Commercial and Residential Pest Control Services | Dodson Bros. Exterminating Co., Inc.
For many pet owners, flea and tick season can bring feelings of dread and anxiety. But fleas and ticks don’t just pose a threat to our furry friends — these parasites are dangerous to all mammals, including humans. As it warms up, you may be wondering, “When is flea and tick season?” Our team of insect experts has rounded up the most important things you should know about fleas, ticks, and the risks affiliated with them.
Fleas and ticks are both parasites that feast on blood. Ticks and fleas tend to live outside in long, tall grass and wooded areas. Both pests are known for their uncomfortable, itchy bites and the chaos they can cause.
Fleas often catch rides on pets and will live wherever they live — including your home. Adult fleas lay eggs on their hosts, and larvae don’t take long to hatch. Within just a couple of weeks, flea eggs can hatch, and an infestation can quickly get out of hand. Though indoor tick infestations are uncommon, they can happen if you bring them inside on your clothing or if they hitchhike on your cat or dog. Parasite infestations like this aren’t just inconvenient — they are dangerous.
Humans aren’t the preferred meal source for fleas and ticks, but when parasites latch on to people, they can create significant health problems. Ticks can expose their hosts to many diseases, including Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and alpha-gal syndrome. Fleas aren’t known to carry as many diseases, but they can be vectors of disease and carry parasites.
They can also leave nasty bites that are irritating at best and highly uncomfortable at worst. Like all wounds, tick and flea bites can become infected if not treated properly. If you suspect you have a flea or tick bite and you’re concerned about swelling, redness, itching, or other symptoms, contact your doctor.
Fleas are a particularly hardy insect. While they thrive in warm, wet weather, they can survive year-round. During the cold winter months, they stay alive by entering a hibernation-like state called diapause.
The time of year when fleas are more active mostly correlates with weather patterns. Flea and tick populations can be affected by many variables, but they’re most active during warm, wet weather. In the Southeastern region — including Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — peak flea season usually runs from March to December.
Similarly, tick season directly ties into weather patterns. You’re most likely to start seeing an increase in tick activity in late spring through early fall, from March to September. Once temperatures drop, ticks will slow down, though you may still find a stray tick or two even throughout winter.
Fleas are notoriously hard to get rid of without professional intervention, and the best strategy to prevent a severe flea problem starts with protecting your pets. In most cases, fleas will not gravitate toward human hosts. However, if you spot evidence of fleas, including live fleas, unexplained bites, or flea dirt, contact a professional pest control company as soon as possible.
Ticks are usually found in densely wooded areas or tall, thick grass. If you spend time outside, it’s important to take preventative measures to protect yourself from ticks. Insect repellants are usually effective if applied correctly. You may also want to consider wearing form-fitting clothing, as ticks are more likely to hide in the folds of loose clothes. And like fleas, ticks are more likely to gravitate toward an animal than a human — so preventative medication on your pets is a must.
Cats and dogs without preventive treatments can easily bring unwanted pests into your home. Plus, they’re more prone to developing skin infections, anemia, hair loss, and other long-term symptoms from flea bites. Fortunately, there are several types of medications, including topical varieties, wearables, and ingestible options, that you can purchase through your vet or over the counter to prevent fleas and ticks from biting your furry friends.
Most vets recommend protecting your pets year-round, regardless of the weather. Consult with an animal care specialist if you have questions about which option may be right for your companions, or if you’d like more information about how fleas and ticks can impact your pet’s health.
If you’ve started noticing your pets (or even you!) have itchy welts on you, it could be anything from fleas to bed bugs to ticks. That said, the key indicator is usually going to be your animals — since fleas thrive with animal hosts if you notice your dog or cat behaving differently, you could be dealing with an active infestation. There are a few steps you can take:
If you have pets in the home, you should call your vet and ask if it’s safe to apply flea and tick medication to them — some are more effective than others at addressing an active infestation.
Wash pet bedding in hot water after vacuuming it thoroughly. If you can, it might be better to throw it out and replace it altogether.
Vacuum, vacuum, and vacuum again. Even if you think you’ve handled live fleas and ticks, eggs can still hatch and re-infest your home. Vacuuming every surface of your home decreases the likelihood that they’ll come back. Make sure you throw out the vacuum bag or clean your reusable filter after you’re done!
From there, it’s time to bring in a pest control expert.
Once you’ve done what you can to jumpstart addressing an infestation, your next step should be to contact a professional pest control company like Dodson Pest Control. This is the best way to quickly eradicate your problem. It doesn’t take long for female fleas to begin laying eggs which can quickly create an out-of-control itchy situation.
