Flea and tick control in San Diego can be a significant concern even for people who don't have pets. You may think that having no cats or dogs in your house means you will never have a flea or tick problem, but these sneaky pests have other ways to invade your property. Learn more about the problems these parasitic pests can cause and how Green Flash Pest Control can protect you, your family, your pets, and your property from fleas and ticks.
How Fleas And Ticks Are Similar Pests
Both fleas and ticks are external parasites that depend entirely on blood for sustenance. Fleas can live on their hosts under certain circumstances, while ticks have to embed themselves in the skin and then drop off after feeding.
Despite the fact that they are both external parasites, their similarities end at their diets. These pests have wildly different strategies for getting a blood meal. Ticks are arachnids that are clumsy and cumbersome, so they have to wait in tall grass or trees and bushes for hosts to walk by. They can crawl up or grab on as the host brushes against them.
Fleas, meanwhile, are much more athletic. These tiny insects can jump up to 200 times their own body length. That means they can hop on for a quick meal and hop off. Unlike ticks, which embed themselves for several days, fleas can bite you and grab a few drops of blood within a matter of minutes or even seconds.
The Dangers Of Fleas And Ticks: Health Risks And Concerns
Both fleas and ticks are a threat to your health because of the diseases they can spread when they feed on your blood. While fleas do spread several different human and animal diseases, ticks are a much bigger threat. This is due to their ability to spread dangerous pathogens, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Both of these diseases can be permanently debilitating, which is why tick control is so vital.
Of course, you shouldn't skimp on flea control either, especially if you have pets. Disease transmission to humans is rare, but fleas can transmit several different deadly diseases to cats and dogs, so keeping them off your pets and out of their spaces should be a priority.
Simple Tips To Prevent Fleas And Ticks Around Your Yard
Flea and tick prevention can be very difficult because these external parasites often live outdoors, which makes physically barring them hard, and they also hitch rides onto your property on other pests. For example, if you have a problem with wildlife, rodents, or even birds, these animals can introduce breeding populations of fleas and ticks.
That's why preventing wild animals from coming onto your property is the best thing you can do on your own to keep fleas and ticks away. To make your property less attractive to wild animals:
- Never leave pet food or pet bowls sitting out.
- Store all foods in airtight containers or in the fridge.
- Keep all indoor and outdoor trash cans covered with wildlife-proof lids.
- Cover construction gaps in your home with wire rodent mesh.
- Close outdoor buildings like sheds and garages so that wildlife cannot shelter there.
- Consider installing bird spikes or other anti-bird products around places where they are nesting.
It's vital to keep your pets on veterinary-approved flea and tick prophylactic medication.
Connect With Professionals For The Best Flea And Tick Control
It is extremely difficult to get rid of a flea or tick infestation once you have one. That's why the best thing you can do if you start to suspect you may have a population of ticks or fleas on your property is to call the experts here at Green Flash Pest Control.
Our tick and flea removal services include a professional inspection to ensure that all areas of flea and tick activity are located and destroyed. So don't try to get rid of these disease-ridden pests yourself. Give us a call or visit our contact page to get started today.