Flea Facts & Information

Protect your home or business from fleas by learning techniques for identification and control.

Order Siphonaptera

IDENTIFY

Types of Fleas

What do fleas look like?

Fleas are small, wingless and about 2.5 mm long. Their bodies are shiny and reddish brown in color, covered with microscopic hair and are compressed to allow for easy movement through animal fur. Fleas do not have wings, although they are capable of jumping long distances. Read more information on what fleas look like.

Cat Flea

Ctenocephalides felis

Dog Flea

Ctenocephalides canis

Sand Flea

Treatment

How do I get rid of fleas?

What Orkin Does

Since the immature stages of fleas are very cryptic by nature, the first thing the homeowner should do is contact their pest control professional for assistance. Most of the time simply using over-the-counter products for controlling fleas will not resolve the root causes of the infestation.

An Orkin technician will conduct a thorough inspection and locate areas where the immature stages of the flea population are residing. After completing the inspection, the next step is preparing the flea treatment and management plan. This plan will include:

Species - identifying the flea species causing the problem.
Education - explaining the flea's life cycle and how their habits, habitat and behavior affects the control plan.
Hosts - inspecting for the presence of other animals that are the flea population’s source of food. This may include rodents either inside or outside the home or perhaps a raccoon or feral cat that is living in the crawl space.
Vets - homeowner contacting their veterinarian for advice and purchase of flea control products that can be used on pets.
Bathing - regular bathing and grooming of pets.
Chemicals - explaining the use of growth regulators that will interfere with the flea’s normal development into the adult stage.
Vacuum - using a strong vacuum to physically remove flea eggs, larvae, pupae and adults.
Bedding - frequently washing and drying pet bedding.
Products - treating affected areas by using safe and effective flea control products where immature fleas may be located.
Inspections - scheduling a follow-up visit.