Fleas Put Bite on Northern New Jersey Pets
The dog days of summer may still be a month off, but the mercury is already climbing into the triple digits. If you have pets that are used to spending the day romping outdoors, they’ll be whining to come inside to escape the heat. Before letting pets inside your northern New Jersey home, you might want to check them for fleas to prevent these itchy pests from invading your home.
Summer is flea season in Bergen, Passaic, West Essex and Morris counties in northern New Jersey, and hot weather makes these biting insects multiply. Fleas are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood. Flea bites leave nasty, hive-like welts that cause intense itching that can last for weeks. Fleas are known vectors of human and pet disease and can transmit a number of viral, bacterial and rickettsial diseases, as well as dangerous microorganisms and parasitic worms.
These agile insects are just 1/16 to 1/8 inch long with a flat profile that makes it easy for them to navigate between animal hairs. With their powerful hind legs fleas can jump 7 inches vertically and 13 inches horizontally. When your dog or cat comes inside, fleas, larvae and eggs will fall off onto carpets, sofas and beds — wherever your pet walks or rests.
Taking less than 6 weeks to mature from egg to adult, flea populations can explode exponentially in a very short time. If your pet brings fleas into your home, call Heritage, the northern New Jersey pest control experts.