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If you have a dog or a cat, you know that your pet can bring fleas into your home. But, if you have a dog or cat that doesn't go outside, or you don't have a pet at all, it can be mysterious when fleas appear in your Nashville home. Today, we're going to tackle the topic of how Nashville flea problems start. Stick with us even if you think you know. Some of what we're going to share may surprise you.
The Rodent Connection
If you don't have a pet, or your pet stays inside, it is likely that rodents are the reason you have a flea infestation. Rodents pick up fleas as they travel around outside and they bring them into your home. Mice and rats can explore every level of your home, depositing fleas in many places, including your common areas.
Pet Owners Are At Greater Risk
If your pet stays inside, he or she can help fleas to be successful in your home. When rodents drop eggs and flea dirt around your home, the larvae that hatch from the eggs will feed on the flea dirt and develop into cocooned pupae. Inside the cocoons, the pupae develop into adults and emerge when a suitable host comes by. While fleas can break free of their cocoons and feed on humans, we aren't nearly furry enough for them to live on. They prefer a cat or a dog to a human. Not only can your pets draw those fleas out, they can carry them right onto your bed, couch, or lap. Another factor to consider with dogs and cats is that they can often get into places where rodents hide. This brings them into close proximity to flea breeding areas.
Flea Control
If you're dealing with a flea infestation in your Nashville home and you want to know whether or not your flea problem is linked to a rodent problem, there are a few ways you can check.
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Inspect your home for mouse or rat feces. You can find them in your attic space, storage rooms, basement areas, boiler room, in cabinets under your sinks, behind appliances, and in the backs of your food-storage shelves or kitchen drawers.
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Look for matted nests in your attic spaces. These are likely to be near walls, in recesses, and underneath insulation. If you have furniture stored in your attic, they could be living inside the soft materials within.
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Look for chewed holes in building materials, food packages, and foam insulation.
If you have rodents in your Nashville home, the best solution is to contact All-American Pest Control. Our service professionals use Integrated Pest Management, green pest control options, and EPA-approved products to locate and remove mice and rats.
How To Deal With Those Fleas Directly
The internet is full of suggestions for flea control. These can leave you frustrated and exhausted. We don't recommend using home remedies that do little or nothing to arrest your flea infestation. You can also have trouble getting control of fleas with products purchased at your local pet store. Sprayed products are topical and don't get to where eggs may be hiding. Some products don't kill eggs or cocooned pupae. Some products aren't residual and will have no impact on fleas that emerge later. There are many ways these products can let you down.
At All-American Pest Control, our service team members perform interior treatments and use residual, EPA-approved products that continue to work long after the treatments have been applied. If there are any fleas hiding in your home, they won't grow to be hopping, biting, adult fleas.
Exterior Treatments
If you have a dog or a cat that goes outside, it is important that your pet has a good flea collar. This will prevent them from picking up fleas when they explore your landscaping and other hiding places where fleas can be lying in wait. But even the best of collars won't give your pet 100 percent protection from fleas, or prevent you from having a flea infestation. For the best protection, we recommend perimeter treatments. These exterior treatments stop the development of fleas near your home and prevent them from being in locations where your pet can pick them up.
Nashville Pest Services
At All-American Pest Control, we offer year-round pest control services in Nashville that can give you the extra protection you need to prevent flea infestations in your Nashville home. We'd love the opportunity to walk you through your options. We'll guide you toward the right solution for your specific needs and budget. Reach out to us today and speak with one of our knowledgeable agents. We're here to help.
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