Pest control advice and fees - Fleas
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About fleas
Distribution
- Both dog and cat fleas are found throughout the UK and are the main flea species encountered in the home.
- The cat flea is by far the most common as they can also live on dogs.
- The human flea is now a relatively rare species and is therefore unlikely to be found in the home.
Biology
The adult flea lays its eggs amongst the fur of the host animal but they soon drop off into the animals sleeping or resting place and onto carpets and floorboards where they hatch into the larval stage.
The larvae feed on various things such as dead skin and dust, but mainly on the faeces of the adult flea. Once developed, they spin a cocoon and enter the pupal stage and emerge about one month later.
The adults may remain within the cocoon for a lot longer, only coming out when they sense the vibrations caused by a passing host. This can lead to flea infestations in properties long after the cat or dog has left. Although animal fleas prefer to feed on the blood of their animal host, if that animal is not around or the infestation is very high they will feed from humans.
Significance
Although fleas are considered to be responsible for transmitting diseases there is little evidence to suggest that the cat or dog flea transmits any serious illnesses to humans. However, the highly irritating nature of flea bites to both the host animal and humans can be very unpleasant.
Control
Control of animal fleas in the home is best achieved in 3 stages:
- The cat or dog should be treated with an insecticide provided by your vet.
- The animals bedding should be washed at a minimum of 60°C. All floor areas and upholstered furnishings thoroughly vacuumed to remove animal hair, flea eggs, pupae and other debris.
- All the above areas should then be treated with an insecticide approved for this specific purpose. Again this product should be purchased from a vet and the manufacturer's instructions carefully followed.