Those pesky fleas torment both animals and humans alike. They invade your home and crawl into bed with you, biting you as you sleep. Your pet can’t find relief without your intervention as they crawl and bite every inch of their body during prime season. There are many theories about these pests, and some people have no idea how dangerous having fleas is to you and your animals. Some people even think fleas fly. While it seems that summer is the season they hop around the most, you can have an infestation any time of the year.

Can Fleas Fly?

Many people compare fleas with the fruit fly or gnat, as they believe fleas fly. Sure, they’re about the same size, but they have no wings. They must jump from place to place. Amazingly, fleas can jump to about eight inches, which is 150 times their height.

Fleas move very fast and in ways that can make it seem like fleas fly. No, that’s not wings they’re using to move; it’s the sheer power of their legs. There are about 2,000 flea species, and none of them have wings or flying ability. Fleas have also been grouped with other species like ants, silverfish, and grasshoppers.

In New Jersey, you will predominantly see the cat flea. Don’t let the name fool you because this pest doesn’t care if it chooses a dog or a cat as their host. They’re just looking for a warm body to snuggle against and get nourishment. You might also experience issues with the sand flea if you live near the coastline, and there’s always the human flea.

Understanding the Life Cycle of Fleas

Since the female flea has such a short lifespan, she must lay as many eggs as possible. Did you know that she can lay around 2,000 eggs in adulthood? She prefers to lay right after a meal, and she can push out an astounding 40-50 at once. Females tend to lay each day to reach massive numbers in such a short period.

The flea only lives about 100 days; however, it can live for up to two years in the pupa stage. If there is a host for food and the temperatures are just right, the flea can get the maximum out of their lifespan. If a flea cannot find a host within a specific period, it will die.

The average flea can go four days without food, but they can live anywhere from 2 to 14 days without nourishment. The young fleas will munch on the excrement of others, but it’s just dried blood. The lifecycle is very typical of other pests of this nature. The female lays her eggs, and it takes anywhere from 12 days to three weeks for them to hatch. Once the egg has hatched, it goes through the larval part of the mutation.

This stage is a bit confusing because it’s three stages in one. It’s during this phase that the larva weaves a cocoon. The key is that they must have enough nourishment for the fuel to do such a tasking job. The next stage, or the pupal stage, is where the young flea is about to reach adulthood.

Many people think that the young fleas die off during the winter, but the pupal can easily survive cold winters and scorching summers, as the cocoon protects them. Due to this fascinating fact, many fleas can live and haunt you all year long. Another interesting piece of evidence is that during the pupal stage, the flea hibernates, and they can live up to six months without nourishment in this situation.

Once the pupal emerges as a full-grown flea, they must find food quickly. If they want to be capable of reproducing, then they only have seven days to find nourishment. An adult flea can go without food for a bit, but if they want to bring forth new life, then they must eat.

What Do Fleas Look Like?

Fleas are very small insects. Full-grown, they are around one-fourth of an inch in length. While we’ve already established the answer to “Do fleas fly?”, their extra-long hind legs ensure they can jump. They have a variety of colors that you might observe, but most are between a reddish-brown and a brownish-black hue.

Spotting an Infestation

Spotting an infestation is not a challenge, especially if you’ve dealt with fleas before. The first sign that you have flea trouble is when you see your animal scratching. Fleas feel like head lice to a human, so the need to scratch is unbearable. Your animal may begin to tear their hair out, gnaw at its skin, roll around in the grass, and do all sorts of things to find relief.

You may see fleas on your pet or yourself. They appear as little specs moving about. Flea dirt, which looks like tiny coffee grains. If you bust one of these fecal pieces open, it will be pure blood. Fleas can infest your animals, carpeting, or furniture. If you allow your animals to sleep with you, it’s possible to have these bugs in your bed, too.

You can get fleas even if you don’t have a pet. If it’s a humid summer, they may hitch a ride on your shoes or pant legs into the home. If someone who had pets lived in the house before you, they can leave behind eggs and live fleas for you to handle. If you suspect fleas but have no proof, there’s a simple test you can do.

Lay down a glue trap for mice on your carpet and leave it overnight. If you wake up in the morning and see fleas stuck to it, then you know for sure you have a problem. Additionally, putting on white socks and walking around the house can also show you the truth. Fleas are attracted to white, and it makes it easier for you to see them.

Some people think that if they don’t have carpets, they can’t have an infestation. However, fleas can burrow into the cracks of hardwood floors and survive there, too. So, don’t think they can’t live in your home if you don’t have carpets. They can be adaptable to your surroundings, just as long as they have a host to feed on nearby.

Why Fleas Are So Dangerous?

Whether or not fleas fighting fleas on your pets, you need a suitable medication that can protect them. Any flea that bites your pet will die. Some medications, like collars, keep fleas at bay, but the ones that work the best are the ones that kill any flea that encounters the skin. Animals can become subject to anemia if bitten by fleas and not treated for them.

Your pet’s gum line and eyelids should be a nice pink or red color. A pale white color is a sign of danger, and the pet would immediately need to see a vet. Fleas can kill, which most people fail to realize. Back in the 14th century, fleas were diseased with a bacteria called Yersinia pestis and bit rats in China. The filth and lack of sanitation made rats rampant during these times. While the plague started in China, it spread to Europe through trade routes.

The fleas infected with the pneumonic bacteria bit the rats. Then, other fleas would bite the rats and get infected. It didn’t matter whether or not fleas fly. However fleas made their way into homes, the fleas would bite people they came into contact with. Once bitten, people were then infected with the disease known today as the bubonic plague.

You would be wrong to think these tiny fleas bring no harm. There were 50 million people that lost their life due to these diseased fleas. Though they no longer carry Yersinia pestis, they do have things like parasitic dermatitis, cat scratch disease, mycoplasma haemofelis, murine typhus, tapeworms, and even Lyme disease.

Treating an Infestation

Treating an infestation is a tricky process that involves many parts and whether or not fleas fly isn’t really a factor. . First, you need to treat the access point, which is your yard. Treating your yard lessens the ability for fleas to come into your home from the outside. This could be tricky if you have a lot of land in the country. So, you should just treat the area immediately around your home or where your pets often use the restroom.

Second, you must treat your home. Since the flea eggs drop from the female as soon as she lays them, you want to make sure that you get these eggs before they have a chance to hatch. Flea eggs can easily be picked up by the vacuum cleaner. Vacuuming frequently can cut down on how many hatch. You could also use flea bombs and powders from the hardware store, but it will probably be necessary to call a pest control professional. If you’ve attempted such methods and failed, then it’s time for professional help.

Calling the Flea Professionals

If you have pets, treating your pets is your best defense from fleas. The health and safety of your pet depend on it. Be sure to keep up with all vet appointments to make sure they are being treated effectively. Fleas and ticks can be worse in certain areas, and a vet will have knowledge of this.

If you want to see an infestation flee, then you must follow the three parts. Just treating the animal is often not enough. Even if these bugs leave the animal alone, a home that’s still infested will hunt a source, which could be you. If you suspect a flea problem in your home, reach out to Kapture Pest Control. 

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