Contrary to what you may think, fleas and ticks are still active during the winter months. While they may not be as big of a threat now as they were in the spring and summer, they’re still active, they’re still a threat, and knowing how to protect your home against them is a must.
Fleas Will Try To Enter Your Home
There is not a stage in the flea’s life where they are able to survive in freezing cold temperatures independently. To ensure survival, they have to find a host. That host will either provide enough warmth for them to survive winter, or the host will bring them to a warm place where they can not only survive, but also breed and spread rapidly.
Because fleas are opportunists, if your pet is anywhere near them when outside, they will latch on, and hold on as long as possible. This means when your pet comes back inside, so do the fleas. The warmth of your home presents the fleas with the perfect breeding environment. This means it’s only a matter of time before you have an infestation on your hands. And this will drive you, and your pets crazy!
If You’re Facing an Infestation…
If you find that you have a flea infestation, here are three things you should do right away:
- Clean and vacuum – The area you want to focus most on is anywhere your pet spends time, sleeps, or rests. Wherever your pet goes, the fleas (and their eggs) will follow.
- Wash everything – Similar with the vacuuming, you’re going to want to wash anything your pet has touched with hot water. This includes beds, blankets, and towels!
- Inspect and treat your pets – Once you find the right flea-preventing medication to give to your pet, make sure you consistently inspect their fur for fleas to prevent future infestations.
What About Ticks?
Not all ticks are active during the winter months, but one of the most dangerous ones is. The blacklegged tick (more commonly known as the deer tick) is active and in search of a blood meal as long as the temperature is above freezing. The deer tick carries both Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis. Knowing these ticks are active during the winter months is the first step to protecting yourself, your loved ones, and your furry friends from coming in contact with the deer tick.
If you go outside and are in a wooded area, you want to protect yourself by wearing long pants, long socks, and long sleeves. On top of this, when you get home you want to inspect once for ticks, and then check again. You will also want to inspect your pet for ticks each time they come inside (there are even tick combs you can purchase online to help with your inspection).
The best way to protect against AND prevent fleas and ticks is to call the professionals at LawnRx. We know the threat fleas and ticks present to your loved ones, that’s why we developed our flea and tick pest control program. Contact us today at (724) 539-1003 to hear more about how we can help you create and keep a pest-free home, no matter the season!