What do fleas dislike?
Fleas are small parasitic insects that live and feed on the blood of their host. Fleas attack both domestic animals, wild animals and humans. About 2-3 mm long, the insects are elongated in shape, can be dark brown or black, and are most recognisable by their ability to jump. The stinging sites are distinct, usually not adjacent to each other, and cause severe itching and redness. In this article we will discuss what fleas don’t like, how to identify and eradicate them.
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WHERE ARE THE FLEAS HIDING?
Fleas can hide and breed in the home among floors, carpets and fur. Outdoors, they like to lay their eggs in sandy places, sheds, barns and tall grass. One adult female flea can lay up to 2000 eggs in her lifetime. Under ideal conditions, fleas develop from egg to adult insect in 2-3 weeks and can survive up to 100 days.
A flea can bite a person in a market or a stairwell, and it is a misconception that fleas are only infected by untidy people. Once on the body, fleas can start drinking blood very quickly (within 10 seconds).
If the weather is poor and there is no host to feed on, flea larvae can remain inactive for months. Fleas are often carried by pets, so pets that are often outside should be given regular medication to prevent parasites or fitted with special flea collars, which are impregnated with chemicals and effectively repel fleas.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I SEE FLEAS AT HOME?
- Vacuum all floors, upholstery and mattresses with a powerful vacuum cleaner. Cracks and various tight spaces can contain flea eggs and larvae, so it is a good idea to use a vacuum cleaner bag that can be easily disposed of without touching the contents;
- Carpets and upholstery and animal beds should be cleaned using hot steam. High heat and soap are a lethal combination in all stages of flea life. Fleas can lay 40-50 eggs per day, so hot steam should be used for at least 2-3 consecutive days;
- Wash all bedding, including your pet’s bedding, in hot water using a normal detergent. If you have a tumble dryer, set it to the hottest possible temperature suitable for the fabrics, and wash bedding at least several times a week.
- If you have pets, wash their coats with special flea shampoos.
WHAT FLEAS DON’T LIKE?
Fleas like places that are shady, warm and moist. Places with direct sunlight are too hot for fleas to develop, so you are unlikely to find these parasites there. We also give you the traditional methods of extermination, how you can get rid of fleas in your home and answer the question of what fleas don’t like:
- Soda. Use baking soda to kill fleas that have taken up residence in the carpeting. Sprinkle it on the carpet, scrub and vacuum it up;
- Salt. Salt works in much the same way as baking soda. Sprinkle salt in areas where you suspect flea habitats and vacuum after 1-2 days; salt acts as a dehydrator, drying out flea larvae and eggs.
- Lemon water. Slice the lemon into thin slices, place in a container and add ~300ml of water. Cover the container and leave it overnight. In the morning, pour the liquid into a spray bottle and spray all flea-infested areas such as carpets, sofas, pet beds, chairs, floors.
- Rosemary. Fleas are repelled by the unusual, quite strong smell of rosemary. Add ~300ml of water, add a tablespoon of dried or fresh rosemary, bring to the boil, turn off the heat and leave to steep overnight.
If you live in a private house and suspect that fleas have taken up residence in your yard, you should remove low-hanging branches and shrubs so that as much of the yard as possible is exposed to sunlight. Also inspect sandy areas and spray them with kerosene.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU CAN’T KILL FLEAS YOURSELF?
The most important thing to remember is to treat your home, yard and, if you have a pet, at the same time. Combined control works best to eradicate fleas and prevent future infestations. We hope we’ve answered your question: what don’t fleas like? But if the situation is getting out of hand, we always urge you to contact a professional flea exterminator. Our team has many years of experience in exterminating these pests, we offer a guarantee and we provide our services in accordance with the safety and quality requirements set by the Republic of Lithuania.
