The flea family is not so small; researchers number about several thousand species in total. However, not all of these insects can be blood-sucking and not all can live in houses where people live. Earth fleas are just one of the representatives of relatively harmless insects that do not feed on human blood, but can still appear in the house. To understand what the possible harm is, whether the appearance of uninvited guests poses a danger to the health of people and animals, and also how to get rid of earthen fleas, you need to get to know this species in more detail.
- What is an earthen flea
- What danger does it pose to people: bites and consequences Why fleas do not bite everyone
- Photos and symptoms of bites
- What to do if you find bites
- Xulat Micro
- Effective herbs and citrus fruits
- Averfos
What do earth fleas look like and why are they dangerous?
Ground fleas (insect killers can be found through disinfection services) got their name from the lifestyle they lead. When cold weather sets in, parasites burrow underground and lay eggs there. With the onset of spring and warmth, insects are born.
It is difficult to see earth fleas: they are the size of a grain of sand (2-3 mm).
Insects have the ability to jump up to 0.5 m in height, and also:
- have a rounded and laterally compressed shape of a dark color;
- have bristles all over the body, which provide the flea with tenacity to the surfaces of objects;
- live up to 2 years, capable of producing offspring of about 500 insects during their lifetime.
From wintering and breeding sites, fleas are able to penetrate into human housing:
- on the fur of pets;
- on building materials for repairs and furniture;
- through clothes;
- from the basements. Dampness makes the premises comfortable for fleas to live in.
Life cycle of the earthen flea.
Earth flea bites cause pain, redness of the skin and unbearable itching, and getting an insect under the skin can cause tissue inflammation. After the eggs mature, she climbs out along with the offspring. Parasite bites often lead to allergy attacks in humans and death in animals if they are weak and small.
To reduce pain, you need to take the following steps:
- Wash the wound with laundry soap.
- Disinfect with antiseptics.
- Take antihistamines in case of an allergic reaction.
- Lubricate the affected area with a special ointment against insect bites (Dexpanthenol, Sinaflan).
Particular attention should be paid to the well-being of the bitten child. Their skin is thin and the poison can spread very quickly. If you react to a bite in a timely manner, the pain will go away. If the temperature rises sharply or a headache occurs, you should immediately go to the hospital.
What danger does it pose to people: bites and consequences
Most often, such insects live in the ground, in the soil or on various leafy plants. They do not pose a direct danger to human health, but they can carry various bacteria, viruses and microbes on their paws. Most of all, they harm crops, seedlings grown on a windowsill or indoor flowers.
In residential premises where people live, they can often be seen in private houses, cottages, and country houses. Most rarely - in apartments, and even then, they usually breed in old apartment buildings.
They enter the premises riding on pets, or along with bags, vegetables brought from the market, soil for planting flowers in pots, and also from dirty basements. As soon as these “guests” appear in the house, they immediately begin to settle in carpets, paths, in cracks in the floor and walls, and hide under baseboards. A little later you can already see them in upholstered furniture, in woolen clothes that no one has used for a long time. It should be noted that, despite the fact that the bugs are not bloodsuckers, they can still bite if they come into contact with human skin, but rarely.
The main danger to humans is the risk of an allergic reaction to flea bites, as well as infection or parasites. At the same time, they choose their victims quite meticulously, so many are concerned about the question of why earth fleas do not bite all people. There are several theories on this matter, each of which is quite logical and confirmed by practical research.
Why fleas don't bite everyone
- Many bloodsucking insects prefer a certain blood type and Rh factor (most often this is the first positive).
- Thin skin also attracts pests because it is much easier to bite through. That is why women and children most often become victims, while the head of the family can be completely invulnerable to bites.
- Ground fleas, like many other insects, also search for prey by the smell of sweat and temperature.
- There is an unconfirmed theory that blood-sucking insects prefer people with natural red hair. This theory may be true, but only due to the already mentioned point about thin skin, because this is one of the characteristics of red-haired people.
- In fact, fleas bite everyone indiscriminately, but the reaction to bites varies from person to person. Perhaps one of the most logical statements. In a room infested with these pests, by default there cannot be people completely immune to their attacks.
It should be noted that even a person with “tasteless” blood also runs the risk of receiving a lot of attention from earthen fleas. This can happen in the absence of certain gastronomic interests of insects, in excessively proliferated offspring, and also during a period when there is no alternative source of food. In any case, this situation should be stopped, and for this you need to know what to do if fleas bite and how to properly treat the bites.
