Flea infestation of humans, apartments, animals. Methods of struggle.

When fleas have infested a house or apartment, it is extremely unpleasant to be in the room. Parasites jump on your feet, live in beds and upholstered furniture, and bite painfully. If there are a large number of insects, it is difficult to remove them on your own and takes about two months. If you start fighting bloodsuckers right away, in the first week, you can speed up the process.

It is important to notice signs of infection in time and prevent parasites from multiplying. Using simple methods, insect numbers can be monitored even after treatment. Learn how to tell if there are fleas in your home or animals, and how to use a trap to monitor for fleas.

What does a flea look like?

There are more than 2,000 species of fleas in the world. Dog, cat and rat parasites are widespread in European territory. Due to its modest dimensions, the flea looks like a tiny dot. The dimensions of the above-mentioned individuals are about 1 mm.

For reference! The largest representatives of the order are moose fleas. An ordinary parasite is 1 cm long, and a fertilized female reaches a size of 1.5 cm.

The insect's body consists of two parts - the head and abdomen. The flea is protected from physical impact by a durable chitinous shell. The body of the parasite is flattened laterally and resembles a shrimp in appearance. This shape makes it easier for the flea to move through thick fur.

Flea

The parasite lacks wings for the sake of protection: a winged insect is much easier to crush than a walking insect with a shell. The flea has three pairs of limbs, with the hind ones being more developed. With their help, the pest can jump to a height of up to 20 cm. Successful movement on the host is facilitated by the abundance of bristles and spines throughout the body. They also help to hold on when the animal grooms itself.

The flea has a yellow or brown tint, depending on the subspecies. The parasite changes its color after drinking blood - to a dark brown or black color. In this case, the size of the insect can increase several times due to the swollen stomach.

How are fleas different from bedbugs?

Fleas are small in size, so they are almost impossible to study without the use of magnifying devices. There are few distinctive signs of fleas. Fleas have long legs with which they jump high. Bedbugs do not have such paws, but they have small jaws through which the parasites feed. The flea's body is also slightly different, and its size is 1-5 mm.

Fleas over 5 mm

You can see fleas up to 10 cm in size. These are females of some species and have a large abdomen.

But the size of the bug is always larger than 5 mm, so it can be easily seen. A distinctive feature is the shape of the body. In a bug, it is oval, and the body of the flea is flattened vertically and has three sections - head, chest, abdomen.

Important!

The flea is the most jumping insect. If a caught parasite suddenly disappears, it is a flea that has made a jump.

Bedbugs and fleas also differ in habitat and color. Fleas are dark brown in color, while bed bugs are reddish-orange. Bed bugs often live in dark places - in the frames of sofas, beds, folds of bed linen, mattresses, etc. Fleas parasitize pets and are only sometimes found in human recreation areas (beds, bedding).

Important!

Fleas will certainly be the last to choose a person as a food source, so when they are first detected, do not wait for a critical situation.

Signs of fleas in your home

Let's figure out how to determine that there are parasites in the house. First of all, these are bites. Flea activity manifests itself on the legs - from the feet to the lower legs. Further than 20-30 cm, that is, the height of the insect's jump, inflammation does not spread.

Recognizing flea bites is not difficult. These are hard bumps with a tiny hole in the center and redness around the perimeter. During feeding, one individual makes peculiar paths, leaving 3-5 bites at a distance of 0.5-1 cm. Subsequently, the problem area swells, itches, and in severe cases, ulcers form.

You should also examine your pets by parting the fur and exposing the skin. If numerous black dots (insect feces) are visible on the hair and body, then you can be sure that flea eggs and larvae are already developing in secluded places in the apartment.

For reference ! An easy way to find out if there are pests in your home is with a blank sheet of paper. We place several pieces in places where the pest is expected to be concentrated and wait about half an hour. Small dark dots are clearly visible on contrasting paper.

What is the danger to humans?

At first glance, human fleas appear to be relatively harmless. After all, they are microscopic in size, and small red dots remain at the site of their bite.

However, in the area where human insects have drunk blood, pulicosis often occurs.

This condition manifests itself with symptoms similar to allergies.:

• headache;
• rash;
• increased size of lymph nodes;
• suppuration;
• nervousness;
• formation of ulcers in the throat and mouth;
• sleep disorder;
• temperature increase.

Severe pain occurs at the sites of flea bites. The bloodsucker injects an enzyme into the wound that prevents blood clotting.

