What To Do & What Not To Do When Your Home Has Fleas

It's that time of the year again when we begin to see pests of all kinds entering our homes. From flies to ants, the warmer the weather gets the more pests we begin seeing in our homes. Fleas are just one of the many pests that require immediate action if seen in your home. There are several ways fleas can enter, but once they do it's important you take the proper steps to get rid of them. A B Pest Control & Insulation has created a few do's and don'ts you should follow if fleas are spotted in your home.

Do Treat Environment First 

It's important to take the proper steps after finding fleas in your home, as they are very difficult to remove. If they aren't treated properly, they can continue to hatch and reproduce causing you to do another full round of treatment. If you suspect pet brought fleas into your home, call to set up a flea treatment with a trusted Lake of the Ozarks pest control company and your veterinarian to have the appointments at the same time. this way while your pet is being treated at the veterinarian, the environment can be properly treated with no one or any animals walking on the freshly treated areas. Treating the environments gets rid of existing eggs, larvae and grown fleas that might infest later on and by treating your pet, it helps prevent it from bringing in new fleas into your home.

Don't Ignore The Signs

Fleas are tiny little creatures, so if you can see them in your home, it usually means they've eaten and are now on the move to lay eggs, which is the beginning of a major infestation. While it's possible you can still treat the problem yourself, why take chances? It's best to call a professional Lake of the Ozarks pest control company and have peace of mind the problem will be solved correctly the first time.

Do Keep Pets Clean & Protected

Pets are the number one way fleas get into your home. If you have dogs, cats or any other type of animal with fur, be sure to keep them clean. In addition to keeping their fur clean, it's also a good idea to give their toys and bedding regular cleaning. If fleas have gotten into your home, don't forget to include any toys made with fabric material and their bedding, as the fleas may have infested those as well. It's important to keep all animals protected from fleas by using preventative medication. If you are using liquid treatment, be sure to get it on their skin and not their fur, as that is where the fleas will infest. You can also get a monthly pill treatment to prevent fleas and ticks from your vet if you do not wish to use the liquid treatment.

Did you know that animals like raccoons and other wild animals carry fleas? If these animals live under your home or like to hang out on porches, decks or other areas around your home, they can drop off fleas on outside rugs, which could be carried into your home.

Don't Use The Wrong Products

It's important to use products that are specifically tailored to treat fleas when trying to prevent, control and treat them. Fleas are resilient, and they can linger in areas for long periods of time before making their appearance - or reappearance.  This is why it's important to use the right products to prevent and treat fleas.Vacuuming is an effective way to get rid of fleas that have infested carpets. However, it's important to remember to dump the dirty bag in an outside trashcan to avoid bringing eggs, larvae or grown fleas that have survived the vacuuming back inside your home.

Do Call A Professional

While you can treat fleas yourself, it's best to have a professional pest control company at the Lake of the Ozarks treat them for you. A B Pest Control & Insulation can effectively get rid of fleas from your property. If you do not get rid of all eggs, larvae and grown fleas, they may possibly come back, which would require another round of treatment. If you hire a trusted Lake of the Ozarks pest control company, they will make sure to get rid of fleas and prevent them from coming back.

Fleas can be a major issue during the spring and summer months. Luckily, A B Pest Control & Insulation is here to help you out if you spot any in your home. Make sure your home is protected from pests of any kind by calling your Lake of the Ozarks pest control company at 573-964-1100.

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Everything You Need to Know about Fleas and Ticks

Fleas and ticks are prevalent in the Lake of the Ozarks area because of the warm, humid climate. How do you know if you have a flea and tick infestation? If you find out you have an infestation, what can you do about it? A B Pest and Insulation is here to inform you about everything you need to know in regards to fleas and ticks.

What are Ticks?

Ticks are small blood-sucking parasites. They are considered parasites, not pests because they need a host, either you or your pet, to feed. Ticks have eight legs and come in various sizes and colors. There are nearly 850 different species of ticks. Ticks cannot fly, jump or drop, so if you find one on your head, it got there by attaching to your foot or leg and crawling up your body. If a tick bites you, it will remain attached, getting larger in size, and may even change color to grey/blue.

Tick Bites

If you find a tick on you, do not twist to pull it off. If you do, you may break the tick leaving the mouth still attached. If this happens, take tweezers to remove the remaining parts. If you are not able to remove everything, leave what remains and let the skin heal itself. A tick could stay attached for several days or weeks until it is fully engorged and falls off on its own. Ticks prefer warm moist areas on the body, such as armpits or the scalp. Tick bites are normally harmless and produce no symptoms, but some ticks carry diseases, which can be passed on when they bite. These diseases could cause a variety of symptoms that usually develop within the first few weeks after being bitten. They include:

• Red spot or rash near bite site 
• Stiffness of neck Headache or nausea
• Weakness
• Muscle or join pain 
• Fever or chills
• Swollen lymph nodes

If you experience any of these symptoms after being bitten by a tick, seek medical attention as soon as possible. In rare cases, ticks can transmit a disease to human hosts. These can be very serious. If you begin to experience usual symptoms, it is important that you seek medical attention.

