Many homeowners erroneously believe during the colder months fleas die off and preventive protection isn’t needed. Fleas don’t have the ability to enter a dormant state due to cold weather. Since the Upstate’s winter weather doesn’t come with many below freezing days, fleas can easily remain active. It only takes a couple of fleas hitching a ride on your dog or cat or slipping through a crack or window frame hole for you to experience a major flea infestation.
Practice Preventative Maintenance
Good preventative maintenance goes a long way in fighting the cold weather flea battle. Begin by getting rid of stacks of rotting wood, lawn debris including piles of leaves or unused mulch, clean out underneath porches, decks and any other yard clutter where fleas can be semi-protected from the elements. If you have noticed stray dogs, cats or wild animals including raccoons and opossums (all of which carry fleas) on your property it is necessary to come up with a game plan for keeping them out of your yard. This may necessitate fencing the yard along with sealing up your home’s crawlspace, basement or attic. While the community cats appreciate you feeding them, you may need to discontinue this practice or at least move their food bowls nearer to the property lines.
Exterior Flea Control
Seeing fleas on your pets and the only place they roam is the backyard? Successful outdoor flea control will require the assistance of a professional since immature fleas generally congregate around storage sheds, below decks, in garages, and under bushes and shrubs. If you are a pet owner or have small children who play in and around the infested area, it is vitally important to use a licensed pest control service in order to ensure the proper insecticides are being applied.
Interior Flea Control
Depending on the severity of your home’s interior infestation you may be able to get rid of the fleas by treating your pets with a vet recommended flea treatment. Additional measures include washing your pet’s bedding and vacuuming all rugs, carpets, baseboards and soft upholstery. Immediately dispose the vacuum bag or empty the canister. If you’d rather “be safe than sorry” after your cleaning, bring in a professional pest control company. A professional pest control company has the most effective and safe insecticides and the knowledge and equipment to do the job right.
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