Photos and symptoms of bites
The bites of these small insects are extremely painful and cause a rather “violent” reaction from the body. Even compared to mosquitoes, flea bites are more itchy and inflamed. In addition, if you are “lucky” with individual intolerance, this can become a real problem and develop into serious health complications. A flea bite can be identified by its characteristic symptoms: small randomly located dots, severe itching, close proximity of damaged areas. Even one individual usually leaves several bites on the body at a time, searching for vessels close to the surface, or moving during human movements.
You can take a closer look at the characteristic bites of the flea in the photo.
If you have been bitten by earth fleas, you need to know what to do in such cases. The bites are accompanied by severe itching, so the victim often scratches them. Red spots and even blisters may appear at this site; cases of severe allergies to substances injected under the skin are known. They not only prevent blood clotting, but also soften skin tissue. For the parasite, this makes it easier to eat; for humans, it becomes an additional threat of infection after scratching or exposure to pathogenic strains of bacteria from the outside. In addition, insects themselves can become carriers of certain types of parasites and infectious diseases.
What to do if you find bites
- Apply ice, a cold compress, or even a regular metal spoon to the bite site.
- Be sure to disinfect the damaged area to prevent suppuration.
- From folk recipes, you can use honey, soda, apple cider vinegar (diluted in half with water), a slice of lemon or chopped fresh parsley (can be replaced with plantain).
The pharmacy also has many drugs suitable for such cases. Steroids and antihistamines, which are used to prevent an allergic reaction, require consultation with your doctor. First aid medications, which also work well against insect bites, can be used as needed. These include gel “Fenistil”, “Rescuer”, sulfur ointment, “Flucinar” or “Elidel”. They are sold over the counter and help relieve itching and inflammation of the skin. However, if you have a strong negative reaction, you should definitely see a doctor for further treatment.
How to get rid of earthen fleas
Earth fleas (insect killers can be folk remedies) are capable of transmitting dangerous infections. Before fighting them, you should bring order and cleanliness to the room.
The following actions will need to be taken:
- Do a general cleaning of the entire house.
- Wash or heat bedspreads, toys (especially soft ones), and clothes hanging on open hangers. The temperature must be at least 50° C.
- Vacuum the floor, carpets and upholstered furniture. Up to 80% of the laid larvae took refuge there, including those that had already begun to turn into pupae.
- Treat wooden furniture with antibacterial agents.
- Clean the bathroom thoroughly.
- Having completed the preparatory activities, you can begin to process the premises.
If there are children or pets in the house
When treated for fleas, children and animals must be taken away from the house and not returned until disinfestation has been completed completely, including cleaning the premises. Please also note that all flea control products must be stored in places where children and animals cannot find them.
Animal handling
If the house is infested with fleas, then most likely they live on the bedding of a dog or cat, and may also be on their fur. In parallel with the treatment of the premises, pets must also be treated. For this purpose, special veterinary products are used.
Chemicals
Before using chemicals, floors must be washed everywhere, not skipping the toilet and bathroom. To do this, add 2-3 g (20 drops) of essential oil or herbal infusion of wormwood and mint to a bucket of hot water.
You can also use the following tools:
- bleach;
- vinegar diluted with water;
- cherry water.
This will prepare the room for the next stage of work, reducing the number of parasites. The main blow should be dealt by chemical disinfestation. First, areas where pets live are subject to treatment. If they prefer to settle on a chair or cabinet, these surfaces should be treated with special care.
By placing white sheets of paper in different places, you can find out where the most fleas have accumulated. If this is not immediately visible, you can cover the paper with a layer of glue. On a sticky surface, fleas will appear stuck to the sticky substance.
According to sanitary and hygienic standards, if on the sheet during the day:
- there were not a single flea - the room can be considered clean;
- there were 2 or more individuals - considered an isolated case;
- 3-10 insects were found - the room requires special treatment.
Today there are a large number of different chemicals that allow you to remove fleas.
Among the most effective are the following:
- Dichlorvos;
- Dust;
- Karbofos;
- Neostomozan;
- Fufaphone.
These drugs have a pungent odor and are also highly toxic.
Less aggressive insecticides include:
- FAS;
- Delta zone.
