Busting Five Myths about Fleas

Fleas are one of the most frustrating and obnoxious pest problems you’ll ever have to face. These extremely small pests feast on blood, and they love to live in hair and fur. This makes pets like cats and dogs ideal hosts for flea infestations, and when fleas get into your home they can quickly multiply and spread. That means there is a lot of misinformation regarding fleas and how to properly deal with them once they’ve found their way inside. In order to avoid making a mistake that doesn’t solve your problem or actually makes things worse for your home, check out our blog for helpful information that dispels five myths about fleas and how to deal with them.

Myth #1: Fleas Only Target Cats & Dogs

When you think of fleas, most people think of their pets. Dogs and cats are notorious flea carriers, and particularly dogs that love to spend a lot of their time outdoors. Fleas can easily live in everything from brush and gardens to lawns of all shapes and sizes. However, these vampiric bugs feast on blood meals, and that means they need some sort of a host they can draw sustenance from. That means they can also target birds, vermin like rats and mice, rodents like rabbits and squirrels, and even humans. If fleas are making your pets itchy, it’s probably only a matter of time before they come after you as well, especially if you don’t deal with the problem swiftly.

Myth #2: Fleas Only Live in Hair

Because pets are the most common carriers of fleas, many people mistakenly believe fleas will only target hair, sort of like a pet version of lice. This actually is far from true as well. Fleas will live in feathers, such as in birds, and even just on bare skin. The only reason they tend to gravitate towards hair and fur is it provides them with a place they can build a nest and lay eggs. Otherwise, they will go after meals wherever they can get them, and yes this does mean targeting humans. While modern fleas are not known for being disease carriers, they have done so in the past, including causing multiple outbreaks of the bubonic plague, which killed a sizeable fraction of the world’s population each time.

Myth #3: Flea Bombs Solve Everything

The “easy” DIY method for flea removal is the DIY fumigation system known as the “flea bomb.” These are essentially an aerosol can filled with a type of flea-targeting pesticide that releases into the air in your home. All you have to do is hit the button to start the release and the can will fill your air with this flea poison, killing off the fleas anywhere in your home. Or, at least, that’s what they advertise. The problem is that these flea bombs often don’t reach every corner of your home, and rarely get into the hard-to-reach places without a lot of airflow. As a result, they rarely kill off all of the fleas in your home, and the problem will likely only come back soon. This is why, as professional pest control experts, we tell all of our customers that flea control is an ongoing process, and you will likely need multiple flea treatments in order to truly get rid of the problem.

Myth #4: Pets Only Get Fleas from Going Outside

If going outside is the source of contracting fleas for so many pets, why not just keep pets inside? The truth is that doesn’t keep them safe either. Believe it or not, they can contract fleas from plenty of other sources. Have you recently brought your dog to the vet? If they came in contact with another dog or cat who had fleas, a few could easily have jumped from that pet to yours, starting a new colony inside your home. Kennels and pet stores are also great places for flea transmission, making the problem almost impossible to avoid completely.

Myth #5: I’m Safe from Fleas Because I Don’t Have Pets

Finally, there’s a common misconception that fleas are only transmitted by pets. While pets are the more common carriers of fleas, the truth is that you yourself could be what carried fleas into your home. If you’ve decided to go camping in the wilderness or even if you pet a dog that had fleas, you might contract some of these pestering vermin yourself. If you don’t notice them, you could accidentally carry them into your home, where they live in carpets, window treatments, or even the upholstery on furniture. Before long, you’re dealing with a large issue that’s tough to get rid of.

Have a frustrating flea problem that needs to be addressed? Call Hopper Termite & Pest at (870)425-4122 today.