How long can fleas live without food or an animal in an apartment?

Many people are deeply mistaken when they think that only those who keep pets can have fleas in their apartments. This is not entirely true. They often appear in houses where there have never been cats or dogs. These insects are very annoying, voracious and quite dangerous. By biting a person, a flea can transmit a large number of diseases, including encephalitis, hepatitis B and C and others.

Having entered the apartment, they begin to hide in bookcases, cracks, in the pile of the carpet, underwear . Their food is human blood. They also multiply very quickly, creating a very serious problem. There are 500 species of fleas in Russia, of which 30 species easily coexist in apartments and houses.

Effect of insecticidal treatment

After treating the premises with industrial insecticides and thoroughly washing pets using special products, adult animals die within 1-2 days.
If there is a carpet in the apartment, then eggs or pupae may be hidden there. The cocoons of the latter reliably protect the young even from aggressive chemicals, not to mention folk remedies. Therefore, the fight against the parasite takes place in several stages. In the case of long-acting contact insecticides, mature individuals will gradually die over 3-4 weeks.

But any chemical weakens over time, and some parasites can develop immunity to industrial products. Repeated disinsection is carried out, as a rule, 3-4 weeks after the first, using alternative insecticides. In a good half of cases, 2-3 treatments are enough to completely rid the house of fleas.

Climatic conditions

All insects are afraid of low temperatures, including fleas. If the thermometer drops below 0⁰C, the young animals will die in 3-5 days. The pest will survive up to 5⁰C for at most 10 days. The minimum temperature level when a flea can more or less survive is 10⁰C. The chance of survival in this case is 50/50.

Young animals are more vulnerable to low temperatures than adults. Larvae with laid eggs stop developing already at 13⁰C. At 10⁰С all offspring die.

Like other insects, a flea can hibernate, but provided that the temperature does not drop below 8⁰C.

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Heat also negatively affects the life of parasites. If the thermometer rises above 35 degrees, the pest will die in a matter of days. Dryness can also be considered a critical factor. Low air humidity has an extremely negative effect on both the offspring of the insect and the adults. The larvae begin to die inside the cocoons. In the summer months, when the heat stays at 30⁰C, the flea population decreases.

How long can fleas live without food?

Since fleas do not literally lay eggs, but rather shoot them over long distances, the larvae’s chance of survival increases significantly.
After 2-3 days, the eggs hatch into larvae that resemble small transparent white worms. They feed on various types of organic waste that accumulate in their habitats. Their development period varies from several days to one month depending on the state of the environment, the degree of humidity and air temperature. After this, the larvae turn into pupae and after a few weeks adults emerge from them. We will discuss below what the life expectancy of fleas is, where to find them, and whether they are able to survive being without food for a long time.

Flea habitats

Pests hide in the hairy part of the body. But they can move quickly. Most often they accumulate in bedding, carpets, rugs. They attack the human body when nutrition is needed. They can live in the fur of pets, and also move around in jumps throughout the home. There are cases when a flea lays larvae in the hair, fortunately, this is very rare. In addition, she leaves a person to find a suitable place for food.

Lifespan of fleas

The average lifespan of an adult flea is 2-3 months. During this time, the insect usually manages to make about 60-100 bites on its victim, and the female lays from 400 to 500 eggs.

All these figures are typical for ideal conditions for the existence of the parasite, and it is assumed that the flea dies a natural death. For different types of fleas, such optimal living conditions are very specific combinations of temperature and air humidity. For example, rat fleas live for about 2 months at a temperature of 14-15 ° C and a humidity of about 60%, and chicken fleas live the same period at 40 ° C and a relative humidity of about 80%.

Fleas live approximately the same amount of time in an apartment, provided that they are not treated with special preparations and the insects have constant access to food.

As the average temperature in the habitat increases, the life span of fleas decreases. At the maximum temperatures for each species (for cat and dog fleas common in apartments this is 36-37°C), the insects live only about three to four weeks. At the same time, the development of their eggs and larvae proceeds much faster, and in general the life cycle of fleas and their reproduction cycle is greatly reduced.

On the contrary, at low temperatures the lifespan of a flea is extended, and at the lower limit of its species temperature range, parasites can even live up to one and a half to two years.

At high temperatures, fleas grow larger than the average member of the species. On the contrary, as the temperature drops they become smaller.

The flea breeding cycle is also temperature dependent. Their larvae develop at optimal temperatures for about a month, at high temperatures - a little more than a week, and at extremely low temperatures - up to 8 months.

The eggs develop for about two more weeks, and the insect remains at the pupal stage for about three weeks.

In general, the “from egg to egg” flea reproduction cycle takes from 10 days to 1 year. And the lifespan of one flea from egg to death can stretch from one and a half months to several years.

As a rule, fleas in nature do not live long, even in comfortable conditions - they are constantly destroyed by the owners themselves, biting them out of the fur. In addition, fleas die from their own infections and parasites.

At the pupal stage, fleas can survive very harsh conditions - frost, ice, severe droughts and the action of insecticides. Theoretically, flea pupa can remain viable for several years.

