Fleas usually enter homes on pets, and they spread quickly once eggs drop into carpets and bedding. We are Suncoast Pest Control, and we help pet owners in Pinellas Park and across Pinellas County deal with an indoor flea infestation.
How Do Fleas Get Into a Home?
Fleas usually get into a home on pets, but wild animals that visit the yard can also bring them in. According to the CDC, adult fleas find hosts by sensing body heat, movement and vibrations.
UF/IFAS notes that skunks, opossums, raccoons and feral cats can carry fleas into yards.
Why Aren’t Pets the Only Source of Fleas?
Pets are not the only source because most of the flea life cycle happens off the animal. UF/IFAS says only adult fleas live on the pet, while eggs fall into carpet, bedding and lawn.
Adults can lay about one egg per hour, and the full cycle takes 30 to 75 days.
Where Do Fleas Hide Indoors?
Fleas hide wherever eggs and larvae stay sheltered, including carpet fibers, pet bedding and cushioned furniture.
Check these areas:
- Carpets and rugs
- Pet bedding and the furniture pets use
- Baseboards and floor cracks
- Crowded garages and playrooms
Why Doesn’t Treating Visible Fleas Solve the Problem?
Treating visible fleas fails because larvae and pupae in the home keep producing new adults. UF/IFAS says fleas that develop off the animal jump back on, so the pet, home and yard need attention together.
It also reports that flea combs remove only about 10 to 60 percent of fleas.
How Do You Treat an Established Indoor Flea Infestation?
You treat an established infestation by vacuuming often, washing bedding and treating the pet, home and yard together. The EPA calls daily vacuuming the best method for initial control.
- Vacuum carpets, furniture, baseboards and floor cracks daily.
- Wash pet bedding every two to three weeks.
- Keep pets out of hard-to-treat areas.
- Limit wildlife access to the yard.
Professional wildlife control in St. Petersburg, FL can help keep opossums and raccoons out. If fleas keep returning, our team uses pet-safe flea control methods, treats indoors and outdoors, and schedules follow-up inspections.
Get Indoor Flea Infestation Help You Can Count On
We are family owned and have served Florida since 1993. We offer free home inspections and 24/7 emergency service.
Need pest control in St. Petersburg, FL? We also provide pest control in Seminole, FL. Call 727-327-3202 to book your free inspection.
