Enviroguard Pest Guides
Fleas
| Cat Flea (Ctenocephalides felis) Appearance • 2-3mm long, wingless. • Red/brown colour. • Flattened from side to side. • Long legs designed for jumping. |
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• Shows preference for cats as host, but will readily feed on a variety of warm-blooded animals, including humans.
• Fleas nest where the host is in its usual resting place, e.g., the cat basket.
• Larvae feed on organic matter (dried blood, excrement, etc,) in carpets or pet bedding.
• Fleas most often bite people around the legs and ankles, usually with 2 or 3 bites in a row.
Signs of flea activity include:
• Bite marks - tiny dark red spots surrounded by a reddened area - particularly around the ankles and lower leg in rows of two or three. (Bites are felt immediately and can be sore for up to one week.)
• Flea dirt - dark specks on your pet or in your pet's bed.
• Pet persistently scratching or biting its fur.
Overview
The cat flea is by far the commonest species, ahead of the human flea (Pulex irritans), bird flea (Ceratophyllus gallinae) and dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis). In Europe, fleas are not generally responsible for the transmission of disease, although Pulex irritans is known to be a vector of Yersinia pestis (plague). However, their bites can be intensely irritating, causing distress to both humans and pets, and may lead to and hypersensitivity.
Read more at the British Pest Control Association.
For an efficient, environmentally friendly solution to your flea pest problem,
contact Enviroguard pest control - NOW.