Where Do Fleas Originate?

A flea infestation is one of the most common cat and dog health problems. These little pests are more than just an annoyance: They spread disease and make life miserable by initiating a vicious cycle of scratching and biting. Preventing fleas is the most effective method for flea management, and the first step to flea prevention is knowing where fleas come from.

Types

If your home if flea-free, the most common source for fleas is any warm-blooded body such as a pet or a human being. Fleas will hitch a ride into your home aboard the fur or clothes of those who enter. These fleas hop on for a ride when the pet or person walks close by or comes in contact with their host or habitat.

Significance

Fleas can also make their way into your home when a flea-infested pet or other animal nests in a nook or cranny of the house. From here, they spread out into different rooms and adjoining buildings. If this is a new home, it is also possible that the fleas or their eggs were already there even before you moved in. Flea eggs are capable of lying dormant for months on end.

Time Frame

Once fleas make it into your home, they go forth and multiply, hence the term "flea infestation." Fleas breed prolifically. The adult female flea lays eggs every single day of her life. These eggs are spread around your home when they fall, unseen, from the host animal as it moves about. The flea eggs hatch into minute larvae, which cocoon themselves until they are fully grown. When the adult flea emerges from its cocoon and finds a host, it immediately begins to feed on its blood and prepare to lay more eggs, beginning the cycle all over again.

Function

There are certain "hot spots" in the home where fleas, their eggs and larvae are commonly found. These are primarily in areas where an infested host rests and sleeps, such as a bedding, pet beds, carpeting and furniture.

Considerations

Outdoors, fleas are most prevalent in locations that have relatively high humidity and moderate daytime temperatures. They favor shaded, protected areas such as animal enclosures like a kennel and doghouse, as well as crawl spaces in which pets rest and vegetation located next to buildings.

Prevention/Solution

One way to locate flea-infested outdoor locations is to pull on white, knee-high socks and walk around outdoor pet-resting areas. If there are any fleas present in these areas, they will jump onto your white socks, making themselves visible. Focus your treatment efforts on these particular areas.