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Fleas are especially prevalent in the New Jersey
area in the months of June through October, but they
can persist indoors especially if there is a host
for fleas to feed upon. Adult Fleas are insects that
are a dark shinny brownish color, about 1/16 to 1/8
of an inch long, that are sort of flattened
laterally, wingless, and with hard bodies that make
them very difficult to crush. Fleas have only rear
legs that are very large for its size. It allows the
Flea to jump great distances for its tiny size. A
Flea can travel anywhere from a distance from seven
to thirteen inches in one jump. Fleas primarily feed
by sucking the blood of animals with its specialized
piercing mouthparts, which makes them parasitic
insects and therefore harmful and disease carriers.
Outdoors Fleas host on rats, mice, squirrels,
chipmunks, raccoons, foxes and other warm blooded
animals. A flea lays about 20 eggs per day, in the
out of doors in sandy soil. When the larvae mature
they remain in a cocoon until they detect vibration
or pressure and jump onto their new host.
It is when Fleas invade the environment of people
and pets are when the issue becomes more serious.
Fleas are not only a nuisance to people and pets
causing allergic dermatitis, resulting in secondary
infections, and in some cases anemia. Fleas also
carry Tapeworms that can infest dogs and cats and in
some cases have appeared in young children. It is
known that Fleas transmit diseases from
rodents/rats. It was the Flea that was responsible
for transmitting the Plague from rodent to rodent
and then rodent to people that killed 10 million
people in Europe in the Middle Ages and another 10
million in India in the 1890s. Although Fleas are
considered by most as just a pest to Dogs and Cats,
Fleas bite people as well and often. They are much
more than an annoyance but can pose a serious health
risk to people and pets. |
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