Thanks to this specific life cycle, the flea is able to survive very unfavorable environmental conditions, and sometimes even many of its hosts. So, for example, if an animal on which fleas fed dies, the insects almost instantly leave its corpse (fleas cannot feed on blood on a dead animal).

Flea Density

Sensitivity to parasites in animals varies and depends on the class and specific breed. Some pets carry out regular and sometimes even overly fanatical grooming, while others are calm about the life of fleas on their bodies.

This factor directly affects the density of pests. In animals that are more tolerant of parasites, this figure is noticeably higher. If a cat or dog is allergic to insects, then they can clean their fur 24 hours a day, even if the infestation is minimal or completely absent.

Scientists have conducted research on the hygiene habits of different felines. Extremely clean cats cleaned out about 20% of parasites each day, or about 70% per week. That is, the average lifespan of one individual was about 5 days.

A less active cat got rid of 4% of insects per day (about 20% per week). It turned out that the parasites barely survived until day 20. You also need to take into account the age of the pet. Young animals are more susceptible to infection than adult animals.

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The fact is that young cats and dogs simply do not have experience in hygiene and have not yet learned how to comb themselves properly. Moreover, adult pets have stronger immunity, thicker skin and a different arrangement of capillaries.

Ways to fight

First you need to find the source of the parasites. If these are pets, then the wool should be treated. If insects have entered from the basement, then it is necessary to seal all visible cracks in the floor and walls and treat the room with insecticidal agents.

Chemicals

The chemicals that make up flea products act on their nervous system, blocking the transmission of nerve impulses, after which paralysis and death of the parasite occurs.

For home disinfestation, products in the form of an aerosol, powder or chalk are suitable. During treatment, it is necessary to evacuate people and animals living in the premises. After measures to destroy parasites, ventilation and wet cleaning are carried out.

Flea remedy “Kombat Super Spray”.

Room treatment products:

1. “Combat Super Spray”. The product is available in the form of a spray that contains imiprotrin and cefenothrin as active ingredients. The spray has a low level of toxicity, but can cause poisoning in animals and children. The aromatic additives included in the composition eliminate the unpleasant odor of insecticides.
2. "Clean house". The insecticide is available in spray and powder form and contains tetramethrin and cypermethrin. The spray is sprayed in areas where fleas are expected to live; it has a toxic effect only on adult fleas, but does not destroy their eggs. The powder should be diluted with water before use. Using a spray bottle, treat surfaces in the house with the resulting solution.
3. "Executioner". An insecticidal agent whose action is due to the substance fenthion. Fenthion, when sprayed, enters the respiratory tract of the parasite and kills it.

Animal treatment products:

1. Entomozan. Antiparasitic agent containing cypermethrin 10%. The product is suitable for treating the hair of domestic and farm animals.
2. Stronghold. The product is used to kill fleas and prevent re-infection. The active substance selamectin blocks the activity of nerve cells of parasites and leads to their death. The drug is applied topically to the animal’s skin in the withers area.
3. Comfortis. Available in the form of tablets for oral administration. The active substance spinosad, entering the parasite's body with food, causes paralysis of its nervous system and death.

Comfortis flea repellent for animals.

Traditional methods

are not as effective as drugs based on chemical compounds, but in situations where it is not possible to use chemicals, you can use traditional methods of getting rid of parasites:

1. Impact of temperatures. In winter, you can leave your apartment with the windows open for a day to create a negative temperature in the room. In summer, bedding and items with long pile can be hung in the open sun for 2 days.
2. The smell of wormwood or tansy. In places where insects are expected to be located, you can lay out herbs, the pungent odor of which is unpleasant for fleas.
3. Treating carpets with salt. When salt comes into contact with the integumentary membrane of the parasite, it becomes dehydrated and dies. Salt must be sprinkled onto the carpet, rubbing it to the base of the pile. Leave the carpet in this form for 3 days and then vacuum it.

Treating your apartment for fleas

All measures to destroy the insect must be carried out in one day to achieve maximum effect. The key to success is proper preparation of the home for processing. The preparation process includes wet cleaning, removing food products away so that they are not exposed to chemicals.

Then it is advisable to heat treat textiles to destroy eggs and larvae. A steam generator or hot iron will do the job perfectly. You can wash things in the hot mode of the washing machine. It should be borne in mind that negative temperatures also destroy bloodsuckers. After applying insecticidal substances to all surfaces and furniture, it is advisable to avoid ventilation for several hours, and if possible, move somewhere for a couple of days or longer. Then you should clean again in order to wash away the remaining poisons.

Pets and their accessories must be treated with products widely available in pet stores: anti-flea shampoos, drops along the ridge, sprays, and at the end of the procedure, wear a special collar to protect against re-infestation. This is the only way to get rid of fleas forever. Their re-entry into the house will be prevented by preventive measures and cleanliness.

Room treatment

Concentrates have the greatest effect and are low cost. One bottle of this product is enough to treat the entire apartment. However, the drugs are very toxic and have an unpleasant odor; the procedure must be carried out with gloves and glasses, in the absence of children and animals.

