Fleas
Whether you live deep in the city or rural America, bug infestations are a well-known nuisance across the country. One insect is especially challenging to detect and treat in the Buckeye state. Fleas can be a problem well into the colder months, posing a serious health risk to your family and beloved pets year-round. Misinformation is also frequent regarding fleas, which can raise the risks when trying to handle an infestation of these common parasites. Whether you are a pet owner or not, flea infestations are a serious problem to treat on your own. They are dangerous to your health in the form of numerous transmittable diseases. While the weather may be cooling down in the state of Ohio, flea season and the risks involved are here to stay.
The flea, or Siphonaptera, is a small, flightless, external parasite that survives on the blood of mammals and birds. Though they are flightless, fleas are one of the best jumpers in the world, second only to the Froghopper. Signs that you may have a flea problem include itchy bites often occurring around the legs, feet or ankles, red, swollen welts on the skin, and rashes.
With over 2,000 species of flea
worldwide, these blood-sucking pests have earned a notorious and destructive reputation throughout history. Thankfully, advancements in medical science have made the flea’s most dangerous diseases treatable. Serious health concerns still exist when dealing with a flea infestation in your home. Typhus, Mycoplasma haemofelis, and tapeworms are just a few diseases that fleas can transmit to you and your pets, resulting in possible hospitalization and illness.
Myths about fleas are widespread, often making them much more difficult to handle without professional help. Knowing fact from fiction may help you the next time you have an unexpected parasitic roommate.
Myth 1: Fleas are not a risk during the winter.
Though freezing weather does kill many insects every year, inside your home is the perfect environment for fleas. Cozy inside of burrows or on you and your pet, fleas are a serious risk all year round.
Myth 2: If my pet has been treated, the infestation is over.
Though adult fleas are a serious problem, fleas in different stages of their life cycle may still exist in bedding, carpeting, and even clothing. With the ability to multiply rapidly, larvae and eggs can potentially restart the infestation even if your pet is flea free.
Myth 3: Fleas don’t live in clean homes.
Vacuuming often may suck up fleas and eggs that are in your home, but it is not foolproof protection from flea infestations. Fleas do not discriminate when picking a home to enter. They are known to hitch a ride on you, your pet, or even jump inside your home, whether it is clean or not.
Fleas can be a terrible nightmare for any homeowner without professional help. Fortunately, Restoration Pest Management has been protecting homes in central Ohio since 2004, using the latest treatment technology in pest management depending on your unique situation. With over 15 years of experience and effective treatment options, Restoration Pest Management will keep your home free of fleas at an affordable price.