Grass fleas are insects that belong to the mite family and cause great inconvenience when they breed in an apartment. Typically, the appearance of adults and larvae is very different, so those who are faced with such a problem do not immediately understand what measures should be taken.
grass flea
Such uninvited guests can ruin a good mood with just their appearance, but you need to find the strength in yourself to immediately start fighting fleas of the Psyilidae family, because they have the unpleasant feature of multiplying quickly. Now there are many means that allow you to quickly remove insects from your apartment.
Experts identify the stages of development of grass fleas:
- larva;
- nymph;
- adult.
Important! Grass fleas emerge from hibernation in April and bother gardeners until the end of summer. There are times when females lay eggs before hibernation and the pest cycle will start again.
Leaf flea nymph
Features of the view
Grass fleas are easily confused with those parasites that appear in animals. They are dark brown, almost black in color and small in size. The length of the body of an adult does not exceed 3 mm. The Latin name of this species is Psyilidae. They belong to the family Hemiptera. The grass fleas in the photo are very similar to the common black cat fleas that are found on cats.
Important!
This type of parasite is distributed almost throughout the planet.
The grass flea has 2 wings on its back. The insect has two pairs of short legs. The rear ones are designed for powerful jumps. Parasites can safely jump to a height of up to 0.4 meters. The existing claws on the paws help the flea to securely attach to the animal’s body and move calmly.
Grass fleas
There are 3 stages of the flea life cycle:
- Larva.
- Nymph.
- Adult.
Unlike garden pests, psyllids, which feed on plant sap, use human or domestic animal blood as a food source. The most popular habitat is tall grass and upper layers of soil.
Reviews and comments
0 Vasily 02/27/2017 19:00 Such fleas are a disaster for residents.
It is impossible to walk around the apartment barefoot. My legs are all bitten and itchy. It is necessary to vacuum all the rooms and the corridor. Fleas lay eggs on carpets and walkways. You also need to vacuum the baseboards well - they lay eggs there too. We did not use wormwood, because... We have allergies. You can clean the premises with chemicals, but you need to remember that you must also go out, pick up your pets and close all the windows. In two hours you can already return. And if someone in your house is sick (bedridden patient), or you yourself cannot leave the house, then, of course, it is best to use an electronic repeller. It is environmentally friendly, but more expensive than chemicals. Quote
Where do they come from in the house?
The colonization of a home by grass fleas can occur for several reasons. The first and main thing is the introduction of parasites by a pet. After a brisk walk through tall grass, an animal can bring not only ticks, but also fleas on its fur.
Individuals can enter a room and on a person’s clothing, especially after walking in forests with tall grass. Penetration of parasites into a home is also possible due to their migration:
- from neighbors;
- from the entrance;
- from the basement;
- from the attic.
In the house, the grass flea chooses the most hidden place, where high humidity, a large amount of dust and a minimum amount of light are provided:
- bookshelves;
- baseboards;
- parquet;
- Stuffed Toys.
Interesting!
A human apartment is the optimal habitat for 30 species of fleas.
Ignoring the problem of fleas in your home will lead to their rapid spread and serious discomfort.
Electromagnetic repellers
The operation of the devices is based on the action of electromagnetic pulses transmitted through electrical wires and creating unfavorable living conditions for pests. The pulses affect the nervous system of fleas, but are safe for humans, cats and dogs. The advantages of electromagnetic repellers are environmental friendliness, continuous operation, and a large affected area.
How to choose an effective one
In order for the device to cope with the task, you need to know the dimensions of the room or outbuilding where it will be used. This can only be achieved if the declared power of the device fully corresponds to the area of the room.
In rooms where there is no electrical wiring around the perimeter of the walls, it is better to use ultrasonic or combined devices. It is not recommended to use electromagnetic, ultrasonic and combined repellent devices if there are decorative rodents in the house: rats, hamsters, guinea pigs.
Review of the most popular
Devices from popular brands will help you avoid unwanted encounters with fleas, other insects and small rodents:
- 4 in 1 EcoSniper UP-116T. Cope with fleas, cockroaches, ants, bedbugs, mice. Can be used in residential, public, utility and warehouse premises. The work is based on 2 technologies for combating parasites, electromagnetic and ultrasonic. The repeller is equipped with a built-in ionizer cleaner. The device operates on an area of up to 300 square meters. m, operates from a 220 V network.
- AN-A620. Suitable for any type of premises with a total area of up to 230 square meters. m.