The most famous con, “Taran”, “Dobrokhim”, etc.

The treatment should be carried out with the windows and doors closed; it is possible to ventilate the room 2 hours after the procedure.

The following brands are popular: “Raptor”, “Dichlorvos”, “Reid”, etc.

Powders and pencils: mainly used to remove flea larvae in places where they are most concentrated (basements, attics, cellars). They are low cost and have a good effect in getting rid of parasites.

You can purchase the following names: “Phenaxin”, “Tornado”, “Baygon”, etc.

The preparations used by the services are highly toxic, so it is better to leave home for 2-3 days during treatment, and upon return, thoroughly wash the floors and wipe all surfaces with special products.

So, if you want to find a flea habitat, look indoors. Most often this is your pet's bedding, carpets, upholstered furniture, dusty corners and secluded places behind the baseboard, and cracks in the floor. Here you can often find larvae that look like worms.

But they are infrequent guests in clothes. They settle in the closet only when the room is heavily infested with parasites. They love places from which they can quickly get to the main source of food - an animal.

With proper treatment with insecticides, fleas die in 1-2 days

It is important to start by treating the area and then treat all pets. Remember that the insecticide does not penetrate into the very depths of the carpet. But it is there that there is a cluster of eggs, larvae, and numerous pupae

A durable cocoon protects the pupae from the effects of the most powerful chemicals

But it is there that there is a cluster of eggs, larvae, and numerous pupae. A durable cocoon protects the pupae from the effects of the most powerful chemicals.

This is why it is so important to re-treat the room. It is performed a few days after the main

Causes of fleas

Pet owners don’t have a question about why fleas appeared. However, there are known cases where parasites were found in homes where there are no pets and the owners keep them clean. There are many ways to infect an apartment with these insects. The most common causes of infection are:

Pets can bring in parasites from the street

Even if there are no pets, an infestation with brown bloodsuckers can occur. The carriers may be birds that live near the ventilation openings of houses, or those that have made nests near the windows of the apartment. Regularly flying onto a balcony or windowsill, birds drop adult individuals and their eggs, which then end up in the home.

The stairwells of apartment buildings, attics, and basements are habitats for a large number of insects. Jumping over the threshold with the door open is not difficult. If the residents of the house regularly visit basements and attics, then the question of why parasites have appeared disappears by itself.

Basements are a place from which you can bring fleas into your apartment.

Types of fleas

Today, science knows almost two thousand different species of fleas. Of this diversity, nearly five hundred species are the indigenous inhabitants of our country. Of these, which is at least a little encouraging, only thirty species can live in residential premises.

Let's look at typical representatives of these parasites by type in more detail:

domestic: houses and apartments are often inhabited by such types of fleas as human, rat, mouse, dog and cat. These pests are located directly on their host, and extremely rarely get off him, and then only for a short time. Even during reproduction, they “scatter” eggs between the fur or hair of the owner; ground or dust (basement): very small, about two millimeters, bugs, which are very difficult to see. They most often become infected in premises after visiting uninhabited houses or basements, along with dust. In the house, these parasites settle in the fabric surfaces of upholstered furniture, fleecy paths and carpets, behind baseboards. What should be said is that if you do not disinfect the infected room and how often in this case, it is unlikely that you will be able to completely get rid of these pests quickly. Only for some time, since, due to the inability to jump high, these insects constantly live on the floor and live for a long time without an animal, they themselves will begin to die, and it will be possible to clean the house;

herbal: this type of flea is not a bloodsucker. They are tiny in size and another significant difference from ordinary fleas is their dark green color. These parasites live in courtyards, from where they are carried into living quarters. They are dangerous only for indoor plants, while they are not at all harmful to humans; bed or household lice: very often confused with body lice or linen lice, but the latter are larger in size.

Ways of flea infection

The carriers of these parasites are animals, and often pets. It is not necessary to be in close contact; fleas can live for a long time without food. Therefore, you should not be surprised that after a visit from friends with a cute dachshund, you will want to itch within a week. Pets become infected with them from the street, from other animals.

Cellar mice and rats are also carriers of these parasites. Residents on the first floors especially face this problem. It is not at all necessary that these rodents enter their home; fleas are so tiny that they can enter through cracks and holes.

There is another flea species that lives in the south of the central zone of the country, near reservoirs. They can ruin a vacation at sea and become “neighbors” in the homes of the local population. Insects penetrate the skin and lay larvae there, resulting in purulent abscesses and unbearable itching.

General understanding of parasites

Fleas belong to the order of blood-sucking insects. The length of their body reaches 5 mm, it consists of a chitin-covered head and a body flattened on the sides. This shape makes it easy to move around in clothes, wool and feathers.

Characteristics and types

Fleas can be found anywhere, regardless of the time of year. Their main carriers are mammals that live indoors or have a burrow. Certain types of fleas settle in nests that are empty for a long time. Fleas can be constantly present on animals whose fur is not properly treated, breeding offspring. Pests suck blood from one minute to several hours.

