Fleas may not be on your New Braunfels pest control radar if you’re not a pet owner. Even if you are a pet owner, you might think fleas can only live on your dog or cat. However, this is not true at all. Fleas can live anywhere because they’re agile enough to hop on and off their hosts, grabbing a quick bite. This means fleas can live in your furniture, carpet, lawn, and shrubs – as long as you come by their home pretty regularly, nothing stops them.
Are There Fleas Inside Your Home?
You don’t need to have pets to wind up with fleas. You can get an infestation on your property without even knowing it. If you have a rodent problem, a bat problem, or other wildlife issues, the flea-infested animals could quickly drop off a few stragglers. When these stragglers breed, their populations can quickly explode.
If you’ve got a big enough flea population, you will know it. You’ll wind up with many flea bites whenever you get near the fleas’ spot. You might not notice being bitten and mistake flea bites for other bites, like those of mosquitoes or bed bugs. However, flea bites will be concentrated mainly on your feet and ankles because this is the most accessible point.
How To Deduce How Severe Your Flea Problem Is
If you have one or two fleas in your yard, you might not notice anything’s amiss. However, if you have a significant flea infestation, you will be bitten – a lot. Having lots of bites on your lower legs is a sure sign that you have an issue. Other signs of a problem include:
- Seeing fleas hopping around. They may look like tiny, black dots at a distance.
- Your pets are suddenly scratching or itching.
- A rash around your feet, ankles, or other bitten areas could be a sign of a flea bite rash.
Contact professional pest control immediately if you start noticing the signs of fleas. The bigger the infestation gets, the harder it is to do anything about it.
What To Do About Flea Bites?
If you already have flea bites, over-the-counter anti-itch ointments and topical steroid creams can help deal with the itch and the swelling, as can O.T.C. antihistamines. However, the best way to deal with flea bites is not to get them in the first place. This can be easier said than done, but there are some things you can do to prevent fleas around your home.
One big thing you can do is prevent wildlife infestations from overtaking your property. Aside from pets, wildlife is the biggest way fleas get introduced to your home. To make your home less attractive to wildlife:
- Keep all outdoor and indoor trash cans covered at all times.
- Store all pantry foods in airtight, rigid containers – including pet foods.
- Never leave pet foods or pet bowls sitting out, especially outdoors.
Following these steps can help ensure that wildlife – and fleas – stay off your lawn and out of your house.
Get Professional Help For Flea Control In New Braunfels
If you do wind up with a flea problem despite your best efforts, know that flea control products like flea sprays and flea dust just don’t cut it. They rarely reduce flea numbers and can leave your pets – especially cats – at serious risk of health complications. So let Gold Star Exterminators take care of the problem safely and effectively! Click or call today.