If you're trying to get rid of a flea infestation in your home it can sometimes seem like an impossible task. One of the main problems associated with fleas is their life cycle. Most people only concentrate on the fleas they can see--the adults. Problem is, adults only compromise 5% of the total life cycle. The remaining 95% of fleas in your home consist of "baby" fleas. These include eggs, pupae, and larvae. These baby stages are not visible to the naked eye and live off the host animal. Therefore, if you concentrate 100% of your efforts on trying to kill only the adult fleas on your pet, you're never going to have a flea free home!
Unfortunately, because of its life cycle, a flea infestation cannot be eliminated within just a few short days. If only it were that easy! Flea products may claim to kill up to 90-100% of adult fleas on your pet within a period of 24 hours or less, but there are plenty of baby fleas in your home which will eventually develop into adults and jump on your pet.
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There are three main goals of an effective flea control program:
1. Kill adult fleas on pets before reproduction begins.
2. Eliminate existing environmental infestations including eggs, larvae, and pupae.
3. Prevent further infestations on the pet and the environment by preventing the development of flea eggs, larvae, and pupae.
It's important to keep in mind that the fleas you currently see on your pet came from eggs which were laid three to eight weeks ago. Unless your pet picked up a random flea or two from the outdoors, that means the eggs that are currently in your home will also be hatching into adult fleas in around three to eight weeks. Plus, if your home or yard is already infested with flea eggs, larvae, and pupae, there will be adult fleas emerging daily.
On average, the flea life cycle will last between 21 and 56 days depending on environmental conditions. The cycle can occur in as little as 14 days or take as long as 300 days. The longest delay can occur in the pupae stage while they wait in their cocoons for a suitable host. This is why many people moving into a new home or apartment are often greeted with fleas. When the old residents moved out the fleas were forced to hunker down and wait for new hosts to arrive.
How Long Does it Take to Get Rid of Fleas?
When all is said and done, it can take up to 3 months to completely eliminate fleas from your home because of all of the flea life stages that existed before you started treating your pets. However, getting rid of fleas isn't really as hard as it sounds. The key is knowing which flea products to use and how to use them correctly. Two of my favorite flea products include Capstar and Sentinel for dogs. When used in conjunction, these two products will get rid of fleas for good.
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