How long fleas live

A hungry flea will jump onto the next animal it sees; this is why people are often bitten around the ankles. An adult flea will look for a blood meal in the first 24 hours after it leaves the cocoon.

It will begin to feed within 10 seconds of landing on a host. Despite their need for a host, a flea may spend up to 90 percent of its life on nearby surfaces, instead.

They do not typically make large leaps, but it is possible for them to jump up to 13 inches high — or about times their body length. Much of the flea life cycle depends on proper temperatures and humidity. They are commonly found in carpets, on upholstered furniture or near pet bedding. Fleas need a relatively humid environment to flourish.

Humidity lower than 50 percent and temperatures higher than 95 degrees Fahrenheit will kill flea larvae. If you suspect you have fleas in your yard, check in shaded spots with plenty of moisture near areas your pet enjoys. Proper regular bathing and grooming of pets will cut down on the number of fleas brought into your home. Changing or washing pet bedding frequently, vacuuming surfaces and discarding vacuum cleaner bags will also make your home less flea-friendly.

Flea eggs and larvae are capable of developing inside the vacuum cleaner bag and reinfesting the home. It will also remove their food source. In addition to these methods, it may be helpful to use flea collars or treatments on indoor and outdoor pets. It is recommended that you treat your home and yard for fleas at the same time as you apply the treatment to your pets.

There are a wide variety of natural and man-made options available. On average, adult fleas live from several weeks to several months. If your pet is a walking carrier of mature fleas, your home can become the nursery. The remaining 95 percent is thought be the eggs, larvae, and cocoons spread throughout your house. This means that you have to tackle the problem from all angles in order to truly eradicate the infestation. To do this, you must treat your pet and its living environment at the same time.

Take a good look at your yard and make a list of the places that are shady, humid, and warm. Spot problem areas by observing where your pet likes to lie down.

These typically become preferred hanging spots for fleas. Beyond being a nuisance, fleas can also spread diseases and parasites. Although rare, some of the most dangerous diseases are flea-borne typhus and bubonic plague. If a flea infection goes undetected, your pet may develop a heartworm or tapeworm. Tapeworm may occasionally infest people as well.

Detecting a flea infestation can be upsetting, but take heart. They can be quickly eradicated if you take the appropriate measures. Vacuum every few days. Clean up your lawns regularly, and dispose of any debris as soon as possible. The most important thing to remember is that you must treat your home, yard, and pet at the same time. This can help prevent re-infestation. You might associate fleas with your pets, but they feast on humans too. Learn how to recognize fleabites, how to treat them, and how to get rid of the….

Does alcohol kill fleas? Fleas are very prolific. Undisturbed and without a meal blood from a host , a flea can live more than days. On average, they live two to three months. Female fleas cannot lay eggs until after their first blood meal and begin to lay eggs within hours after that meal. The female flea can lay 2, eggs in her lifetime. That means if you see fleas on your pet or in your house, they are just the tip of the iceberg.

The flea life cycle is short, which means they multiply rapidly. This lifecycle can take as little as weeks but can last up to 6 months. To rid your household from fleas, you must break this cycle. The eggs and larvae are the hardest to remove completely. To get rid of fleas, you must break the life cycle.

Because fleas are everywhere, you must be sure to treat every single area simultaneously. These areas are not just in your home. Make sure to treat the following:. Wherever your dog or cat has been, you likely have fleas there too.