Watch Out! They’re Waiting for You

Have you been away from home for a couple of weeks? Watch out! Fleas may be the first to greet you when you return.

Your home may have been empty of family and pets for your period away but if you left fleas behind, they will be waiting for you to return and they will be hungry. You may not even be aware there were fleas in the house when you left, they could have been in the non-biting egg or larval stages. During your holiday the larvae will have been feeding on the dust and detritus in carpets and will have pupated, ready to emerge as a biting adult as soon as they detect a suitable blood food source; you or your pets. When you open the door the vibrations from your walking, the heat of your bodies and the CO₂ from your breath are detected and the fleas hatch out from their pupae, hop onto you and your pets and take a feed of blood.

Even if you don’t have pets, fleas could have been brought to your home by visiting animals; e.g. cats sleeping under the house or birds in the roof void.

If you think fleas may be lying in wait for you, you could do as I used to do before entering vacated flea infested homes, tuck my trousers down my socks and spray the lower legs of my overalls with repellent insecticide.

If you find you and your family are attacked and bitten by fleas on return from holiday, follow the 1-2-3 Flea Control Programme. And before you go on your next holiday be prepared and follow the 6 Things to Do Before You Go on Holiday.

David Brittain
Kiwicare