How to get rid of earthen fleas in an apartment or private house

Fleas

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Flea bites

Flea Remedies

Most people believe that the cause of flea are pets. However, in the spring and summer, residents of urban apartments and private houses are often attacked by earthen fleas, which can be very difficult to get rid of. Where do these insects come from and how to deal with them?

What do earthen fleas look like?

The term “earthen fleas” itself is sometimes misleading. This name applies to several species of insects, which gives rise to disagreement about how earth fleas look. Most often, earthen fleas are called ordinary fleas that live in the upper soil layer or in basements. In an apartment or house, they settle on the floor, from where they attack their victim. The insect differs in small dimensions, only 2-3 mm in length, with a brown color. The strongly flattened body is covered with small bristles, thanks to which the parasite moves well in animal hair, fleecy upholstered furniture, on carpets. The structure and shape of the legs allows the insect to jump well - this is one of the main signs by which you can distinguish a flea from other insects. How fleas look can be seen in detail in the photographs.

What is the difference between earthen fleas from feline, canine parasites, can only be determined by a specialist under a microscope. It is common for parasitic individuals to migrate from one species of animal to another, therefore it is not always possible to determine which species of fleas parasitizes on a pet or lives in an apartment. Determining the species affiliation is not so important, since the characteristic signs of life and reproduction are the same for all representatives of the flea family, as are the ways to deal with them.

The name earthen fleas is also applied to other insects:

• Herbivorous bugs from the leaf beetle family. Body size varies from 1 to 5 mm, the color can be green, yellow, brown and depends on the habitat. They feed on the sap of plants, winter in the soil, under fallen leaves. Occasionally end up in apartments. Their only victims may be indoor plants. The greatest threat to agriculture.
• Podury - arthropods, the size of which barely reaches 2 mm. In appearance, they are very similar to a caterpillar. In living conditions they live in the earth in flower pots and feed on plants. If you do not take measures to destroy them, indoor flowers may die.

Reasons for the appearance of earthen fleas

Earth fleas live in the soil, under foliage, branches, and accumulations of debris. After wintering, they are activated and in the spring there is a peak of their invasion. Earth fleas in the apartment may appear for various reasons:

• Pets are often a "vehicle" for parasites. Pets, unprotected by special means, find it difficult to escape from an attack of bloodsuckers. During the walk, just a few jumped individuals are enough, which subsequently cause a lot of trouble.
• Infected neighboring rooms - apartments, attics basements. Earth fleas in the house often appear after bullying rodents in the basement. Deprived of a food source, they are forced to migrate in search of a new food base.Apartments on the ground floors are in the "risk group", it is they who are most often subjected to massive pest attacks.
• In a private house may appear due to visits of rats, mice. Rodents are almost always infected with parasites and after their visit several individuals may remain. If the rodent is caught in a mousetrap, parasitic individuals begin to search for a new carrier.
• Fleas in the apartment, especially on the lower floors, can penetrate from the street.
• Brought to the apartment by the man himself on clothes. When visiting places where earthen fleas live in large numbers, insects jump onto clothes and jump only upon returning home.

Features of reproduction of earthen fleas

Ignorance of how earth fleas breed, leads to the fact that the tactics of how to deal with earth fleas are incorrectly selected. For active breeding insects should eat well - a hungry female is not able to lay eggs. With regular feeding, fleas mate, after which eggs are formed in the body of the female. After their maturation, she pushes the eggs out of herself, and they fly around the room.

Small blind worm-shaped larvae covered with bristles hatch from the egg. Unlike adults, they do not feed on blood, but on organic waste, so they can be anywhere in the apartment. The larva sheds three times, then goes through the pupation stage and turns into a full-fledged adult. During pupation, the larvae are immobile and very resistant to insecticides.

How do earthen fleas bite

An earthen flea bite is characterized by severe pain and can be compared with a needle puncture. During a bite, an insect, unlike other blood-sucking parasites, does not inject an anesthetic, but an enzyme that prevents blood clotting. Therefore, at the site of the bite, severe itching occurs and the development of allergic reactions on the skin is possible. It is common for an earthen flea to bite 2-3 times in one meal. On the picture bites on a person You can see that most often the legs are bitten in the lower leg, foot.

Bites of parasitic pests can lead to the development of dermatitis, allergic reactions. Bloodsucker saliva contains many harmful bacteria that can provoke hepatitis, encephalitis, typhoid, and plague. The most common damage that fleas bring is helminth infection.

Parasite Control Methods

There are 3 options for getting rid of earthen fleas in a house:

• contacting specialized services - The most expensive and effective way to quickly get rid of annoying bloodsuckers.
• self destruction using insecticides;
• use of folk remedies.

Among insecticidal drugs that can get rid of parasites at home, the following deserve special attention:

• Aerosols Raptor, Raid, Combat. Chemicals penetrate fleas along with air and the insect dies almost instantly.

  

• Dry insecticides, concentrates and suspensions are based on contact interaction. The active substance in these funds are pyrethroids. They inhibit the nervous system, which leads to death paralysis. When choosing a remedy than poisoning pests, you should pay attention to the composition, possible side effects after application.
• Remedies for earthen fleas in the house in the form of dusts and powders are effective against larvae; it is irrational to poison adults with them. Dusty, for example, Clean House, is recommended to be used in combination with other insecticides.

The fight against earthen fleas will be effective if you adhere to several rules:

1. Before poisoning jumping insects, do a thorough cleaning in the house. Using a vacuum cleaner can destroy a significant part of the population. A disposable bag is recommended.
2. If an animal lives in the house, process it.
3. Remove bedding and wash in hot water and iron.
4. Clothes, things to process with a steam generator.
5. Move furniture away from walls to allow insecticides to reach all inaccessible places.
6. When working with insecticides, use personal protective equipment.
7. After completing the disinfestation procedure, close the room for several hours, then carefully ventilate.
8. Repeat treatment after 7-10 days, if necessary.

Folk preparations against parasites

Folk remedies are often used to bring earthen fleas. You should not rely heavily on them, since they mostly have a deterrent effect. Most popular plants: mint, sagebrush, tansy, bay leaf, chamomile. Fresh or dry branches are laid out in the room, you can prepare decoctions and process floors, furniture, walls with them.

Ammonia, vinegar, are added to water for mopping aromatic oils. Unfolding citrus peels around the perimeter of the house will help scare away bloodsuckers. Garlic is distinguished by a pronounced deterrent effect, and in combination with brewer's yeast causes parasites to quickly leave their habitat.