If you’re a pet owner, you’ve probably had a run-in with fleas at least once. According to Cox Termite & Pest Control in Savannah, GA, these tiny, brown, external parasites live off of the blood of warm-blooded animals and even humans. This means they will immediately seek a host after emerging from their cocoons, and it’s why they often are drawn to homes where pets live.

What Causes Fleas to Enter the Home?

Fleas usually enter a residence on a family pet after latching onto it outside. However, homeowners who have no pets still can experience a flea infestation due to a variety of circumstances. Sometimes fleas exist in a home because the previous owners kept pets before selling it to new occupants. In other instances, the insects were transferred to the house by neighborhood pets or wildlife. Fleas also can be a side effect of a bigger problem like rats or mice taking up residence in your home.

If you don’t have pets and moved into a house with an existing flea population, it probably will diminish over time because fleas do not breed on humans. However, adult fleas can remain in their cocoon up to five months, so it might take time for them to disappear completely without assistance from an insect control technician. In other instances, fleas could become an ongoing problem because they’ll continue to produce eggs.

Signs of a Home Infestation

When you have pets, signs of a flea infestation usually occur early. The first thing you might notice is your dog or cat scratching harder and more often than normal. If you catch them doing this, inspect their skin for black dots, bare spots, and scabs.

If you don’t have pets, your first clue of a flea infestation might be bites on your body. You also could see the insects on your furniture or carpet. If you think you have fleas in your home, check your furniture cushions, pillows, beds, and carpets, as well as along walls and in flooring cracks.

At the first sign of fleas in your home, contact the pest management professionals at Cox Termite & Pest Control for the best removal solutions. To schedule an appointment, call (912) 236-2503. Visit their website to learn more about their insect control services.