To ensure everything happens correctly, the room is treated using products according to the following scheme:
- Prepare personal protective equipment. Be sure to use a respirator, goggles and rubber gloves.
- They treat furniture, floors and window sills.
- After completing the work, leave the room for half an hour, and then ventilate.
- After 60 minutes they clean up.
- After 14 days, another cleaning is carried out, taking into account that the duration of development of flea larvae is 2 weeks.
- If there is a pet in the house, then the bedding is washed or vacuumed well.
A quartz lamp will also help fight fleas. In a room without people, animals and plants, it must be turned on for half an hour, and then ventilated so that the smell of ozone goes away.
If the house is private, then Aktar is used to treat the area: 2 g of the product is diluted in 10 liters of water. Fleas are also afraid of the aromas of wormwood, celandine, and anabisis. It is recommended to plant these plants along the fence on the site.
Flea sprays
The apartment must be treated with a spray bottle containing a solution of liquid insecticide. These are liquid concentrated formulations of acute action.
Among them are substances such as:
- Karbofos;
- Jurax;
- Cypermethrin.
Preparations can be purchased at hardware stores or obtained from a pest control service. 1 bottle contains 50 ml of active ingredient. If necessary precautions are taken, this chemical treatment will be safe for pets and humans.
However, it is better to choose another method of getting rid of fleas, refusing to use an aerosol. Many of these drugs (Dichlorvos, Combat, Clean House) only repel, but do not destroy parasites.
At first, the activity of insects will decrease significantly, but they will develop resistance to such treatment, and the flea colony will gradually grow again. But in most aerosols the amount of insecticides is minimal and this is not enough to quickly kill fleas.
Solutions
Insecticidal agents are also available in the form of solutions or sprays.
Among them, the most effective are:
| Means | Description |
| Delta zone | The drug in the form of microcapsules perfectly destroys parasites. |
| Fufanon | Has high activity. |
| Dichlorvos | It has a pungent and unpleasant odor, but is also effective in fighting parasites. |
Safety precautions when removing fleas
Since most insecticides are toxic and can harm the human body, you should not neglect the means of protection. You will need:
- respirator, gauze bandage;
- protective glasses;
- latex gloves.
Do not forget to ventilate the room after treatment for several hours. It would be ideal if you can leave the house for 1-2 days during the treatment.
Gloves and a mask are reliable protection when working with chemicals
If there are children or pregnant women in the house
Small children crawl around the apartment, touch everything with their hands, and then put their fingers in their mouths. Pregnant women inhale harmful fumes, which can negatively affect the development of the fetus. In such cases, you can use only completely safe products. These are the same folk remedies, with the exception of boric acid, botanical dust and kerosene (its smell can cause nausea in pregnant women) or based on neonicotinoids, neostomazan (look on the package). Children and pregnant women must leave the house during chemical treatment. After the procedure, a thorough wet cleaning is carried out and the room is ventilated for a long time.
If there are animals in the house
It is not advisable for pets and birds to be in the house during treatment. If there is nowhere to put them, then it is recommended to use only those products that are sold in a veterinary pharmacy and are safe for animals, for example, drugs with the active ingredients fipronil, neonicotinoids, neostomazan.
Folk remedies
Ground fleas (insect killers can be simple) are susceptible to many folk remedies. They can be used alone or in combination with chemical treatments. Such alternative options are especially valuable when a person has a persistent aversion or allergy to certain components of chemical drugs.
Soda and salt
An effective and simple way to help get rid of parasites.
For it you need to prepare a mixture of 2 substances, taken in equal proportions and process it:
- carpet surfaces;
- animal bedding;
- basement;
- utility rooms;
- stairs.
Simply sprinkle the powder.
Scented needles
It is best to take fresh spruce or pine branches. They are the most fragrant and will get rid of fleas faster. Branches and collected needles must be placed in different corners of the room, not forgetting about carpets and pets’ habitats. The shavings can be placed in your cat's litter box.
The sharp aroma of pine needles and spruce sawdust will make the parasites go away. Bags of pine needles can be placed throughout the house and changed periodically.
Decoction of medicinal herbs: tansy and wormwood
For an effective herbal composition against fleas you will need:
- wormwood – 2 parts;
- tansy – 1 part;
- chamomile or eucalyptus – 1 part.