What are Fleas?

Fleas are tiny bugs that grow to be about as big as a pen tip. They are visible to the naked eye, but because they are so small, they are hard to detect and especially difficult to eliminate from your home. Fleas are wingless, but are able to jump far distances, which is how they jump from the ground to their host. Fleas feed on blood, much like ticks, and female fleas feed on 15 times their body weight. Flea dirt is dried indigested blood that is excreted from fleas. This flea dirt feeds the larva and is one way to tell if you have an infestation. Fleas reproduce quickly, so if you see one, there are probably more.

Fleas like to live on pets, or even you. However, if the infestation gets worse, fleas can live in carpets, rugs, linens and yards. A bad infestation can be obvious. One way to see if you have an infestation is to walk on your carpets wearing white socks. If you see little black bugs, they are probably fleas.  

Flea Bites

Flea bites are very distinctive. Unlike mosquito bites, flea bites remain relatively small. They will usually stay around the ankles and legs, but may occur around armpits, waists, knees and elbows. Bites will be grouped in threes and fours, or in a straight line. They will appear as small, red bumps with a red halo around the bite area.

Flea bites will be very itchy and could potentially be very painful and become sore. A rash or hives could also appear. Excessive scratching could cause further damage of the skin and could potentially lead to a bacterial infection. Fleas are not known to pass on diseases to humans, but that is not the case for pets. If you find fleas on your pet, take them to the vet. Flea bites will heal on their own, but in order to stop getting bit, you will need to get rid of the fleas.

Get Rid of Fleas and Ticks with A B Pest and Insulation!

Just because you don’t have any pets doesn’t mean you can’t get a flea or tick infestation. Fleas and ticks are hard to get rid of due to their small size. The best way to get rid of fleas and ticks for good is to call A B Pest and Insulation. We are the Lake of the Ozarks’ most trusted pest control company!  

Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company

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Don't Let Fleas and Ticks Threaten Your Home

Many people think fleas and ticks come exclusively from dogs and cats. However they can cause problems for homeowners who don't even own pets! They can gain entry into your home through items brought onto your property. If you suspect ticks or fleas in your home, have a licensed pest control company at the Lake of the Ozarks review the situation to eliminate them from your space. A B Pest Control and Insulation can eliminate the chance of an infestation. Fleas and ticks can carry diseases like Lyme disease, typhoid fever, and tapeworms that can make humans and pets very sick. Below we describe in more detail the habits of fleas and ticks and how they threaten ourselves, our households, and our pets:

Habits of Fleas

Fleas are parasites that feed on any warm-blooded body, such as cats, dogs, and humans. They will attach themselves to rodents and other mammals and will infest household pets and wild animals. Their legs can transport them as high as 8 inches vertically and 16 inches horizontally. Fleas will remain on their hosts at all times, but can also be found on shoes, pant legs, or blankets, which can transfer them to new environments. 

How Fleas are a Threat

A flea is capable of laying hundreds of eggs in its lifetime. In as little as five days, they can mature into adults and begin to feed on your pet and lay eggs again. This life cycle is repeated again and again until a Lake of the Ozarks pest control company intervenes. The saliva from fleas can cause serious Flea Allergy Dermatitis in pets, and it has been reported to cause similar reactions in humans. Typhoid fever and the bubonic plague are the worst diseases that can be transmitted by fleas.

Habits of Ticks

Many ticks are carried into homes and yards from dogs. A few species of ticks may be common around buildings. Since ticks cannot run, hop, or fly, they wait for a host to come by and attach themselves to them by an animal's fur, or pants or socks worn by a human. The tick grasps the skin and cuts the surface its host. They feed on a diet of blood and if they do not find a host they will die.

How Ticks are a Threat

Ticks can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and tularemia. The Black-Legged Tick is responsible for most Lyme disease cases in the Midwest, but there are other species of ticks that may also transmit Lyme disease. Be aware of rash and fever, these could be signs of a tick-borne illness.

Before You Treat Your Property for Fleas and Ticks

If your home needs treated for fleas and ticks at the Lake of the Ozarks, there are a few things you can do as a homeowner to prepare for the treatment:

• Have your pet treated for fleas and don't let it back into the areas to be treated or you may be making another trip to the vet.
• Vacuum all areas, including carpet, floors, upholstered furniture, mattresses, etc. Replace the vacuum bag afterwards and dispose of it outside of the home.
• Clear areas to be treated of any clutter and debris so that the treatment will be effective.
• Remove clutter and debris from your yard and mow your lawn if you are planning on having your yard sprayed.

Let A B Pest Control and Insulation Eliminate Fleas and Ticks from Your Property

If you believe you have a flea or tick problem, contact A B Pest Control and Insulation. We will conduct an inspection and resolve the root causes of the infestation. Our next step will be to prepare a management plan to repel and eliminate fleas and ticks from your property!

Lake of the Ozarks
Pest Control Company

Visit Our Website:
www.abpest.net

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