More serious consequences of flea parasitism on humans include allergic reactions of varying severity, hepatitis C and B, salmonellosis, brucellosis, tularemia, and encephalitis. Few people know that flea bites lead to the development of the Siberian plague, from which every 10 people died in past centuries.

Flea habitats

If you understand that there are insects in the house, the next question arises - how to find fleas? First of all, you need to examine your pets. In almost 100% of cases, it is the animals who are to blame for the appearance of blood-sucking parasites in the home. Fleas successfully develop on warm-blooded hosts - cats, dogs and birds. As the population increases, insects begin to migrate around the house: they settle in floor cracks, under baseboards, in technical openings, and also hide in carpets and interior items.

Clothing is hardly an exception; fleas can live there too, since fleecy items of clothing are the optimal habitat for the parasite. The clothes have a lot of folds and an ideal microclimate. The only thing that is not there is food, so the flea is forced to go hunting.

Where do they live?

To identify parasites in the house, it is first recommended to check all pets (don't forget about birds). Then sleeping and hard-to-reach places, bedding and pillows are examined.

Check rooms with high humidity - kitchen, bathroom, toilets and waste collection points. If you live on the first or basement floors, study the paths connecting your premises to the basement. These are plumbing and ventilation pipes, cracks, and holes. If your house has a cellar or basement, don’t ignore it either.

Land owners are advised to check the shoes they wear on the land, as well as the bottoms of their clothing.

Remember that fleas are dangerous parasites in your home, as they carry serious infections. Exterminating fleas requires serious measures, so if you find parasites, contact your health service immediately. If you order pest control at least once, you will not have to worry about unwanted guests in your home for a long time.

How to find a flea nest in an apartment?

After the pets have been examined, you need to try to detect fleas in the apartment, for which you should carefully examine all the secluded places in the house where parasites can concentrate. It is better to act radically and for sure: dismantle the baseboards, shake up all the linen, clothes and carpets, and also carefully examine every corner of the upholstered furniture.

Many people find fleas in completely unexpected places, for example, in the bedside table, folds of curtains or in the PC system unit. The parasite does not have foragers like ants and the path to the colony cannot be traced. In addition, the flea is very small and after the next jump it is lost from sight. Therefore, the only right decision is a complete inspection of everything and everyone in the apartment.

Human flea development cycle

The life cycle of the human flea is similar to other species of wingless insects. The only differences are the laying of a huge number of eggs by the female (2000 in her entire life) and the parameters of adults.

Bloodsuckers go through 4 stages of development:

• eggs;
• larvae;
• cocoons;
• sexually mature individuals.

Having had enough, the female lays eggs in various places - bedspreads, wool, clothes, sofas, carpets, etc. Eggs mature in about two days.

After hatching, the larvae begin to actively absorb the excrement of adult insects and other waste. Pulex irritans go through several stages of development, and then they pupate.

To emerge from the cocoon, the parasite needs a favorable environment. Therefore, the time from the moment the egg develops to the hatching of a new individual can last from 15 days to a year.

How to get rid of fleas at home?

First of all, it is necessary to treat pets - a source of parasites. Otherwise, fleas will appear in the house again in just a day or two. You can find drugs on sale in different form factors, but drops on the withers are considered the most effective.

Drops on the withers

Popular flea remedies for cats and dogs:

• Bayer;
• Inspector;
• Animal Play;
• Merial;
• Celandine.

Next, you should treat all areas in the house where parasites can concentrate. There are also plenty of options to choose from: aerosols, suspensions, powders and concentrates. The former have an immediate effect, but do not cause any significant harm to the larvae and eggs. Therefore, it is more advisable to give preference to powders, concentrates and suspensions.

Important! It is necessary to treat every corner: cracks, technical holes, baseboards, wallpaper - everything that is within 30-40 cm from the floor. If the furniture is in the way, then it needs to be moved away. Half measures in such an enterprise are unacceptable.

Effective remedies for fleas in the apartment:

• Get;
• Cypermethrin;
• Clean house;
• Sinuzan;
• Tetramethrin.

Concentrates are quite toxic, so after treatment you will have to leave the house for several hours to consolidate the effect and then ventilate.

Basement flea bite

Cellar fleas are not picky in choosing a victim. They can consume the blood of dogs, cats, humans, farm animals, rodents, wild and domestic birds.

A basement flea bite causes severe itching. The most painful and noticeable consequences are the attacks of young parasites. An adult flea bite causes less discomfort. The painful sensations disappear on their own after a few hours. You can speed up the process with the help of a medicinal ointment.

