While pets are beloved members of your family, fleas shouldn’t be. Your furry friends can unknowingly harbour pests into your home and turn a small flea problem into a full-blown infestation in no time. Before you let your pooch off the leash, learn how to identify fleas and prevent these tiny hitchhikers from sneaking into your home undetected.
Flea Identification
If you notice your furry friend continuously itching or scratching after running around your back yard, you may want to check for a flea presence. While fleas are small in size, adults can usually be spotted crawling along your pet’s skin or fur. To determine whether the pest you spot is actually a flea, keep an eye out for these key characteristics:
- 5 to 3 mm long
- Shiny, reddish-brown colour
- Thin, flattened body
DIY Flea Control Tricks
With your pets going back and forth between your house and the outdoors, fleas have plenty of opportunities to find their way inside. If you notice these tiny pests, don’t panic. From all-natural flea spray you can make at home to do-it-yourself (DIY) flea traps, there are many ways you can control a flea problem.
Creating your very own flea trap is simple. With just soap, water and light, you can trap fleas by following these steps:
- Set a bowl of soapy water on a flat surface.
- Shine light from a desk lamp directly onto the bowl overnight.
- Wait for flies to get stuck in the water.
Don’t let fleas prevent your pets from enjoying the outdoors. Check out our guide to controlling fleas or call your Orkin Canada branch today to learn how to prevent and protect your home from fleas.
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Common Mosquito-borne Diseases
Mosquitoes are the bane of the spring and summertime. The one aspect that is often not brought up when mentioning these pests is the danger that can be contained within a bite. Mosquitoes are the most important arthropods that affect human health. There are about 100 mosquito-borne diseases that affect humans globally. Here are a few of the most common diseases associated with mosquitoes.
The Life Cycle of a Mosquito
The lifespan of adult mosquitoes is dependent on the species; under natural conditions, they can live from a few days to several months. However, in their life cycle , they undergo a complete metamorphosis, comprised of four different stages: the egg, larva, pupa, and adult.
What are Signs of a Mosquito Infestation
Mosquitoes are often viewed as pesky blood sucking annoyances. Not only are mosquitoes irritating to be around, but they can also be pretty dangerous. Since mosquitoes have the potential to carry a litany of diseases, such as the West Nile Virus, Zika Virus, and malaria to name a few, it is important to control and prevent infestations at the first sign.
Remove pests from your home, and stop them from coming back
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