Parasites can survive without food for a long time (several months), after which they actively attack the victim. The jump of these bloodsuckers exceeds their body length by approximately 100 times. There are more than 2,500 varieties of fleas in the world, the most common are:

1. The most common human flea. The insect has a brown body up to 3.2 mm in length. Jump height - up to 30 cm, length - up to 50 cm. It can feed on the blood of not only humans, but also animals. A carrier of plague, it provokes the development of pulicosis.
2. Cat flea. This family can be seen on the body of all animals, as well as on humans. The pest carries various infectious diseases; its larvae usually develop in pets' bedding or in their fur.
3. Dog flea. Its habitat is the bodies of dogs, cats and people. The insect carries many parasites, including flatworms. In addition, it is considered the keeper of the pathogens of Marseilles fever, leprosy and plague.
4. The rat flea is recognized as one of the most dangerous species. Carrier of rat and mouse tapeworm, as well as plague. The brown color of the bloodsucker can have several shades from lighter to darker. Females most often lay eggs in rat nests.
5. A grass flea that lives in grass, foliage of trees or shrubs. This species differs from others in the presence of wings, but the parasite gets into the room on domestic animals.
6. Ground flea. As a rule, a colony of insects is found on the first floors, settling in cracks, under baseboards and other secluded corners.

Life cycle

The average lifespan of an average flea is 3 months. During this time, the female makes up to 100 bites and lays up to 500 eggs. Under favorable conditions, the egg develops within 2 days, after which a larva emerges. Subsequently, it goes through the following development phases:

• chrysalis;
• adult (imago).

The most suitable temperature for flea breeding varies from 18 to 25 °C with a humidity of 60%; in such conditions they breed all year round. During the cold period, bloodsuckers live without producing offspring. Flea eggs are laid in small portions. After two weeks, they hatch into larvae that look like translucent worms. They penetrate into the middle of the nest and eat rotting organic matter there, blood residues in the excrement of adults, as well as skin epithelium.

After three molts, the larva turns into a pupa, wrapping itself in a cocoon. The duration of this stage ranges from one week to several months depending on climatic conditions. After the pupa turns into a flea, it immediately looks for a host. The lifespan of a flea and its size directly depend on the temperature. The higher the air temperature, the larger the insects and the shorter their lifespan. With the onset of spring, bloodsuckers begin a full life: absorbing a lot of animal blood, they begin to actively reproduce.

Ideal conditions

For active life, fleas require fresh blood, which they suck from the body of the “host”. If it dies, the insects immediately leave the corpse. At the same time, the usual habitats of parasites in rooms are considered to be corners hidden from prying eyes, where sunlight does not penetrate. Typically these include:

• skirting boards;
• carpets;
• folds of clothing;
• old things;
• pet bedding;
• boxes with children's toys.

Parasites love to live under wooden floorboards. Favorable conditions for the life of fleas are considered to be a combination of high humidity levels and high temperatures. Each type of pest requires a specific climate that is considered optimal for normal existence:

• for chicken - humidity 75−80%, temperature +19...25 °C;
• for rats - humidity 60%, temperature +13...15 °C;
• for dogs and cats - humidity 60%, temperature +25 °C.

How long can an insect live without food?

Causes of death of fleas

Young animals that have just entered the adult stage must begin to feed within a week, otherwise they will simply die of starvation. In the most favorable climatic conditions, the individual survived for 2 weeks. It is also worth noting that insects at this stage are especially active in terms of feeding and cause much more discomfort to their host.

If the female has not previously fed on blood, then the life cycle of the newly emerged young increases noticeably - up to 30-40 days. In rooms with high humidity, this figure can approach 70 days. Similar conditions can be found in basements and attics of multi-story buildings. Whereas the parasite’s more familiar habitat – the fur of a pet and its bedding – is characterized by low humidity.

As soon as the flea finds a host, it begins to feed intensively. Literally within a day, the pest noticeably increases in size due to a good protein load. If the parasite is shed, then within 12-16 hours it loses its entire accumulated supply of proteins and decreases in size. After another 12 hours, due to lack of food, the insect may die.

If a flea has access to blood for about 2-3 hours a day, then this is considered malnutrition. For normal development, the insect needs periodic feeding.

If a flea begins to feed from its owner, then after a while it develops a kind of drug addiction to the blood. A female fertilized on a carrier raises young animals that have already been planted on animal protein.

After 5 days of feeding on blood, shed fleas quickly die: females can last about 4 days, and males only 2 days. The survival rate of the parasite outside of a pet increases noticeably if it has fed on blood for no more than 12 hours, because the threshold for drug addiction has not yet been overcome.

The main method of movement of these insects is their powerful legs, which allow them to push off strongly, moving with lightning speed to another part of the body or another host. And the answer to the question of whether fleas jump on people is quite obvious - yes.

Most of the varieties of these parasites lead a nomadic lifestyle, that is, they are not constantly located on one object. Humans serve solely as a source of food for them. Therefore, as soon as an insect gets hungry, it begins to search for food.

In this case, fleas jump on any animal or bird that is within their reach. If there are none, then people can easily replace them. This explains the cases when fleas are found in human hair or on the body. Wool and feather cover is the optimal environment for their habitat.