But itching and pain are not the main danger. If the insect previously fed on the blood of mice or rats, then it can be a carrier of pathogens of dangerous infections. It is known that rodents are spreaders of hepatitis, plague, typhoid, salmonellosis, pseudotuberculosis and encephalitis. In particularly sensitive people, bites can cause local allergic reactions. They manifest themselves in swelling and redness of the skin.

What to do if there are fleas in the bed?

Fleas, unlike bed bugs, prefer to concentrate on the floor rather than on the beds. But if a cat or dog living in the house is not averse to taking a nap in a comfortable master’s bed, then the parasite can gain a foothold at a height unattainable for it.

To get rid of fleas in the bed, the first thing you need to do is wash all the bedding, choosing a mode with the highest possible temperature. The parasite is afraid of high temperatures, so blankets, pillows and mattresses should be heat treated with a steam generator. It would also be a good idea to apply insecticides to the latter to kill the larvae and eggs.

Steam generator treatment

Rugs near the bed must be thoroughly vacuumed, or better yet, knocked out. From now on, pets should not be allowed to sleep in bed. In addition to fleas, pets can bring other equally dangerous blood-sucking insects into their bed, such as bedbugs.

Where to start the fight

1. If you have a pet, start with him. An infected pet should be examined especially behind the ears, face, and belly. Under the wings of birds. And treat it with antiparasitic drugs, of which there are a lot now. Anti-flea drugs are represented by all kinds of shampoos, sprays, drops, tablets and collars.
2. If you suspect that fleas came from your neighbors or from the basement or attic, then most likely they are disturbing not only you. Interview your neighbors, if you are not alone, file a collective complaint and contact the SES.
3. In your home, you can carry out disinfestation of the basement or attic yourself or call a special service.
4. If there are rodents (rats, mice), first get rid of them yourself or by calling a pest control service.
5. If you suspect items, shake them outside and wash them at maximum temperature.

Well, we’ve prevented the emergence of new parasites, now let’s take on the ones you have.

What's the best way to catch insects?

The principle of operation of purchased traps, domestic or foreign, is no different from those made by yourself - placing the bait inside. They are used:

• in residential premises,
• at catering establishments,
• in educational complexes,
• in recreation areas (park areas, boarding houses),
• on agricultural land.

It is best to place wasp traps in the spring, because at this time only young individuals fly. If they are caught in a timely manner, the entire “family” will die. People are most annoyed by wasps at the end of summer, but during this period traps only work as a limiter on the number of insects.

When catching, to avoid being bitten, you should take safety measures.

1. Contact with insects is possible only when there is complete confidence that they are all dead.
2. Particular care should be taken when checking traps located near wasp nests. In general, it is better to install them no closer than twenty meters from housing.
3. It is mandatory to use protective equipment - at least rubber or cotton gloves.

Advice

To place traps as effectively as possible, you need to keep an eye on wasps by carefully checking all sheds, sheds, and attics. If a nest is identified, it must be destroyed in the dark.

Modern manufacturers offer traps that differ in size and design, but the mechanism remains standard, so if you don’t want to make the device yourself, you can purchase it at a specialized store. In the fight against wasps, you can use sticky fly strips, which are hung in different places throughout the territory. They are inexpensive and easy to use, but beneficial insects can also stick to them. Another means of protection is a homemade insecticide based on mint essential oil: add 15 drops of oil to a glass of water and spray the room. Contact with exposed areas of the body is completely harmless.

Hair coloring hat

Since ancient times, golden female locks have been desired by both women and men. It is worth remembering that obliging prostitutes to dye their hair red or blond, which gave birth to a fashion for blond hair, oddly enough, among married women. This fashion existed a thousand years after the fall of Rome. In Venice of the 16th century, a special name even appeared for the color in which most local fashionistas wore their makeup, biondo veneziano. Dozens of paint recipes based on herbs, chemicals and even walnuts have also been developed. To dye hair in Venice, wide-brimmed straw hats without a top were used (there are references to the same in Rome), on the brim of which hair coated with a dye had to be laid out so that it would fade in the sun. This hat was called solana.

What substances are included in effective anti-flea products for the home and for animals?

