Description
Color-Dark, Reddish Brown, Size-1/2-1/6 inches, Shape-Flat, Legs-Six, Antennae-Yes, and Flying-No.
Habits
Fleas are attracted to animals by body heat, movement and the carbon dioxide that animals exhale.
Habitat
Fleas start in the spring time and increase in numbers during the summer. Fleas will start to decrease in the cooler to winter months, but pets usually harbor small population during these seasons.
Threats
Fleas have been reported to infect humans with plague, murine typhus, and certain tapeworms. They also transmit other important pathogens and parasites of humans and pets. Their saliva has recently been determined to cause serious Flea Allergy Dermatitis in pets and their debris has been reported to cause similar allergic reactions in humans. Large populations of fleas can contribute to serious discomfort, can contribute to secondary infection due to their hosts’ scratching bitten sites, and their feeding may contribute to, or even cause, serious anemia in young or small host animals.
Prevention
A regiment of cleaning animal areas, such as: washing bedding in hot water, thorough sanitation improvements, and to restrict the pets movement to mostly interior. Also floors should be vacuumed and the bag or canister content should be discarded outside. Other control measures include drops or pills administered to the animal. Flea collars are also commonly used with varying degrees of success. These steps require the participation of the owner and define an integrated approach to flea management.
Source: https://www.pestworld.org/