Herbs are brewed with boiling water in a thermos or other container that retains heat for a long time. To be ready you need to wait a day. Then the composition should be filtered and sprayed around the room from a regular spray bottle. The substances contained in the mixture can kill dangerous pests.
You can also simply place the mixed and shredded herbs in different areas of the house. As soon as the smell becomes less intense, it is changed to a new composition until the fleas disappear completely.
Turpentine treatment
This substance has a very pungent odor. It is made from coniferous wood. You shouldn’t use it at home, but you should treat the barn and basement. This smell will make the fleas disappear quickly.
In addition, you can mix essential oils such as wormwood, tansy and sage and dilute them with 1 tbsp. l. drug in 1 liter of water. This treatment of housing is no less effective than the use of chemicals. It is also good to add a little tar soap to the water when washing floors or sprinkle powdered boric acid under the carpets.
Professional pest control
Earth fleas (means to kill these insects can sometimes be powerless) in large numbers will require professional treatment of the house, surrounding area and outbuildings.
Currently, disinfection in apartments and houses is carried out using modern technologies and the latest insecticides, which an ordinary person cannot buy.
Most professional products have a prolonged validity period, do not damage furniture and carpets in the house, and do not have an unpleasant and persistent odor. The time for such treatment depends on the size of the room and can last from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours. During the procedure, people and pets will have to leave the house. It is also better to take the plants out.
Methods for killing parasites
The procedure begins with a specialist visiting the site and assessing the complexity of the work. Then a strategy for combating parasites and the need to treat adjacent rooms is developed. The choice of technology is influenced by the number of detected pests and the customer’s willingness to pay for expensive drugs.
Depending on this, the following options for exterminating fleas are possible:
| Option | Description |
| Cold fog | To produce it, a special generator is used, which produces dry fog from a solution placed in the device box. It penetrates into small cracks and kills harmful insects almost instantly. The cloud lasts for about 3-4 hours and, settling on the surface, forms a weightless microfilm, from which the remaining larvae die. |
| Hot fog | The technology for its production is similar to the previous version, but only before spraying the substance is heated, reaching the state of steam. This cloud lasts up to 8 hours and can quickly destroy both flea larvae and eggs. |
| Fine drop spraying | The most common way to carry out the procedure. It uses modern insecticides and equipment that can kill fleas and other parasites almost as effectively as using generators. |
Preparing the premises
Before the arrival of specialists from the sanitary and epidemiological station, you need to properly prepare the room.
To do this, the following procedures are performed:
- Wet and dry cleaning of the entire house is carried out. Additionally, public areas should be disinfected.
- Curtains, bedspreads and other fabric items hanging openly are removed, washed in hot water, dried and sent to hermetically sealed bags.
- All pets are treated with special drops (Barrier, Blochnet, Celandine). Anti-parasitic collars can also be used.
- Furniture that fits tightly to the walls is moved away so that the back and wall can be treated.
- Products are stored in the basement or refrigerator.
- Residents leave the premises.
To contact disinfectionists, you need 1 person who will observe and control the thoroughness of the treatment. He must wear a protective mask.
Recommendations after processing is completed
After completing the work, specialists instruct residents regarding their further behavior, including the following rules:
- after the procedure, at least 2 hours must pass so that people can enter the premises without fear for their health;
- rooms need to be dry cleaned, floors swept and objects that are often handled and played with by animals need to be wiped down;
- floors and walls should not be wiped with a damp cloth for several days.
Just like a house, you can treat your basement. To do this, you need to remove food from it. In such rooms it is permissible to use harder powders, for example, dust. They are professional products and are sprayed using special equipment.
Methods of disposal
When there are not too many fleas in the apartment, chemical insecticides help against them. If you follow the manufacturer's recommendations, they can quickly kill all insects in the room without causing harm to household members. If for some reason it is impossible to use chemicals, you can use folk remedies to remove fleas. But we must remember that most of them only repel insects, but do not kill them, much less destroy eggs and cocoons with larvae.
The biggest problem with earth fleas is that they come into apartments and houses again and again from the street, basement, and common areas in apartment buildings. Because of this, ordinary household means of bullying simply do not work and do not give lasting results. This is why you have to call professional exterminators to completely remove fleas. This is the most effective method of insect control. You can process an object of any size. For example, in residential buildings they treat not only the apartment, but also stairs, basements, attics and other places where parasites can hide. Professionals use special equipment and poisonous agents that act not only against adults, but also destroy eggs, pupae and larvae.
