices. Their populations are more numerous in places where they can feed (like pet bedding and living rooms) and reproduce undisturbed (like lower-traffic areas or in carpeting). They also inhabit upholstery, furniture, and other common household furnishings, especially where they can stay warm.
To check for fleas, use a flea comb to pull back and separate the fur. Inspect the skin for red, irritated skin and dark specs. If you spot something tiny that moves, it's probably a flea. If dark specks are present, take a white tissue or paper towel and pick up a few.
While no one wants to find a tick or flea in their home, it can happen and it doesn't mean your home or pet is dirty. It just means there are a few things you need to do to sort the situation and help stop it happening again.
You might be asking yourself will fleas eventually go away? While some could last 2 – 3 weeks, they could also live for up to 12 months on the host it finds, so it is unlikely they will go away on their own. Fleas can also reproduce very quickly by laying eggs in carpet, bedding, or garden prolonging the infestation.
Fleas are tiny and agile insects, making it challenging to feel them crawling on the body, particularly if there are only a few present. However, a persistent itching or a prickling sensation on the skin, especially in areas such as the ankles, legs, and waist, may indicate the presence of fleas and their bites.
Signs of fleas in your bedding include tiny black specks that are sometimes called "flea dirt." These are flea excrement; if you sprinkle them with a little water, they'll turn a dark-reddish brown. Another sign that fleas have invaded your bed are flea bites on your body.
Most of the time, flea infestations begin when an outdoor dog or cat brings fleas inside. However, fleas can also get in on old furniture or the skin or clothing of a guest whose house is infested. Fleas don't often use humans as hosts, but they can travel on us.
Fleas in the house are typically found in sleeping areas such as bedding, carpet, and mattresses. Fleas on humans are often found in areas that are closer to the ground, as fleas tend to grab onto clothing while a person is outside.
Fleas are attracted to light, movement, heat, and CO2 that their hosts exhale when breathing. Fleas will jump slightly any time one of these signals triggers movement, but flea activity really takes off when the presence of multiple attractants are noticed.
Enquiries relating to suspected flea infestations have increased by 47% in a year, according to recent data from Rentokil Pest control, and the experts believe the unusual weather in 2023 could be the reason.
During the day, fleas avoid the sun so they are most active at sunset and least active at sunrise. At dusk, the pests would lay more eggs, respire more, and move around in the yard more. Although the fleas are not completely inactive at any time of the day, they have increased activity at dusk and night.
Although it may be tough, you can see signs of a flea infestation in your home. Look for tiny black dots on your pets, furniture, rugs, carpets, or pet bedding. Also, check whether your pet is constantly scratching itself. That's a good sign that it may have fleas.
Flea bites may appear in a straight line or a cluster of many bites. Flea bites most commonly occur on your legs, especially your feet, calves and ankles. Flea bites rarely appear above your knee, unless you spend a lot of time sitting or lying down.
If the flea infestation is light, frequent and thorough vacuuming may eventually eliminate the problem. Moderate to heavy infestations, however, will usually necessitate the application of a residual insecticide to carpets, baseboards, cracks and crevices, and other areas where fleas may be present."
Though they often burrow under comforters and sheets, fleas don't typically dwell in beds long term because they can only live without blood for about one or two weeks.
Fleas like to burrow into soft, small spaces and hide, such as plush carpeting and bedding. However, if they don't have a food source, they won't live there for long. Fleas are far more likely to live on your pet's body or bedding than on your sheets and blankets.
A fleabite will appear as a tiny red bump surrounded by a small patch of inflamed skin. Bites will also tend to continue to occur during a home infestation. A bed bug bite will look more like that of a mosquito with a large, raised, irritated area.
Flea bites appear as small red dots. Flea bites look like small red dots. These spots often occur in two to three groups or clusters with redness around them and sometimes a light halo. They tend to bite humans around the feet, ankles, and lower legs.
You can get fleas in your hair, but they won't stay and live there. Human hair isn't thick enough to provide shelter for fleas, and most species of flea don't even feed on humans, anyway. If a flea jumps onto you from one of your pets, it will probably leave in search of better shelter.
This is a common myth because fleas love to hitch a ride on pets, but they can also grab onto your clothes to come inside. If you've been working in the yard, you should immediately launder your clothes and shower. Fleas aren't the only pest that likes to attack humans, as chiggers are also a common problem.
