Fleas are tiny, dark-coloured, wingless organisms that feed on mammal blood. They can be found in your yard, on wild animals, or in the dog park. They have a backward spine that makes them extremely difficult to brush away once they have a hold on a host. Their incredibly strong legs allow them to jump from host to host. Fleas, despite their inability to fly, can travel long distances. Fleas can pass from host to host even if they are only a few feet apart. A single flea can produce up to 50 eggs per day, which can pose a major threat to your home in addition to your furry friend. Fleas have an unusual tick life cycle. The flea lifecycle is divided into four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult tick. The white flea eggs fall from the host onto yards, bedding, furniture, and flooring. The eggs hatch into larvae, which feed until they form a cocoon. Fleas hatch from pupas and must consume blood to survive as adults. One way to determine fleas is to place the substance over a wet paper towel can help you determine whether it is flea dirt. Common flea removal options and treatment methods are using chemical insecticide sprays or over-the-counter sprays, fumigation methods, physical removal methods, flea bombs, and many more. Because flea bites can result in skin infections and other problems, it’s crucial to safeguard and treat your pet once a month. However, using products for flea extermination and pest reduction of any type of pest without assistance from professionals might cause trouble and persistent issue. The likelihood of your pet acquiring fleas and ticks increases throughout the colder months, despite the fact that the risk is lower during that time. A trip to the veterinarian can be expensive for many pet owners, despite the fact that keeping your furry buddy healthy will always be your first concern. You might be able to prevent a major issue if you start checking on your pet early in warm climates —or, in warm locations, all year long.
How Much Does Flea Pest Control Cost?
The cost of flea extermination and tick protection will be determined by a number of factors. From the severity of the flea infestation to the treatment method chosen, to whether you will hire professional flea services or do it yourself. The average American homeowner spends between $200 and $500 on flea extermination costs, putting the national average around $350. The cost of flea extermination is determined by the level of infestation. It is one of the most important factors in determining the total extermination cost. If your flea problem only affects your pets (cats or dogs), it is most likely a small-medium infestation. However, if your entire family is bitten by fleas, this could indicate a severe pest infestation that needs flea extermination procedures for monthly flea prevention done by a professional flea exterminator.
Minor Flea Infestation
For a small-scale adult flea infestation, expect to spend to cost of oral flea treatments and services between $100 and $200 on control flea infestation. An exterminator service will only need follow-up visits to ensure the fleas are gone.
Medium flea infestation
If the fleas spread to more than one area of your home, you have a medium infestation. In such cases, your pest control service expert will need to make an initial inspection visit, followed by several monthly or quarterly visits. The average cost of treating a medium flea infestation ranges between $200 and $400. The initial treatment will cost you around $100, and subsequent visits will cost you around $75+ each.
Severe flea infestations
If the fleas are scattered throughout your home and are now biting humans, you may have a severe infestation. If there are fleas in your yard, you may have a large infestation. Expect to spend $350 – $600 on the initial treatment and an additional $75+ on follow-up treatments to get rid of them. Most exterminators include at least twice-month visits to your home to ensure the fleas don’t return.
Location
Aside from the flea infestation level, the areas affected by the infestation and flea outbreaks have a significant influence on extermination prices. Some areas will cost as little as $75 to exterminate a house of fleas, while others will cost as much as $400 for the professional flea treatment.
Service Time Duration
While most treatments take 2 – 6 hours to eliminate fleas, their life cycle means they can reappear in 4 – 6 weeks. As a result, your exterminator will need to perform several follow-up monthly flea prevention treatments to ensure that all potential flea eggs and larvae are killed. In severe flea and pest infestation, an exterminator may need three to four months to completely eliminate the fleas and sort of pest.
Other Factors
Aside from the factors mentioned, a pest control company may consider the following in their pest extermination, flea medication and flea extermination cost pricing process:
Season: Proactive Pest Control Exterminators tend to charge more during the hot, humid months than during the cool winters. This is because of the underlying issue that fleas thrive in warm, humid weather, increasing the demand for extermination services. The majority of people are aware that their pets require flea and tick prevention throughout the summer and fall, but you might not be aware that your pet could also benefit from year-round flea and tick prevention.
Sanitation: Most contractors will charge you for more expensive treatment methods if they find your home to be dirty or a mess. Finding dog or cat hair, unvacuumed floors, dirty pet bedding, and even overgrown weeds on your lawn are common signs that mean they’ll have to do more work to get rid of the fleas. As a result, their labour costs will increase.
