Flea Facts & Information

Flea infestations often come from a pet dog or cat. The pests attach to the animal when it's outside, and then infest its fur and the places it sleeps indoors. Flea prevention for both the home and yard can be difficult. Without a proactive approach, any pet owner is vulnerable to an infestation.

Seek a host for blood

Fleas depend on a blood meal from a host to survive. On some occasions, fleas may become an inside problem when the host they previously fed on is no longer around. Then fleas focus their feeding activity on other hosts that reside inside the home. An example of such a situation is when a mouse inside the home is trapped and removed, the fleas that previously fed on the mouse are then forced to feed on pets or people.

Many signs can indicate flea activity:

• Pets Scratching - A common indication would be pets that repeatedly scratch and groom themselves. This is caused by the discomfort of the flea activity as the adult fleas feed on the pet's blood.

• Bites - People also may experience bites which leave behind itchy bite marks (a medical doctor can be consulted, since there are other sources of skin irritation beside fleas).

• Feces - Flea dirt, the adult flea feces, also can indicate activity. Flea dirt looks similar to

  coarse ground black pepper and may be seen in pet beds, carpets, rugs and other areas where the animal host rests.

• Adult fleas - Since fleas are relatively easy to see in their adult stage, most of the attention is directed at adult fleas. Adult fleas are usually easy to locate, especially if the homeowner and their pets return to the house after a long vacation or other absence during which the resident flea adults were not able to take a blood meal. Upon returning, the homeowners are often greeted by fleas jumping around and trying to land on them and their pets.

• Flea Eggs - The flea eggs, larvae and pupae are another situation. Since these stages are much more secretive and much less active, they are found in out-of-the-way places like:

  • behind, under or in furniture

  • in a pet's bedding

  • inside cracks and grooves in the floors

  • in carpets

Flea eggs that were deposited by the female adult, fall off your pets as they move, allowing them to be disbursed throughout the environment where a pet spends time.

Eggs are not attached to the host. Eggs will hatch in the following places:

• on the ground

• in rugs

• carpet

• bedding

• upholstery

• cracks in the floor

Most hatch within two days. Read more about the life cycle of fleas.

The development of fleas involves a four-phase life cycle. Beginning as eggs, fleas undergo larval and pupal stages before emerging as adults. Depending on the species, the life expectancy of a flea is eight days to two months or, in some cases, up to a year.

One pair of fleas can produce more than 1 million offspring through their offspring’s offspring in a matter of weeks.

Eggs

The flea’s life cycle begins when a fertilized female finds a suitable location for laying her eggs. The ideal egg site is material that the larvae will eat when they hatch from the egg. Examples of egg-laying sites might include a pile of trash, feces, or other damp, decomposing organic material. In some cases, fertilized eggs hatch within 24 hours.

Larvae

Upon hatching, larvae feed upon the organic material. flea larvae eat for several days to weeks, storing enough protein and nutrients to last through their upcoming pupa stage.

Pupal

When larvae are grown, they leave their food source and seek dry, dark places within which to pupate. During the pupal stage, fleas develop from legless larvae into adults with six legs, compound eyes, and a pair of wings.

Adult

Development time from egg to adult varies depending on species, environmental conditions, and abundance of food. Some fleas can complete their development in a matter of a couple of weeks if conditions are right.

Fleas can live in furniture depending on the environment and whether they have had a blood meal recently. Sometimes eggs or larvae can hide in furniture until it matures and then jump onto the closest host.

Salt can indeed kill a flea. When sprinkled on a flea, it sucks the moisture from their bodies, drying them out. However, using salt will not manage a flea infestation as direct contact with each flea is needed to be effective. Additionally, this method will not get rid of fleas on your pets or flea eggs, so the infestation will likely continue. Learn more in our Ask Orkin article.