Flea Control - Auckland
Fleas are tiny blood sucking insects that feed mostly off cats and dogs but also feed off other mammals such as rats and humans. They are a brownish black colour, are wingless, narrow and are around 2-3 mm long. They are a particularly annoying pest and capable of transmitting parasites and disease through their biting.
A bite from a flea can cause severe itching that lasts for days for some people and little or no discomfort in others, this is due to people’s reaction to the saliva the flea injects, which acts as an anticoagulant. Bites are often on feet, legs and around the waist, it’s common to be bitten while in bed.
We often have people contacting us feeling confused because they’ve been bitten by something that has made them itch, but they aren’t sure what it is. We go through a process of elimination which helps us rule out other possible pests and in 95% of cases fleas are the main culprit.
Around 50% of flea treatments we do are in homes that don’t have any pets, fleas can very easily hitch a ride inside on a human the same as they do on pets. They can be picked up from outdoors, the workplace, visiting friends and family etc. And can also be carried by rats, so unfortunately any home is at risk.
Fleas can be a year-round problem, however it’s during our warmer months that most flea infestations occur, this is due to fleas preferring warm humid conditions.
If you need any assistance with a flea problem or what you think might be, please give us a call on 0508 467378 or email us at info@gopest.co.nz
Excellent service. Fitted me in at short notice, arrived on time and very reasonably priced. Happy to recommend!
Alasdair
Mt Roskill
Flea Life Cycle
Fleas undergo a complete metamorphosis. The adult female usually lays 4-8 eggs after each blood meal, in her lifetime she may lay several hundred eggs. Most eggs are laid on the host and usually fall off so can be distributed in any areas where the host mammal visits.
Eggs usually hatch in 2-14 days. Larvae feed on available organic material, such as crumbs, human skin scales and other debris that may accumulate in carpets, furniture, pets’ bedding, cracks between floorboards, lawns, gardens and subfloor soil.
The feeding period for flea larvae is usually 15 days but it may be several months when conditions aren’t favourible. When feeding is complete, the larvae spins a sticky silken cocoon and then the larvae pupates within the cocoon. The pupal stage can last from 7 days or up to a year in some cases as the adult will wait until it feels vibrations which are a sign of a suitable host nearby before hatching.
The entire life cycle may take as little as 18 days or more than a year in less favourable conditions. Adult males and females, both bloodsuckers, may live 100 – 500 days and can live up to four months without food.
A flea problem at home can get out of control quickly, we recommend if you have pets, keep up to date with their flea treatments and discuss changing the products you use with your vet. Fleas can build up resistance with continued use of the same product.
If you have fleas in your home or are being bitten and not sure what’s biting, you don’t have to put up with it, our treatment is safe for you, your family and pets.
For Auckland Flea Control please give us a call on 0508 467378 or email us at info@gopest.co.nz
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