Objects of flea dislocation are:

• places where animals and birds are kept/resided (in wild conditions, parasites will settle in bird nests, burrows of rodents and other mammals, in domestic conditions - directly on pets’ bedding or in places where they often stay);
• basements and attics, storage rooms and other areas where there is a large accumulation of dust, as well as items with fabric upholstery (upholstered furniture, dense-pile carpets, etc.);
• animal hair.

Do people have fleas? No, they don't. They can bite a person, but permanent presence on the body is excluded. This is due to the lack of optimal conditions for their habitat, namely, extensive and dense hair where they can hide.

Pet owners who have encountered a flea problem have probably noticed that if they put a special collar on their animal, the parasites will disappear after a couple of weeks. This is explained by the fact that they spend most of their time on the animal’s body, under the fur.

Most often, insects that have settled on a pet do not react in any way to the proximity of a person, since they have an abundance of food. For the same reason, they do not leave the object of their comfortable stay. Attacks are carried out only by hungry individuals, which can be brought into the home from the street.

• the appearance of bites on your household. Unlike bedbugs, which attack humans only at night, fleas attack around the clock;
• characteristic bites. Flea parasites bite very painfully, often on the legs, while the linen louse affects the scalp and groin (you can see in the photo what a flea bite looks like on the human body here);
• flea excrement on bedding. Black sand on the sheets will indicate that a flea family has settled in your house;
• adults. At the first suspicion of parasites in the house, you should place a piece of white paper on the bed. Periodically appearing and immediately disappearing dark dots (fleas) will confirm your guesses;
• high insect activity. Fleas are very difficult to catch and destroy; they move very quickly (by jumping) from place to place, without being caught.

This phenomenon is temporary. Typically, these harmful insects prefer fluffy carpets, animal bedding, cracks in the floor and behind baseboards. It is in these places that fleas rest after a delicious meal, lay eggs and simply hide. Fleas can be attracted to the bed by unwashed linen for a long time or a poorly ventilated bed with accumulated dust in all the cracks, since moist heat and dirt are ideally comfortable living conditions for little bloodsuckers.

Methods for eliminating fleas in animals

Pets must be treated first. There are many means for these purposes.

Special shampoos. The product is applied to the pet’s fur while bathing, after 3-5 minutes it is washed off with clean water, then the animal must be thoroughly combed.

Sprays and drops are very effective in controlling fleas. The drops should be applied to the animal's skin along the ridge to prevent the drug from being licked off. The spray is applied to the entire coat by spraying.

Anti-flea collars are used not only to get rid of parasites, but also as a preventive measure. Biological or chemical flea collars for dogs and cats can be purchased at veterinary clinics or pharmacies.

Prevention

To prevent the appearance of insects in the house, you need to follow several recommendations below:

• when going to the forest, wear closed clothing;
• avoid places with unsanitary conditions;
• regularly bathe pets with specialized shampoos, gels, and wear flea collars;
• wash floors several times a month with a chlorinated compound;
• Carry out a complete treatment of the home 2 times a year;
• do not throw away the citrus peel, but spread it on windowsills and corners (remove after 3-4 days);
• vacuum every 2-3 days;
• If possible, contact with stray cats and dogs should be avoided.

If fleas appear in the apartment, you need to use chemicals with a quick effect. They multiply very quickly, so there is not a minute to waste, especially if there are small children in the house. In advanced cases, only professional exterminators can fix the problem. This treatment will take them no more than 3 hours, and the effect can last from 6-12 months. Insecticides kill everything: adults, pupae, larvae, eggs.

How to detect indoor fleas

To understand that fleas have appeared in the house, it is enough to carefully inspect it. The first thing you need to do is check your pet hair.

It needs to be pulled apart with your fingers, paying special attention to the neck, head and belly of the animal. Rapidly moving blackheads are parasites

You can place your cat or dog on a light surface, such as paper, and brush them. Fallen insects will be immediately visible against a light background.

Upholstered furniture often becomes a habitat for parasites, so you can place paper near sofas and armchairs. You will see them on sheets of white paper as they move around the house. If there are too many insects, you can see their accumulations in baseboards or cracks.

indoor flea

Bites on the body of humans or animals can also be a sign of the appearance of bloodsuckers. Animals are the first to react - they constantly itch, get nervous, and sometimes the pet stops eating.

Bloodsucking bites are similar to mosquito bites or bedbug bites. However, fleas, unlike bedbugs, are active not only at night, but also during the day. Usually they begin to “feast” on a person where the skin is thin - the armpits, the top of the foot, the area under the knees.

It is more difficult to detect eggs or larvae of pests. Usually they are found in the same place as adult individuals - in the fur of pets, in their bedding, in carpets, in the folds of upholstered furniture, etc.

Appearance and life cycle

The length of the insects does not exceed 2 mm, the color varies from amber to dark brown and black. The body of the individuals is flattened, covered with villi, allowing it to cling to surfaces; the abdomen is large relative to the rest of the body. The insect has three pairs of legs. A distinctive feature is the back pair of legs, which allows you to make long jumps, many times greater than the length of the body. Thanks to this, the pest is almost impossible to catch.

