Peak Flea and Tick Season The cooler, drier winter weather will offer your pets some relief, but it is crucial to treat against fleas throughout all seasons. 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.
Flea season can last anywhere from 6-9 months to all year round in some states. Fleas love warm temperatures, so your season can start early in spring and last until September, October, or November.
Although fleas and ticks are a threat to pets year-round, these pests become most active during the warmer months, starting as early as March in some areas of the United States.
What time of year do we worry about fleas and ticks? They start hatching out in the early spring, as soon as we have several consecutive 60 degree days. As the weather gets cold, the fleas will be killed after a few good frosts, but ticks can persist late into the fall or even through a very mild winter.
Both fleas and ticks flourish in warm climates. The ideal temperature for these parasites is within the 70 to 85-degree range, but they can live in cooler and warmer temperatures as well. For many states, the most prevalent seasons for fleas and ticks are the spring and summer, or roughly from May through September.
Fleas prefer warmer conditions but they can be active year-round so that's why using prevention throughout the year is essential.
At What Temperature and How Quickly Do Fleas Die? Adult fleas die at temperatures colder than 46.4°F (8°C) and hotter than 95°F (35°C). Immature fleas, which refers to both flea eggs and larvae, are slightly more susceptible to the cold, dying at temperatures below 55.4°F (13°C).
Get Fleas Out of Your Home
It can take as long as three to four months to get rid of an infestation, as it takes this long for all of the fleas in your home to go through their life stages. Here are the steps you need to take to eradicate fleas in your home: Wash all dog beds and soft dog toys in hot, soapy water.
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.
Answer: It is always advised to make your application either in the early morning or early evening time. You don't ever want to make an application of insecticide or herbicide during mid day when the sun is at its hottest.
The best protection from parasites comes with regular application of their topical flea and tick treatment. This means that you should be reapplying every 30 days. There's no right or wrong time of day to treat your pet. But, you shouldn't wash or bathe your dog for at least 48 hours before or after applying.
Fortunately, washing your clothes, bedding, rugs and other textiles is an effective way to kill fleas in any of the four life stages, thanks to the chemicals in the detergent along with the heat and turbulence encountered during washing and drying.
Citronella, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, and rosemary will all naturally repel fleas. If your dog doesn't mind a spray bottle, dilute a few drops of your chosen essential oil into a 300ml-400ml of water and spray directly onto your dog's coat.
Only treating the fleas you see
Eggs hatch within 21 days and the larvae settle into fabrics like furniture and carpet. Here they will feast on dead skin cells and hair. Since 95% of the flea's life is spent outside the adult stage, flea infestations can take a long time to eradicate.
Steam cleaning your carpets, furniture and pet beds is a brilliant idea if you have a flea infestation. Thanks to the combination of high heat and soap, the fleas will be gone in no time.
As eggs hatch and develop, you might find fleas reappearing 10-14 days after treatment - this is quite normal and provided the insecticide remains in place it will kill them. This is why it is important not to carry out cleaning which might remove insecticide.
These insidious hitchhikers can feed within minutes of finding a host and can breed within 24 hours, laying up to 50 eggs a day in your home and yard. So, yes, one flea can—and often does—become a problem.
Fleas are so light weight that they can bounce right off the surface of the water because the surface tension of the water prevents them from breaking through. Adding the dish soap reduces the surface tension so the fleas slip through and drown.
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.
Answer: You should not have to wash any clothes that were in the closets and drawers. More information on treating for fleas in the home.
Capstar (nitenpyram) is a fast-acting flea treatment tablet for use in dogs and cats that starts killing fleas in only 30 minutes. A single dose of Capstar kills 90% of adult fleas within 4 hours for dogs and 6 hours for cats, ridding your pet of these pesky parasites.
Modern flea treatments, such as FRONTLINE, don't work by stopping fleas from jumping on your pet- they are effective at killing newly arriving fleas within 24 hours.
Lemon spray
To make this flea spray, slice a lemon thinly and add to a pint of water and bring to the boil. Let the citrus solution sit overnight and pour into a spray bottle. The next day take the citrus solution and spray it on the infested areas in your home – sofas, pet bedding, chairs etc.