Always follow the instructions on the can, and treat thoroughly, as fleas really can get anywhere within your home! The time it takes to remove fleas from your home will be dependent on the level of
In most cases, it takes three to four months to completely get rid of a flea infestation since it takes fleas this long to go through their life stages, according to the American Kennel Club.
Moderate to severe infestations will take months to control and require a four-step process for complete elimination: Sanitation. Thoroughly clean areas where fleas frequently breed.
Fleas cannot fly, but they move by jumping from object to object. It can take up to 3 months to break a total flea life cycle by using monthly flea treatments. For indoor flea control, vacuuming all floors, carpets, baseboards, pet bedding and furniture will help remove adult fleas and eggs.
In just 30 days, 10 female fleas can multiply to over a quarter million new fleas in different life stages. Female fleas start producing eggs within 24 to 48 hours after taking their first blood meal and can lay up to 50 eggs per day. Optimum conditions for flea larvae are 65-80 ºF with shaded areas and high humidity.
It's hard to know when the immature stages are gone, because they are hidden in the environment. One way is to place a flea trap in hot-spot rooms. Traps are useful for monitoring populations of newly emerging adults. Without pets (and with an IGR sprayed) there should be no more new eggs.
One of the main reasons why fleas are so hard to get rid of is the pupal stage. As pupae, fleas can lay dormant for many months. For this reason, these horrible parasites can suddenly appear in a house that has been clean and flea free for some time.
Summer is one of the most active times for fleas and ticks, with some of the worst season being fall, in September, October, and November. Research has shown that the number of fleas on cats and dogs is 70% in the fall when compared to the spring season.
I've Got Fleas – Won't They Just Go Away? Unfortunately, no, they won't. Most fleas can live for between two and three weeks on a host organism, but some flea eggs can survive unhatched for up to an entire year. So even if the fleas you have are dying off, there will be plenty of eggs left to replace them.
If you do find that you still have a flea infestation after treatment, the possible causes are: The premises was cleaned or vacuumed prior to 14 days after treatment. It is possible that someone or a pet has picked up fertile fleas from other locations. Your pets were not treated for fleas satisfactorily.
How Long Do Fleas Live In Your House? The average life cycle of a flea is about 100 days, but fleas' lifespans can be quite variable. If conditions are favorable, these insects can even live indoors for up to a year!
Many may think that the summer months are the worst time of the year when it comes to flea infestations, but in fact, flea season continues in full force beyond that and into the late fall months. Flea season starts in May and runs all the way into the winter when temperatures begins to drop below freezing.
Even without animals living in your home, fleas can live in your carpet and other fabrics for a while.
Fleas are most active in the early spring, summer, and fall. Adult fleas may have a hard time surviving harsh winters. But flea eggs, flea pupae, and larvae can survive all year. Common hiding spots include your attic, floorboards, and furniture.
Fleas can live in temperatures as low as 46 degrees. However, it can take up to 5 days of consistently below freezing temperatures to kill an adult flea. At temperatures between less than 46 degrees and 33 degrees survival rate varies between 10-20 days.
Flea infestations can lay dormant for around nine months, depending on factors like heat and humidity. So, if the previous occupants were pet parents, their pets could have left an infestation behind.
Often even after treating with a suitable flea treatment you will still see flea's on your animal. However, this does not mean that the treatment has not worked or that the fleas are immune – the reasons are fairly simple: Fleas are hatching in your home and re-infecting your pet.
Fleas Can Lay Up to 50 Eggs Per Day
An adult female flea lays 20-30 eggs on average per day, but they can lay up to 50. So when it comes to getting rid of fleas just treating for the adults isn't enough — you also need to treat the environment to get rid of all those eggs they left behind.
Just One Flea Can Be a Sign of a Problem
Although the random flea might show up if you've just taken your pup for a walk, more than one or two could be a sign of a problem. As few as 20 fleas might mean your pet is infested, while the most could be between 200 to 300.
For months, unseen young stages will continue to mature and emerge as adults. If a new female fleas finds an untreated animal, she'll take a blood meal, mate, and lay eggs within 1-2 days. Each female produces around 25 eggs a day. Thus, re-infestation can occur quickly.
Most successful flea treatment programs require at least 2-3 treatments at 14-day intervals using both an insecticide for the adult fleas and an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) to prevent immature stages of fleas from developing into breeding adults.