If you have pets, especially dogs, then it’s pretty likely they spend a lot of time in your yard.
Maybe you play fetch with Fido in the afternoons. Or Rover is your companion as you enjoy time on your patio or enjoying your lawn.
Any time you’re outside, you want to feel that your pets are safe. In fact, you might be wondering what’s lurking in your backyard right now. Among the pests that could be hanging out in your yard are fleas. They can easily catch a ride on a rodent passing through your yard and show up on your beloved pet.
But you shouldn’t be spending more time worrying about these potential pest threats. You should be able to enjoy your landscape without stress over fleas. The last thing you need is for your pet to accidentally bring fleas into your home.
We know fleas can be troublesome, so let’s take a look at how to know if you have fleas in your yard so you can be better prepared to spot if they are a problem in Central and Southern Maryland lawn.
Fleas crave blood – whether they get it from wild animals, your pets, or even your family members.
Fleas are bad news. They wait around for a snack to pass by. When they latch onto a host for blood, they transfer small bits of saliva over in the process. This saliva enters your bloodstream, and that’s how they spread diseases like typhus.
Even though they are hard to spot because they are tiny – 1 to 3 millimeters in length – fleas are great jumpers, being able to move 8 to 20 inches at a time. This is why many people don’t even know they have a flea problem until fleas have laid eggs and they are already moving throughout your lawn, your pet, and your home – multiplying quickly. A female flea can lay 2,000 eggs in one lifetime.
Fleas love shady, moist areas.
Now you know a little bit about how fleas operate and you answered the question, “Where do fleas live?”
A lot of wildlife carry fleas – everything from raccoons, deer, skunks, rodents, and stray cats.
Any time these animals are in your yard, they have the chance of depositing flea eggs in your yard. And since we just talked about how great fleas are at jumping, it’s easy for them to make it from a wild animal to your pet. This is why seeing a lot of wild animals in your lawn is a sign of fleas in your yard.
You can discourage wild animals in your yard by not feeding the raccoons or doing anything to encourage wildlife close to your home. Keeping your grass mowed also deters wild animals from getting too close – maintaining a 3- to 3.5-inch height is important.
Another classic sign of fleas in your yard is noticing your pets acting funny.
You might notice your dog or cat scratching excessively, as well as red pimples or bumps on their bellies or under their legs. You might also notice hair loss or dry skin from all the itching.
Another sign of fleas in your yard is seeing fleas inside your home.
Finding fleas inside is certainly a creepy feeling. You’ll feel them crawling up your leg from pet beds or carpets. To get rid of them, you must throw away pet beds and hire a licensed pest control technician to treat soft, upholstered surfaces with two to three flea control treatments.
If you notice signs of fleas in your yard, you’ll want to hire a professional, licensed pest and lawn control professional to take care of the problem and protect your pets and home.
They can recognize whether fleas are present and treat your landscape accordingly.
One application alone usually isn’t enough to banish fleas. You want to do at least a minimum of three applications to get the best control. This is because products usually only last for 30 days, so you don’t want to open too much of a window for fleas to get back into your yard.
Flea control applications, which includes tick control, typically range between $55 and $69 each for a 5,000 to 10,000 square foot property.
Worrying about fleas is not a fun way to spend your summer. You want to enjoy your yard with your pets; you don’t want to sit inside, staring out at the sunshine.
If you’re worried about fleas, call Natural Green. We can help you with a lawn treatment for fleas in Central and Southern Maryland and take your stress away. Then you and Fido can go back outside and play.
Learn more about what it takes to eliminate fleas from your Central and Southern Maryland yard? Get started today with a free quote. We’ll review your options together so you can feel confident about your next steps. Then you can stop constantly searching your pets for pests and start living again.
Image Source: Flea