Spring is just around the corner and the signs are all around.
The days are warmer, flowering trees are growing buds and fleas
are hopping across the lawn.

Yes, fleas are a sign of spring.

“Fleas populate best in warm, humid conditions,”
said Nancy Hinkle, an Extension Service entomologist with the
University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental
Sciences. “That’s why you don’t notice fleas in the height
of the summer or in the winter.”

Flea larvae develop outdoors in the soil. Spring’s heavy rains
can drown them, and summer’s heat and low humidity can dry them
out. Winter’s dry freezes can kill them, too.

“When temperatures moderate in the fall and spring, flea
larval survival improves,” Hinkle said. “That’s when
people start fighting fleas in their homes and on their
pets.”

Most Fleas Are Cat Fleas

Of the fleas on our pets, 95 percent are cat fleas.

“Cat fleas are found in North America, and dog fleas are
found in Europe,” Hinkle said. “Although they’re
different
species, they look almost identical.”

The main distinguishing characteristic between the two types
is only visible under a microscope.

To survive, all fleas have to have an animal host of some
kind.

“As long as dogs and cats are around, fleas will be
attracted
to them. But when the only warm bodies present are humans, fleas
will take whatever is available and start biting,” Hinkle
said. “Fortunately, they don’t survive well on human blood
and won’t be able to reproduce, so eventually the population will
die out.”

Pet-free Homes Can Still Have
Fleas

Even if your home is pet-free, you can still have fleas. Cat
fleas also live on stray dogs and cats and wild animals like
raccoons
and opossums.

“Cat fleas have been found on several dozen
mammals,”
Hinkle said. “Frequently wild or stray animals find shelter
under homes or outbuildings. When the animal abandons the site,
the fleas are left behind.”

The starving fleas then crawl up through cracks in the
subflooring
searching for a host, Hinkle said.

“For several reasons, some people are more attractive
to insects than other people are,” Hinkle said. “It
can be something as simple as a compound in their perspiration.
That’s why some people attract blood-feeding insects like
mosquitoes
and fleas more than other people.”

On the other hand, some people are just more sensitive to the
flea’s bite.

People and Pets Can Be
Allergic

“While some people can hardly feel the bite of a flea,
others experience the bite as a severe irritation,” she
said.
“This is an allergic response to the allergens in flea
saliva
and can result in brief irritation or prolonged
itching.”

In some cases, dogs and cats can be allergic to flea bites,
too.

“In flea-allergic pets, the bite from a single flea can
cause a severe response,” said Hinkle. “In addition
to controlling fleas and eliminating your pet’s exposure to them,
you should have your veterinarian refer you to a veterinary
dermatologist.”

At UGA, Hinkle is working to develop integrated pest
management
of fleas by combining habitat modification and other control
strategies.