The Best Yard and Outdoor Treatments
The problem cannot be completely solved even with repeated treatments if fleas live in the yard. They can be brought into the house on clothes or pets.
In a private house, it is necessary to treat internal living spaces and disinfect:
- yard;
- personal buildings;
- plants.
For this, both chemicals and folk remedies are often used. Freezing parasites is also effective. In winter, at temperatures below -15° C, fleas die by themselves. This method is suitable for disinfecting household buildings.
To determine if there are fleas in your yard, you can put on white knee socks and walk around the yard. If after some time the insects find themselves on their feet, then treatment is necessary.
For this procedure you should:
- Remove construction waste from the yard.
- Clear debris from weeds.
- Pour the working solution from a proven insecticide into a garden sprayer.
- Spray problem areas with a sprayer - the perimeter, near the fence, under the porch.
In hot summers there are few fleas: if the yard is sunny, then such parasites are uncomfortable there.
When using strong drugs, you need to wear protective clothing and try to keep the animals indoors for a while. Flea remedies can be chosen among preparations for treating the garden and vegetable garden.
For example, Fipronil and Diflubenzuron can kill flea larvae and pupae. They cannot be used at home, but in some areas of the yard they will be effective.
As a rule, the problem with the appearance of fleas can occur at intervals of several years. The reason for this is poor-quality floor construction on the veranda, in courtyard buildings or garbage in the yard. In this case, the solution would be to concrete the floor and keep it clean.
Spread of basement lice
Although fleas prefer damp and dark places, these insects can also be found in residential buildings, including in an apartment in a multi-story building.
Lice move very quickly. Fleas are not found indoors above 2 m. Most often, fleas can be found in a private house under the floor - this is where all the conditions necessary for their life have been created. Blood is not the main food product for insects; inorganic food is also suitable as food.
In this video, the doctor talks about ways to get rid of lice:
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In living quarters, fleas are found in the following places:
- under baseboards;
- in the fabric surface of furniture;
- in the fur of pets;
- in soft toys;
- in all sorts of crevices;
- under the carpet;
- near the trash can.
While adults can be found anywhere, their larvae live only in secluded dark places with high humidity.
The presence of lice in the house does not mean that the room is dirty. It is enough for a few individuals to penetrate, and their numbers will increase within a few weeks.
Insects can enter a house or apartment in the following ways:
- on pet hair;
- on a person’s clothing;
- through cracks in the floor and walls;
- through ventilation.
In this way, lice larvae can also penetrate.
How to get rid of fleas in a greenhouse
The earthen flea can reproduce and live in greenhouses.
To destroy pests, you can use the following treatments:
- dry ash;
- tobacco or herbal infusions;
- chemicals.
Such treatment is necessary when the number of insects is too large and cannot be dealt with by other means.
For spraying you can use such preparations as:
- Aktara;
- Carbocin;
- Fufanon-Nova.
It is better to carry out the treatment in the evening, when insects are on the leaves.
Prevention of occurrence
When faced with the problem of earth fleas appearing in the house, you need to take measures to completely destroy them and further reduce the likelihood of reappearance by carrying out preventive measures.
To do this, you must follow the following recommendations from experts:
- regularly examine animals and periodically treat their fur with anti-flea medications;
- make sure there are no rodents in the house;
- promptly and thoroughly clean residential and utility rooms, not forgetting about baseboards and cracks;
- When carrying out wet cleaning, add a few drops of essential oils, such as tansy, eucalyptus or sage, to the water.
Earth fleas can not only cause painful bites, but also spread infections that cause dangerous diseases. To destroy them, it is important to disinfect the premises, basements and local areas.
The most effective way to fight would be to invite professionals, but if the number of parasites is small, you can get rid of them yourself using various means.
Preventive measures
These simple preventative measures will help prevent fleas from breeding in your home. They are especially relevant for those who have a cat or dog at home:
- carry out serious wet cleaning as often as possible;
- Ventilate the room at least twice a day;
- kill all rodents located near your home and protect the house from them;
- after visiting a basement, river, hunting, etc. Always wash all clothing thoroughly;
- if no measures bring results, it is better to contact the SES.