When choosing a drug, it is worth considering that fleas, like many other insects, have a chitinous shell that protects them from the harmful effects of the environment. In the composition of the product for the destruction of parasites, you should pay attention to the following ingredients:

• Pyrethrins are a group of insecticidal components of natural origin that have a nerve-paralytic effect on insects. Low toxicity, can be used to rid pets of parasites (externally).
• Pyrethroids (permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, etc.) are compounds related to pyrethrins that have a more powerful effect. Toxic to humans and animals, affecting the nervous system. Before use, remove people and pets from the premises.
• Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid insecticide that paralyzes insects.
• Nitenpyram is a drug for internal use used to rid animals of fleas.
• Selamectin is a semi-synthetic drug. Suitable for treating adult, healthy pets.
• Fipronil - used to treat animal hair. It is characterized by fast and effective action.

At the initial stage of infection of a premises or during preventive treatment of pets, preference should be given to the least toxic substances.

Romantic traps

The more candles you place, the more fleas you can catch. Looking at such a composition of wax candles, you can’t help but wonder if the original reason for placing candles on the floor for alcove dates was simply to catch fleas, and not to create a romantic atmosphere.

On a note!

The design with a candle can be somewhat complicated. To do this, you will need a wide container into which you need to pour soapy water and install one or more special floating candles. This method is safer than the first option of using candles, as it completely eliminates fire.

Trap options

The manufacturing process of such a device is not at all complicated; it can be done by anyone who wants to test their abilities.

• Using a utility knife or scissors, cut off the top of the bottle (about 1/3).
• Unscrew the lid and place the smaller part, neck down, inside the larger one.
• Secure with tape, wire or a stapler, be sure to take into account that the structure will have to be disassembled to remove dead insects and replace the bait.
• Make holes at the top of the trap through which to thread the string.
• Hang it where the largest concentration of wasps is found.

The bottle should be at least two liters in volume, since a huge number of individuals can come across a day (sometimes several hundred) that simply will not fit in a small container. In large areas or apiaries, you need to place several devices at the same time. A wasp trap is an effective method of control, since insects are not able to think analytically, so when trying to get out, they hit the wall of the trap, fall into the solution, where they die.

Most often used for bait:

1. sugar syrup with lemon juice,
2. leftover meat products diluted with water,
3. beer or other alcoholic drinks,
4. fruit and berry juices,
5. crushed fruits or berries,
6. dishwashing liquid with a pleasant smell,
7. fragrant liquid soap.

The second way to make a device with your own hands: take an ordinary glass jar of any size, preferably with leftover jam, sweet compote, and other products that attract insects. Dilute with water and stir thoroughly. Close tightly with a plastic or metal lid or polyethylene with holes made on the surface. Install in appropriate locations.

You can make a more complex design: place a funnel made of metal mesh into a cylinder of arbitrary volume, the upper part of which should be placed no higher than 10 centimeters from the top edge of the trap. Place it on bricks or planks and cover the top with a fine mesh, such as an old sieve. Place bait inside - a piece of fish or meat. Attracted by the smell, the wasps flock to the bait, but after eating, they try to fly away, rising up, hitting the net, but cannot get out. There they can be successfully poisoned with any proven insecticide.

Do I need to destroy wasps?

Wasps damage ripe fruits - they spoil large ones, and eat small ones completely. Sometimes they can be left without any harvest at all. In beekeepers' farms, the invasion of striped pests can affect the number of bees: wasps hunt all insects, feed on them, and also feed their offspring. The venom from a bite can cause a powerful allergic reaction, which leads to unpleasant consequences for people and pets - swelling, intoxication and even death. To avoid attracting insects, do not store food in a place accessible to them. Leftover food should be disposed of using containers with tight-fitting lids. It is worth installing screens on the windows and doors of all rooms, which minimizes the possibility of a person colliding with wasps.

Advantages of self-made devices:

• safe, environmentally friendly protection against insects,
• Possibility of use indoors and outdoors,
• possibility of repeated use of each trap,
• low cost.

Disadvantages include the need for periodic cleaning, regular replacement of bait, and the inability to destroy the entire population at once.

Wasp control should be carried out only if they really harm the farm or pose a danger to humans. In other situations, they are excellent helpers for gardeners, getting rid of many pests. Properly placed traps throughout the area (the more, the better) will effectively get rid of the problem.

Witch bottle

Household wisdom was largely based on prejudices and superstitions. Thus, mysterious witch bottles, which existed until the end of the 19th century in Europe and the USA, promised the owner strong teeth, hair, bones, shiny nails, elastic skin, healthy complexion, love success and longevity. It was not difficult to make such a device: a small vessel was filled with biological samples collected after the next cosmetic procedure. If desired, the contents were flavored with saliva or urine. Afterwards, the vessel was spoken and left for storage in a safe place or even buried. The caches of such witch bottles sometimes contain the “amulets” of an entire family. It was believed that witches who want to cause damage would never get to the owner of the witch bottle while it was intact.

