Winter is upon us, and your dog looks at you, pants, and scratches behind his collar. Again. When you inspect him by gently parting the skin on his neck, you see tiny black specks and a flea quickly crawling out of reach. How did this happen? Aren’t fleas supposed to be summer pests? Your West Des Moines pest control specialists are here to answer those questions and more concerning winter flea problems with your pets. 

Fleas in winter

Female fleas can lay up to 10,000 eggs in 30 days after feeding. If the eggs are laid outside, chances are pretty good they will perish after a few below-freezing days in a row. However, any female fleas laying eggs on your pet while it is inside can carry on with her family throughout the winter. 

Eggs often end up in the carpet, in your pet’s bedding, along baseboards, and in corners. Over the winter, the eggs pupate, often remaining in this limbo state for as long as 30 weeks, which would give them a hatch date around summertime. 

If your home had fleas this spring, those pupae may be entering the adult stage during the winter, which would mean a winter flea infestation for your home. The temperatures we consider ideal – 70°-75° – and a humidity level around 70% are also the ultimate conditions for fleas. 

Prevent flea infestations

The ultimate prevention from a flea infestation is to keep fleas outside the home. Treat your pets with a quality flea shampoo when you wash them, clean their bedding frequently, and wash any area thoroughly if you see evidence of fleas, flea excrement, or larvae. Be sure to vacuum and sweep daily any time you notice fleas in your home. If your vacuum has a standard bag, take the bag to an outside trash receptacle since fleas can survive inside a vacuum cleaner as well as they can in your carpet. Your veterinarian will recommend flea medication year-round for your pets to quell any infestations. 

Any time you see evidence of fleas, the ultimate line of defense is contacting a professional exterminator such as Pro-Staff. Their team readily recognizes likely areas where fleas will congregate, and can set up defenses for those areas as well as your home’s interior. 

Outside your home, Pro-Staff’s specialized methods of pest protection can keep fleas out of your home throughout the year. A yearly contract with Pro-Staff guarantees the absence of almost all pests, and we will keep your home as pest-free as possible. 

Your West Des Moines pest control specialists are ready to solve your pest problems. Call us today at 515-279-7378 or contact us online to schedule your annual inspection and pest control.