A single flea can reproduce and create 20,000 more fleas within about 60 days! This incredible reproduction rate is one of the reasons that dealing with a flea infestation can be so difficult.
However, knowing more about how flea infestations work can help you prevent them or even solve them once they have begun. Some people wonder, "Do fleas live in grass?" once they start to see fleas around their yard. Knowing the answer to this and related questions can help you take the right steps to protect yourself and your pets from a potential flea infestation.
In the long run, knowledge is the best way to deal with an infestation of fleas. Read on to learn all about the most vital things to understand about where fleas live and what you can do about it!
Do Fleas Live in Grass?
So, do fleas live in grass? The simple answer is that they can. Although grass is not the preferred environment for fleas, they may end up settling down there if they can't find a better place to live and reproduce.
One reason that fleas are sometimes drawn to yards is that they find people or animals in them that can provide them with the blood they rely on to live.
Sometimes, fleas end up in yards because they arrive there on the back of a rodent that might be attracted to your home. In other cases, a flea might land on your pet before laying eggs around your lawn.
Keep in mind that it is important to respond to a flea infestation quickly if you think your lawn might be developing one. If you ignore the first signs of a flea infestation, your pets might end up covered in them. That can make your pets sick and also increase the chance that fleas infest your home.
Although people are better about keeping fleas off of themselves, fleas can still end up biting people if they have found a way into your home. If you are exposed to fleas too much, you might end up developing flea allergies. Even if that doesn't happen, a flea bite can cause a lot of discomfort.
So what kind of things increase the chance that you might need quality flea control services to take care of an infestation in your yard?
Factors That Lead to a Flea Infestation
If your lawn resembles the kind of environment that fleas prefer, there is a higher chance that they will infest your property. As a general rule, fleas are drawn to areas that provide them with plenty of moisture. If your lawn is wet on a regular basis, that can increase the chance that it will attract fleas.
Fleas also prefer to live in grass that provides them with plenty of shade. Fleas can become overheated in the sun, so if your property provides a lot of shade, they might end up resting in your shade and then settling in your grass.
That is even more likely to happen if the shade around your property is the result of nearby woods. The more wildlife visits your property, the higher the chance that fleas will travel on top of it. This can apply to deer and rodents as well as stray cats and even raccoons.
If you find that your property attracts any wildlife on a regular basis, you might want to remove anything that might be attracting it. That can mean sealing up your trash so that raccoons and rodents don't try to get into it.
Keeping your grass mowed is another good way to make it less likely that wildlife will spend a significant amount of time on your property. However, if your grass is too short, it won't attract spiders. Spiders kill fleas, so it is best to keep your grass at a medium height.
Signs You Have Fleas in Your Lawn Grass
If you notice your pets scratching themselves, that can be a strong sign that you might have a flea infestation. Even if you don't see your pets scratching themselves, you can look for signs that they have lost hair or developed dry skin. These symptoms are sometimes the result of your pet scratching itself while you are not looking.
Of course, if you find fleas inside your home, that also increases the chance that they have infested your lawn.
Flea Prevention Strategies
One of the most important flea control strategies is to give your pets regular baths. It can also be helpful to put flea collars on your pets.
You can also create a natural flea repellent by using rosemary. Try adding about six drops of rosemary oil to your pet shampoos to decrease the chance that fleas settle on them.
You can also use tools like diatomaceous earth to create a perimeter around your lawn that fleas will not want to cross. Diatomaceous earth is non-toxic for pets while being an effective tool for killing fleas.
How to Get Rid of Fleas
Cedar is a natural repellent for fleas. You can create a cedar mulch and spread it around your property to keep fleas from infesting your grass.
You might also be able to repel fleas by getting rid of some of the shade over your grass. In some cases, cutting away some extra branches from trees and shrubs can let enough light in to make your lawn less hospitable for fleas.
You can also spread diatomaceous earth all across your lawn rather than using it only to create a perimeter. Although this can take a lot more time, it can be a powerful way to kill any fleas hanging out in your grass.
Know How to Handle Fleas in Your Grass
If you have ever wondered, "Do fleas live in grass?", we hope this article has answered your question. As a general rule, preventing flea infestations is much more efficient than solving them once they have begun. If you are struggling to get rid of fleas, you may need to rely on professional pest control services to help you.
Get in touch with us at The Yard Gard at any time to enjoy our expertise in handling fleas, mosquitoes, and ticks.