- Riddex Plus Pest Repeller (Riddex Plus). Effective on fleas and other household pests. It works on the basis of electromagnetic pulses and ultrasound. The affected area is up to 200 square meters. m.
- Pest Reject NEW (Pest Ridgest). Covers 100 sq. m, can be used in any room, operates from a stationary outlet at temperatures from 0 to +40°C.
What is the danger of having a parasite in your home?
Grass flea bites
Forest fleas or grass fleas pose a danger to all residents of the house. They pose a particular threat to young children, although pets can also be targeted. A flea bite is characterized by the appearance on the human body of a small damage to the skin with a large lesion. The radius of the lesion depends on the special enzyme that the insect injects during the bite, as well as the degree of the allergic reaction in response to its entry into the human body.
The parasite chooses to bite where the skin is most delicate and thin. A slightly developed oral apparatus will not allow the insect to pierce the dense layer of skin.
Interesting!
One act of blood sucking can last about 20 minutes.
The greatest danger from the appearance of grass fleas is the spread of dangerous infections, as well as helminths.
How to numb the bite site
Help for flea bites
If you find large red spots on your body, you should not hesitate. The poison that the flea uses is a strong allergen and for a weakened body this can have very disastrous consequences.
Procedure after a bite:
- Treat affected skin areas with running water and soap.
- Cooling with ice.
- Blot the skin area and apply an anesthetic cream based on medicinal herbs
If the fight using this method does not result in relief of the condition and the lesion only increases, then we can talk about the development of an infectious process in the body. Urgent contact with specialists is required.
The use of folk remedies in the fight
The insect spreads quickly indoors. Each adult is capable of laying approximately 500 eggs in its entire life. The fight against fleas should begin at the first sign of their appearance in the house.
The most developed sense of the grass flea is smell. It is on this principle that almost all folk methods of dealing with an unwanted neighbor are based.
Traditional methods of combating grass fleas
The most effective ways to get rid of grass fleas in the house:
- Sagebrush. The strong specific odor is extremely difficult for this type of parasite to tolerate. It is necessary to place branches of freshly picked plants around the perimeter of the room. After drying, they need to be replaced with fresh ones. In the same way you can use tansy, pine needles and wild rosemary.
- Table salt. This simple element is found in every home. With prolonged contact with an insect, salt can destroy its shell, thereby leading to death. It is necessary to sprinkle salt on the floor, baseboard, and other surfaces in the house at a height of up to 1 m.
- Vinegar. Soak a small piece of cloth in 9-5% vinegar and treat all surfaces in the house.
- Flea traps can reduce the number of parasites.
Natural enemies of fleas
In nature, the enemies of fleas are some living organisms that parasitize their body and pose a danger to life. Therefore, insects avoid such pests in their natural habitat.
In apartments, fleas are not friends with domestic red ants (pharaoh ants). They absolutely cannot stand and are afraid of such a neighborhood. Ants attack eggs, larvae and adults.
Fleas also suffer from fungal microorganisms.
Application of insecticides
Chemicals will help get rid of fleas quickly. Effective products are presented in the form of dusts (effective against larvae), aerosols or sprays: Combat, Raptor, Dichlorvos, Raid, Clean House.
Concentrated products are popular: Butox, Deltsid, Get, Executioner.
Smoke bombs and fumigators are also used to treat premises, the most effective of which is the Raptor aquafumigator.
In the future, to avoid recurrence of the appearance of the insect, you should follow simple rules of prevention:
- Regularly treat your pet with special anti-flea products. The drug can be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy.
- Avoid accumulation of debris.
- Cleaning at least once a week using special products.
If traditional methods of getting rid of them turn out to be ineffective, in this case you will have to resort to the help of specialists who, with the help of insecticidal preparations and equipment, will quickly and effectively rid the room of grass fleas and other parasites.
Preparing for home treatment
In order for disinfestation to be as effective as possible, it is necessary to clean the living space and prepare it as much as possible. Before treatment, children and animals must be removed from the house.
You also need to place personal belongings, children's toys, and personal hygiene items in closets. Before eradicating earth fleas from the house, you should cover furniture, household appliances, and paintings with film. Dishes and food must be put in the refrigerator or cabinets.
Furniture should be moved away from the walls, which will allow you to treat hard-to-reach places. Bedding should be boiled and then ironed.
The procedure to help get rid of basement fleas involves the use of chemicals.
Therefore, before carrying out the treatment, you must wear a special protective suit, gloves, headscarf, and goggles.
