Fleas are 1/8’ long, dark reddish brown, wingless, hard-bodied and have 3 pairs of legs which allow easy movement between the hair, fur or feathers of its host. They are excellent jumpers, leaping vertically up to 7” and horizontally up to 13”.
Fleas pass through a complete life cycle consisting of egg, larva, pupa and adult. After a blood meal, a female flea will lay about 20 eggs per day. Eggs loosely laid in the hair coat drop out most anywhere especially where the host rests (carpets, rugs, furniture, kennels, sand, gravel, grass, baseboards, and floor cracks). Eggs hatch in 2-14 days into larvae. Most fleas winter in the larva or pupa stage with survival and growth best during warm, moist winters and spring. Newly emerged fleas live only about 1 week if a blood meal is not obtained. Your pet can pick up fleas anywhere (other animals, walking paths frequented by other animals, camping, dog parks, pet shops, grooming shops and day cares etc…).
Flea control is best achieved with a simultaneous, coordinated effort involving strict sanitation, pet treatment and premise treatment.