House flea larva

The female does not lay eggs in a specific place, but pushes them out of her body in a jump, thus distributing eggs and larvae throughout the house.

Black fleas are insects with an incomplete metamorphosis cycle, that is, eggs produce larvae, which then turn into adults by molting.

Habitats in the apartment

Ideal conditions for parasites to live are humidity, darkness and musty air. They usually settle in secluded places where they are difficult to detect - in baseboards, in cracks on the floor, in crevices, near sinks and showers. Blood-sucking insects can often be found in animal bedding, carpet pile, joints and folds of upholstered furniture, and soft toys.

Life on media

If there is an owner, the insect's quality of life is noticeably higher, especially if the pet does not take care of itself. Experiments have shown that the survival rate of fleas in an apartment that parasitize cats is about 90% for males and 94% for females.

If you do not carry out preventive measures for your pet, the number of pests will gradually increase. Females lay eggs and the individuals cleaned by the animal are replaced by young animals. On average, fleas live in an apartment on cats and dogs for about 20-40 days.

Causes of death of fleas

Under natural conditions, a good half of the pests die as a result of the owner’s hygiene procedures. Unlike incoming parasites, such as mosquitoes, fleas do not leave after receiving the required dose of blood.

The hygienic instincts of animals acquired as a result of evolution are the main cause of death in fleas. At the same time, the thick fur of cats and dogs is a natural protection for the insect from external factors.

In a week, a pet gets rid of approximately half of the pests living on it, which is about 5-10 fleas per day. In laboratory measurements, animals cleared about 40% of males and 20% of females.

In about three weeks, the cat gets rid of almost 90% of parasites. The remaining individuals who managed to escape the purge can be called long-livers. There have been recorded cases where parasites lasted on a pet for more than 60 days.

For a full-fledged existence, an insect needs a host. If an adult somehow got into a living space where there are no cats, dogs or birds, then the flea can parasitize a person for some time. In the absence of at least some source of food, the pest lives behind the baseboard, window sill, under furniture, or climbs into the cracks between building panels: where there is high humidity.

Means for killing fleas and their larvae

What to do if there are fleas at home? Immediately begin disinfection and eliminate the source of infection. Effective means for destroying parasites and their larvae:

• Such drugs as “Executioner”, “Tetrix” and “Kombat” have proven themselves well. In the form of a spray, the Raptor aerosol is effective.
• Microscopic capsules of insecticides “Dana” and “Get” are safe for pets, as they are odorless and have a low hazard class when used in enclosed spaces.
• At the beginning of the invasion, ordinary Dichlorvos can cope with the problem; now there are odorless sprays. But they are still toxic.
• The Butox solution has a good effect - one ampoule per five liters of water. The floors must be washed with the solution three times, at intervals of 24 hours. After a week, spray the floors with a more concentrated solution - one ampoule per liter of water. The drug can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy.
• Proven folk remedies do not have exquisite aromas, but they act effectively and reliably - kerosene, vinegar and turpentine kill parasites instantly.

To prevent insects from appearing in the apartment, especially if you keep pets, it is important to carry out preventive disinfection. Tansy or wormwood, laid out on the threshold and in the corners, will repel fleas, but will not be able to effectively fight these insects. Tips to help fight fleas in your apartment:

Tips to help fight fleas in your apartment:

Why are bed fleas dangerous? What do their bites look like?

The symptoms of a flea bite are quite specific, they are difficult to confuse with any skin damage:

• painful red swellings with a dark puncture point in the middle;
• allergic rash reaction to bites, itching (you will learn how to deal with such itching here);
• multiplicity of damage. On a sleeping person, a flea can calmly feed on itself for a long time and leave several bites close to each other (but not in the form of a path, as, for example, with bedbugs).

In addition to severe allergic reactions (most often children with their thin and delicate skin are susceptible to them), fleas can cause nervous system disorders in humans. In addition, fleas are carriers of serious infectious diseases (more than 200 species, many are fatal) and worm eggs (constant contact with animals).

We talk more about the danger that fleas pose to humans in this material, and you will learn about the danger of a flea bite for a child here.

Externally, the bite site looks like this: a red spot with small indurations and pronounced swelling. Most often the legs and feet are damaged. The back, stomach and arms are subject to flea attacks provided they get on clothing. In this case, it is necessary to remove the items and send them to the wash with aggressive detergents.

Treatment boils down to relieving itching, swelling, and disinfecting the damaged area. It is necessary to wash with laundry or antibacterial soap, apply something cold, and apply an antiseptic. To prevent infection, treat with hydrogen peroxide, iodine, and alcohol solution.

Pharmacy products

• Hydrocortisone ointment. It is a potent hormonal drug. It will help get rid of severe swelling and itching. Use in urgent need or if there is nothing else at hand;
• Levomekol. Prescribed for the disinfection of purulent wounds;
• Fenistil-Gel. A universal remedy helps soothe itching and relieve inflammation;
• Boro-plus. The most affordable and safe cream. Use for inflammation, irritation, pustules.

