Flea facts
- Fleas are small (up to 3mm), dark brown insects from the Siphonaptera order. They can’t fly.
- Fleas are ‘host specific’, meaning that they need their host species to reproduce.
- For example, dog fleas need a dog host to breed.
- But they can feed from / bite any warm- blooded animal.
- Fleas can jump up to 13 inches!
- Eggs can survive several months without hatching.
- They are ‘woken up’ when they detect warmth or movement by a potential host.
- This can be when the central heating is turned on, or a vacant property becomes occupied.
What you can do
- Flea infestations often come from a household pet
- Keep pets’ flea treatments up-to-date (see your veterinarian for advice).
- Check pets regularly for signs of fleas; their groin is the best place to spot them.
- Infestations can also originate from birds’ nests, so check loft and chimney areas for nests.
- Move furniture and vacuum regularly using a cleaner with a rotating brush head.
- Keep rooms free from clutter to minimise the number of places they can conceal themselves.
If you have a flea infestation, we will…
- Carry out a residual insecticide treatment. 2-3 applications are normally required.
- Before treatment starts, you will need to clear your rooms of clutter and bag up any potentially infested clothing and bedding.
- Our technician will advise you on how to wash them.
- Do not vacuum or wash floors for a minimum of 1 week after the treatment to make sure that any newly hatching eggs are treated.
- We can provide you with flea traps to monitor any future activity