Fleas are a nuisance to many homeowners, primarily as their small bodies hide odd places! These tiny insects are wingless with 4mm of body length and a dark-colored appearance.
The fleas have strong hind legs and a flat/ oval body to jump a distance of up to 33 cm. But, you ask, where do fleas hide?
Where do fleas hide? 7 Common Flea Hiding Spots
Although fleas larvae are hatched blind, they quickly detect the fleas’ fecal and organic matter, which acts as the flea larvae’s food. To efficiently control fleas, you will need to know where they live and hide. The fleas’ saliva inhibits immediate detection by the host.
Quick flea tip: Here’re the common types of fleas: (1) Human flea (2) Feline (cat) flea (3) Canine (dog) flea. Related: Check the best drain cleaners.
1. In cracks and crevices
Fleas will also hide in hardwood floors’ cracks and crevices in the baseboards. The fleas will create their nests as insecticides, and other flea control mechanisms hardly reach it.
The cracks and crevices provide areas away from any mechanical damage you could execute to kill the bug population.
To eliminate the problem, you will need to spray insecticides into the crevices to kill the fleas. It would help if you also sealed the cracks and crevices to avoid them creating their nests in the areas later.
2. Under Rugs and Carpets
Fleas love laying their eggs under and on rugs and carpets in houses and apartments. Adults female fleas lay about 50 eggs each day. Fleas larvae feed on the fecal matter of the adult fleas that are left on the ground. Therefore, the fleas will easily survive under the carpet since they will have a large supply of feeds.
Further, the fleas in the cocoon stage, hiding under the carpet, are immune to insecticides, and that is why you should regularly clean and vacuum the house to remove them. The flea larvae will live in the carpet fibers. Further, the carpet canopy will protect the flea larvae from various chemical, environmental, and mechanical dangers. Also, most of the up-to-date carpets gather dirt, which offers adequate food for the larvae.
3. In your Bed and Mattresses
Do you think that finding fleas on your carpet is surprising and annoying? It is even more challenging when the flea attacks your cozy bed or mattress. Imagine the bugs will bite and feast on your body and blood while you sleep.
Fleas will enjoy the warm environment that is in your house. Equally, fleas can live on couches. Also, the flea larvae will enjoy hiding in the mattress covers and inner material. The adult fleas will lay eggs and drop fecal matter that will feed the larvae.
Note: To control the fleas in different enclosed rooms such as bed and mattresses, under rugs and carpet, cracks, and crevices using the best fogger for fleas. These areas could include the living room, bedroom, garage, classrooms, hospitals, and restaurants.
4. Pet’s Feeding area in the yard
Do you leave pet food in outdoor spaces where your dog or cat can locate it and feed when hungry? If so, then you could be creating a haven for fleas to reproduce and grow.
Fleas are intelligent and will notice the high frequency that your pets visit the feeding site. Therefore, the fleas will create a camp near your pet’s feeding area and jump onto them whenever ready.
Therefore, it is crucial to adequately clean the feeding areas of any food drops and dirt in pet clothes.
5. Under Leaf Piles
If there is a flea infestation in your garden or yard, you’ll need to move your pets to avoid them acting as hosts. While driving around, wild animals and other pets can drop fleas under trees and in the yard.
If you are asking, but where do fleas live outside? Fleas will develop in the yard and grow under piles of leaves. Also, the fleas could live on grass or dirt. Finally, the fleas will jump onto any host that will pass near the yard, but you can control them using the best flea spray for the yard. This could be you or your pet!
The leaf pile creates a humid atmosphere that fleas love, and thus they will reproduce and grow to await the right host. Further, the leaves will hide the fleas from the direct sunlight.
To finish the yard’s flea problem, you’ll need to rake the leaves regularly and throw them into the trash.