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The Life Cycle Of The Flea Dictates The Control Program
Fleas, those pesky blood sucking pests that make pets' lives miserable and humans itch from just a thought, can be impossible to control unless you understand their life cycle and the vulnerability of each life stage. Most pet owners don't understand the flea as evidenced by their most commonly asked questions:
"How can I get rid of fleas once and for
all?"
"Do
I use pills, dips, shampoos, powders, topical drops, or a combination?"
"How can I get the fleas out of my house?"
"I've got fleas in my car, how can I get rid of them?"
"Why do I have to treat my carpets, the fleas are on the dog aren't they?"
"Why is my yard infested with fleas? I don't even own a pet?"
The
answer: there is no single method or
insecticide that will completely eradicate
or
control the flea. Did you get that? No single method will
effectively control fleas because of their complex and multi-faceted life
cycle.
Preparations that are effective during one stage of the cycle are ineffective
during other stages. Therefore, to successfully control fleas, understanding
the various life stages becomes paramount.
Collectively, all of the species of fleas are categorized under the order
name of Siphonaptera. The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felix, is the most commonly
found flea in the US and infests cats, dogs, humans, and other mammalian and
avian hosts. Did you get that? Fleas can be found on other mammals and birds.This
explains how non-pet owning homes and yards can become flea infested.
Fleas thrive in warm, moist environments and climates, and Southeast Texas,
especially the Gulf Coast area, is better suited for flea development than
most other areas of the USA. The main food source for the flea is blood from
a host animal. 95% of the time, fleas utilize mammalian hosts. But, fleas
can also infest avian species (about 5%).
Why does the flea bite itch?
Flea saliva, like other biting
skin
parasites, contains
an ingredient that softens, or "digests" the host's skin for easier
penetration and feeding. The saliva of fleas is irritating and allergenic --
the cause of all the itching, scratching, and other signs seen with Flea Allergy
Dermatitis, or FAD.
Fleas have four main stages in their life cycle: egg, larva, pupa,
and adult. The total flea life cycle can range from a couple weeks
to several months, depending on environmental conditions. The total flea
population is made up of approximately 50% eggs, 30% larvae, 15% pupae, and
only 5% biting adults. This means that the majority of the fleas life is
spent off the animal making the environment the most logical treatment target
rather then the host animal.
ADULT: The adult flea is very flat side to side. There are
hair-like bristles on the flea body and legs to aid in their navigation through
pet hair. 
Fleas
have 3 pairs of legs, the hindmost pair designed for jumping. The flea is most
famous for its jumping abilities.
The adult flea prefers to live on the animal and its diet consists of blood
meals courtesy of the host animal. The female flea is very proliferative and
lays white, roundish eggs. She can lay up to 50 eggs per
day,
1,500-1,600
eggs
over
several months.
Fleas cannot reproduce without a blood meal, but they can survive for
up to a year without feeding provided they do not emerge from the cocoon.
EGG: The eggs are not sticky (like some parasites), and they
usually fall off of the animal into the carpet, the pet's bedding, floorboards,
or on the ground. 
Remember,
a dog carrying just 10 producing adult females can spread 15,000 to 16,000
eggs in your house over the course of a few short weeks.
The point in time
when the flea egg hatches will vary -- anywhere from two days to a few
weeks, depending on environmental conditions. The larva emerges from the egg
using
a chitin
tooth, a hard spine on the top of the head that disappears as the flea matures.
The flea egg is relatively non-susceptible to routine flea treatment programs.
LARVA (plural = larvae): The larval stage is actually made
up of three developmental stages. Larvae are about 1/4" (6.35
mm) long, and semi-transparent white. They are often mistaken for fly maggots.
They have small hairs along their body and
actively move. 
In
order to survive, the larvae eat flea dirt, or the feces of adult fleas (which
is mostly dried blood) and other organic debris
found in the carpet, bedding, and soil.
Depending on the amount of food present
and the environmental conditions, the larval stage lasts about 5 to 18 days
(longer in some cases) then the larva spins a silken cocoon and pupates.
PUPA (plural = pupae): The pupa is the last stage before
the flea becomes an adult. The adult flea can emerge from the cocoon as early
as 3 to 5 days, or it can stay in
the cocoon for a year or more, waiting for the right time to emerge. Stimuli
such as warm ambient temperatures, high humidity, even the vibrations and carbon
dioxide emitted
from a passing potential host will cause the flea to emerge from the cocoon
faster. And once he emerges from the cocoon, he has only one thing on his mind
- a
blood meal.
This brings us back to the starting point, the adult flea.
The entire life cycle is quite variable, as evidenced by the variability in each life stage progression. As mentioned above, the cycle can be as short as two weeks or as long as two years. That is why it is so important to remain vigilant. Even when a flea problem is thought to be under control, it probably isn't!
The Flea Control Program
Recognizing that during its life cycle, the flea is only on the dog or cat 5% of the time and off 95%, it only makes sense to focus a control program following the same percentages. Invest 5% of your time and money in controlling fleas on your pet and 95% on ridding your environment of the eggs, larvae and pupae. Here's what we suggest:
- Irregardless of whether you do or don't have a flea problem, apply once a month spot on type treatments for each of your pets. This should be continued year round - each of the 12 months if you seriously want to eliminate your flea problem or prevent one from occurring.
- If you already have a flea problem:
a. Treat the inside of your house with a flea fogger that contains a growth regulator (IGR) and then complete follow up applications 7 and 14 days later for a total of 3 treatments. Severe infestations may require more treatments.
b. Vacuum your floors daily for 21 days.
c. Apply boric acid powder to your carpets and floors once weekly for 3 weeks. Leave the powder in place for 2 hours and then vacuum.
d. Wash your pet's bedding using a good detergent. Continue this step every other week, more often if necessary.
e. Treat you lawn with an agricultural limestone product. If possible, add some diatomaceous earth to the mix. Water in thoroughly.
f. If using broad spectrum spray type insecticides, treat your yard daily for 5 days and then follow up with a single application 7 and 14 days later. If you use a granular type, apply once weekly for 4 weeks. Pay particular attention to outside pet sleeping areas. - If you are pro-actively attempting to prevent flea problems:
a. Apply boric acid powder to your carpets and floors once monthly. Leave the powder in place for 2 hours and then vacuum.
b. Treat your lawn with agricultural limestone and diatomaceous earth in the spring and again in the fall.
c. Apply a granular type broad spectrum insecticide once monthly from March through and including October.
Please take note - we have not suggested dips, shampoos, or powders. Although these methods are quite effective at killing adult fleas, they do nothing to eliminate the egg, larvae, or pupae infestation. Topical sprays containing growth regulators are more effective, but again they only target 5% of the flea's life cycle. These preparations each have their place in the overall scheme of flea control and it might be best to consult your local Veterinarian, Pest Control Serviceman, or your Feed Store's Pet Consultant for further suggestions.
Bill Bergfeld retired from Veterinary Practice in 1992. He assists his father in the operation of Conroe Feeders Supply, a farm and ranch supply store in Conroe, Texas. More information on flea control can be found at Professional Flea Control.
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