In the absence of severe allergic manifestations, treatment at home is allowed. There are no special creams and ointments for flea bites in the pharmacy, but you can always use the above.

Folk remedies

• Mix water and 9% vinegar in equal proportions;
• Take 1 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate per glass of water. Use as compresses. For greater convenience, it is better to prepare a mushy mixture;
• Lotions based on agave juice, green tea, and marigolds will relieve itching and disinfect the bite site.

In addition, it is imperative to disinfect the entire apartment with special concentrated solutions, powders, and aerosols. This also applies to things, bedding, and upholstered furniture. Such cleaning should be carried out from the moment fleas are discovered. If there are a lot of them, then you should contact a specialized service.

Can they live in an apartment without animals?

To fully answer the question of whether fleas can live in an apartment without animals, it is necessary to consider the features of the insects’ life cycle. The optimal conditions for their full development are the following: constant temperature maintenance within 21 - 23 degrees, humidity - about 80%.

A particularly important factor for adult parasites and their larvae is the presence of a constant source of food. The absence leads to a slowdown in the development of the nymph and the absence of the ability to reproduce in the adult. In the absence of food, the life expectancy of the parasite increases.

How long do fleas live without food?

Fleas can go without food for about 2-3 months; their bodies are adapted to living in unfavorable conditions and the absence of a food source. But fleas cannot go on without food indefinitely, because they need fresh blood to reproduce and lay eggs.

When leaving the apartment with your pet for a long time, you should not expect that the fleas will die without the animal; they will definitely wait for the cat or dog to arrive and bite them. A peculiarity of country fleas and other types of fleas is their ability to sometimes feed on the blood of rats and mice, so they can wait for a long time for the owner with their pet.

What are fleas afraid of?

The greatest danger to insects comes from substances that act to destabilize the nervous system. Fleas, like many other insects, are afraid of smells. In other words, insecticidal agents force them to leave their owner, no longer jumping on him. Insecticidal agents develop paralysis, which leads to a stop in the movement of plasma in the body, resulting in death.

These parasites are also afraid of the cold; they cannot reproduce at -10 degrees. Often in winter, bird sheds freeze out. Water is a dangerous environment for insects. Therefore, frequent baths for animals reduces the number of animals in the household.

Insects do not perceive strong odors. Apartment renovations using paints, varnish, solvents, cement and putty cause insects to migrate.

There are plants in nature that also repel them:

• sagebrush;
• walnut oils, camphor, aloe;
• spruce, pine, juniper;
• eucalyptus;
• tansy;
• carnation;
• thyme;
• Ants attack flea larvae and are therefore considered their potential enemies.

Can fleas live in clothes and in the sofa?

At first glance, it may seem that the “flea army” lives on animal hosts, but this is not so. Parasites need a quieter place to live and reproduce. That's why they live on a pet's bedding, under linoleum, behind baseboards, in carpets, upholstered furniture, plush toys, and in bed. People often ask the question: “Can fleas live in a sofa?” - and receive an affirmative answer: “Yes!” They may also get into clothing or clutter.

Life cycle and reproduction of fleas

A female flea can lay up to 10 eggs per day, which she shoots in her fur onto the skin without attaching them to anything. They are very small, about 0.5 mm, white, visually similar to semolina groats. You can see what flea eggs look like in cats in the photo below.

Reproduction of fleas and their eggs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMwipC0bSLU

The eggs easily slide off the fur, onto the floor or into the grass outside when walking. The flea larvae in cats that hatch after 14 days look like small dark worms that lack legs and eyes. The size of the larvae can reach 6 mm with a thickness of about 1 mm. They feed on organic waste or blood particles from flea feces.

Habitats for flea larvae: dust on the floor, carpets and furniture, various fleecy fabrics, ceiling cracks. Therefore, regular cleaning of the house with a vacuum cleaner will help greatly reduce the number of larvae and fleas in the apartment.

After a certain time, the larva pupates, and an adult insect emerges from the pupa and begins to look for its future owner.

Fleas reproduce under certain conditions. The male has testes ending in a genital claw. The female has one or two pairs of ovaries, connecting at the uterus, from which comes the spermatic receptacle. In order for the process of moving seeds into the female’s body to begin, she has to climb onto the male and retract the sex claw into her sperm receptacle.

Let's look at the stages of flea development step by step:

1. The appearance of eggs;
2. Larva;
3. Pupae;
4. Imago.

The appearance of eggs

Flea eggs

This is the first stage of flea development, during which insects reproduce with eggs. After the mating process, the insect is fertilized and is able to lay eggs. Their size is very small. When viewed through a magnifying glass, they resemble grains of rice. If the parasite population is very high, you can see eggs simply falling off the animal's fur.

Flea eggs, due to their small size, can end up on the bed, in the fibers of the carpet, or in genital crevices. Under such conditions, the reproductive process intensifies, the female can lay many eggs, and they are distributed in large quantities throughout the apartment. They can maintain their viability in an unfavorable environment for several weeks.