How to make your own flea traps

There are several options, you can choose what suits you best.

Trap with a lamp

1. Take a regular table lamp. Place a plate under its light (preferably with a large diameter, a very deep one is not needed).
2. Fill a plate with water and add whatever you use to wash dishes (about a teaspoon, but more is better than less).
3. Stir gently (to prevent foam from forming).
4. Leave the lamp on overnight.
5. If possible, place traps around the apartment.
6. In the morning you will find a lot of dead fleas in the plate.

Trap with cups

1. Instead of a plate, take glasses and fill them with the same soap solution.
2. Place containers on all warm windowsills.
3. In the morning there will be dead insects floating in the glasses.

Candle trap

1. Light thick candles at night in areas where fleas accumulate. Watch the candle (don't miss the moment when it burns out, make sure the spark doesn't bounce off onto the carpets or furniture).
2. Fleas will jump into the light and stick to the wax. Then just throw away the candle.

Trap with candle and water (if you have a small candle)

1. Fill a plate with soapy water (as in the case of the first trap).
2. Place a floating candle in the center. Fleas will jump into the light and drown in the liquid.
3. Don't forget to throw out the water in the morning.

TV trap

1. Fill the baking tray halfway with soap solution.
2. Place a baking sheet in front of the TV (if there are several TVs, place a baking sheet in front of each).
3. Leave the TV on overnight (mute).
4. In the morning, throw away the water containing the dead fleas.

Boric acid

1. Distribute evenly over the entire carpet, rug, or bedding.
2. Leave the floor covering for 2 hours (preferably more), make sure that no one enters the room.
3. Vacuum the carpet.
4. It is better to also throw away the dust bag from the vacuum cleaner so that the surviving fleas do not return back to the apartment.

Choosing a flea remover

You cannot use preparations for treating premises on animals, and on the contrary, preparations for animals will be ineffective when they disinfest the premises. It is recommended to choose preparations that do not have a persistent specific odor for treating houses and apartments. Drugs with prolonged (long-lasting) action are recommended. Which cope equally well with both adults and larvae, these include: Get, Xulat, Lambda Zone, etc. It is recommended to treat basements and attics with dust (powder insecticide). A dust such as Eco Killer, Clean House, Phenaxin, etc. will suit you.

Powder compact

It looks more like a pipe from a Soviet vacuum cleaner and a soldering iron with a textured handle, but in fact these are powder compacts of different designs: an accordion and a carrot. The leather accordion was filled with powder and sealed with a lid at one end. Contents were spilling out from the other edge with small perforations. The carrot worked like an air cannon. Its effectiveness depended on how hard the “makeup artist” blew into the valve; a portion of powder shot out from the sharp tip.

The fashion for wigs had authoritative legislators, the elderly Elizabeth I with sparse gray hair and the balding Louis XIII, who suffered from venereal diseases for life. There are several theories as to why powdered hair extensions have become such a widespread wardrobe item. One of them is associated with the ban on non-royal members wearing blond wigs. As a result, aristocrats came up with the idea of ​​bleaching dark hair extensions: dyeing them or powdering them.

Natural means for apartment disinfestation

Citrus peels

This natural remedy will not harm animals or small children in any way. You can simply spread fresh peels throughout the house, or make your own special citrus spray. To do this, pour boiling water over the skins of lemons, grapefruits or oranges. Leave the liquid overnight and then spray it on the infected areas.

You can enhance the effectiveness of the spray with regular citric acid, which is a strong insecticide.

Essential oils

• lemon,
• pine,
• tea tree,
• peppermint,
• cedar.

Vinegar (both regular and apple cider vinegar)

You can also make a decoction from the roots and stems of rosemary for bathing animals. This product is very effective and absolutely safe. It is enough to bathe animals in the broth several times a month to prevent new infections.

The product is absolutely non-toxic and has no negative effects on pets and small children.

• Raptor,
• Frontline,
• Fogger.

• absence of any odor,
• low probability of damage to furniture and treated fabrics (if used correctly),
• fast action.

You can also treat your apartment against fleas with boric acid. It is enough to sprinkle the powdered product on all the risk areas listed above. It is necessary to leave the powder overnight and then vacuum the apartment.

Boric acid has a dehydrating effect and simply dries out the fleas and their larvae.