Fleas & Cockroaches

FLEAS

Ever wonder how or why fleas frequently emerge seemingly out of nowhere?

The reasons for the sudden emergence of fleas in the dead of winter are determined by the unique life cycle of the flea. Fleas undergo a complete metamorphosis. They go from egg to larvae, to pupae or cocoon before becoming adults. This maturation process from egg to adult can occur in as little as 23 days or take up to a year. The flea life cycle begins when the female lays eggs after feeding. Adult fleas must feed on blood before they are capable of reproduction.

The eggs are usually deposited on the host animal which can be any warm-blooded mammal, including humans. The female flea bites the host animal and takes a blood meal. This blood meal is deposited on the host animal as fecal material. Eggs and fecal matter are easily dislodged from the host animal, where they spend the majority of their time.

The eggs hatch in as little as two days but last up to two weeks as larvae. Larvae must eat the dried blood to survive. The larvae go through several molts or instars and become pupae. Larvae will become pupae in as little as a week or may take up to several months. In the pupae stage, the adult flea will lie in wait until conditions are just right. Adult fleas like vibration and movement. They also need a warm environment (70- 85 degrees F) with humidity of around 70% before they will emerge.

As one can see, fleas must have several conditions for them to be successful. They need a host animal, eggs, fecal material, a place to grow such as your carpet, and the correct environmental conditions. Disruption of any one of these conditions can be the demise of fleas in your own personal space. Simple vacuuming on a regular basis can remove fecal material and eggs and limit the flea population in your home.

COCKROACHES

GERMAN COCKROACH

Because of their habit of infesting kitchens, the German cockroach is commonly called the kitchen roach. The adult is a little over ½ inch in length, light brown in color, and has 2 stripes running down its back. German roaches don’t need a lot of food so even the cleanest environments can become infested. They like to hang around in warm, moist places such as refrigerator motors and wall voids near a food source. German roaches used to be extremely difficult to control. But baits and growth regulators have made controlling them much more effective in the last couple of decades.

ORIENTAL COCKROACH

Oriental roaches tend to be about an inch in length and dark brown to black in color. They mainly like to nest outdoors in loose soil or cracks in the concrete and are usually seen at night. These roaches also infest sewer lines and are notorious for coming up through floor drains and getting into homes or businesses.

AMERICAN COCKROACH

American roaches are the largest roaches we deal with. The adults can grow to nearly 2 inches in length. They are light brown or rusty red in color and have a wing structure that covers their entire body. Characterized by their speed, they are one of the fastest roaches on the planet. They will mainly live outside feeding on vegetable matter. They like the cracks and crevices around the perimeter of a structure and it is very common to find them in subareas and basements.

BROWN-BANDED COCKROACH

Brown-banded roaches are about 5/8 inch in length, light brown in color with 2 distinctive light color bands running across their backs. These roaches live primarily indoors and require less moisture than German roaches. They can be found in drier areas of a home.