In the insect’s body, the eggs mature one by one, with an average of up to 15 eggs. This happens immediately after feeding. Moreover, this can happen anywhere, even in the fur of an animal. The flea simply shoots the eggs so that they can scatter at a distance from each other. This allows them to not have to fight for food.

Larvae

Flea larvae

In appearance, flea larvae resemble white worms, about 1 mm long. There are fine hairs on their body. The larvae are able to move quickly. They grow, and during the entire stage of their development they molt 3 times and reach a size of up to 6 mm. They can feed on organic materials located near them or on their body.

If the larvae have normal food, in sufficient quantity, after a couple of weeks each of them is sealed into a cocoon, from which a flea will subsequently emerge.

What do house fleas look like?

You need to know your enemies by sight) Before you think about how to remove fleas, you first need to make sure that it is they who are bothering you . Whatever fleas attack you (rat, cat, dog or others), they are all about the same.

You can see in the photo what a flea looks like close up . The body is very strongly flattened laterally. On the small head there are small antennae and a pair of eyes. All legs of the parasite are highly developed. Especially the last legs. They perform a jumping function. This is clearly visible in the flea photo.

Life-size - these are most often small (about 1-3 mm), shiny, jumping “dots” . Although the color can range from yellow to brown, and the size can reach up to 5 mm. It all depends on the type and degree of maturity of the insect. They don't know how to fly. Therefore, if you see them, there is a chance to catch them with your hands. They do not run away much from the approach of a human hand. Although skill may be needed.

If such a captive is placed in a container of water, it will be very clearly visible that she is “jerking” with her paws. Fleas don't die in water, but they can't get out either . They float on the surface. Therefore, they can be examined in this way without fear that they will disappear again in an unknown direction.

Since these insects are very flat on the sides , it is almost impossible to crush them. And you shouldn't try to do this. It is better to kill fleas in large quantities . But if you catch one or two and place them in water, then pour the liquid along with the insects down the drain. Of course, getting rid of fleas in this way will not affect the overall number of parasites. But don’t let them go free...

How to find a flea nest at home?

Finding where fleas are hiding can be quite difficult. Firstly, because if there are parasites in the house, they very quickly disperse throughout all the rooms. Secondly, the parasites are very small, jump well and prefer secluded places, so it is quite difficult to notice them.

Of course, the first thing you need to do is examine your pet; perhaps fleas are hiding in its thick fur. But if parasites are found on a dog or cat, you should not calm down. This is definitely not the only place where fleas have settled, so we need to continue the search.

The most likely places where you can find insects in an apartment:

• carpets, bedding;
• cracks and crevices in the floor, walls;
• soft toys, upholstered furniture;
• behind the baseboards;
• behind peeling wallpaper or peeling wall panels.

When starting your search, you need to take into account that fleas can live in absolutely all areas of the apartment, be it the bathroom or the bedroom.

What do fleas eat?

Fleas are blood-sucking parasites. First of all, they prefer to feed on the blood of animals with thick hair - dogs, cats, rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice and other domestic and wild animals.

Despite the fact that fleas are divided by type depending on their food source (for example, cat fleas, dog fleas), all fleas bite people. During a bite, saliva is injected into the wound, which contains an analgesic substance, which prevents the immediate detection of the bite, but later irritation and itching appear.

Adults detect their victims by movement, vibrations and respiration (changes in heat and humidity in the air).

Fleas in a dog's fur

Linen flea

This is a collective concept. This type includes all fleas that can hide in bedding. Often, linen parasites are fleas from pets or humans that breed and live in beds or furniture. Linen fleas enter the room through animals, on outer clothing, from neighbors, through open doors.

Activity of linen parasites is observed day and night. Usually exposed areas of the body are attacked (back, stomach, legs, arms, etc.). A flea differs from a bug in that it bites at any time of the day, jumps very far, and is red or brown-black in color.

The main factors influencing the lifespan of fleas

The main factors that determine how long fleas live are the following:

• temperature;
• humidity;
• food base;
• influence of insecticides;
• diseases and parasites.

How long a flea can live depends on the availability of blood, as well as the temperature and humidity of the environment. Seasonal fluctuations in the number of these insects are associated solely with these factors. Illumination and daylight hours do not have any effect on the size of the flea population.

The lifespan of fleas is also affected by their diseases and parasites. Among them are ants, parasitic mites, as well as various microorganisms - fungi, bacteria and viruses and roundworms - nematodes.

One of the natural enemies of fleas in apartments is red pharaoh ants. They effectively hunt flea larvae and quickly remove them from the premises.

Treatment of habitats with systemic insecticides can destroy larvae and slow down the hatching of eggs. In addition, pupae that are resistant to chemical influences react by slowing down their metabolism, resulting in adults being born 2-6 months later than usual. The larvae quickly die under the influence of toxic substances.

Low temperature has a similar effect on fleas. At -10°C these insects are unable to reproduce, and -15°C kills adult insects. The larvae die already at +10°C.

The upper temperature limit for pot life is +45°C. At higher temperatures these insects die. Therefore, they do not occur in rooms that are treated with steam generators and fan heaters.