Flea & Tick Identification & Prevention

Fleas and ticks are two different species of pests but are often talked about together because they are both external parasites, and both rely on blood meals from their hosts to survive.

Fleas are tiny, wingless insects; adults only grow to about 1/8 of an inch in length. Until they move, fleas people often confuse fleas with specks of dirt. They have large back legs they use to jump away from danger and onto their hosts.

Like fleas, ticks are small but vary from the size of a poppy seed to that of an apple seed. Ticks are wingless, and adults have eight legs they use to crawl to the top of pieces of vegetation, waiting for a host to brush past them. Many people ask questions like, "Do ticks fly?" and, "Do ticks jump?" when trying to find out information about these pests. The answer to both questions is no; they do not fly and do not jump. Ticks are arachnids; like spiders and other arachnids, adults have eight legs. 

Having a lot of contact with fleas and ticks is dangerous because both can spread diseases that make people ill. Ticks feed slowly over a period of several days, making them able to very efficiently spread the diseases they are carrying from host to host. Most people and animals develop a red itchy rash around their flea bites.

Fleas and ticks aren't just a problem for people who own pets. These pests travel on the backs of their animal hosts and can find their way to any of our Atlanta properties. The more appealing your yard is to wild animals, the more problems with fleas and ticks you are likely to experience. Rodents are frequently the root cause of a home's flea infestation. Another way fleas get into our homes is by hitchhiking inside secondhand rugs, upholstered furniture, and bedding.

Adult fleas spend most of their adult lives on the back of an animal host- feeding and breeding. After a female lays eggs, the egg rolls off the animal and onto the ground below.

Places outside where wild animals nest and spend a lot of time are often teaming fleas. Tall grass, mulch, sandy soil, the ground under woodpiles, shrubbery, and decks is where flea eggs commonly develop into new biting adults.

Fleas can complete their life cycles indoors, so when these pests get into our homes, they can quickly cause a widespread infestation.

Ticks aren't pests we typically worry about infesting our homes. The majority of ticks species are unable to complete their life cycle indoors. Ticks have a four-stage life cycle; every new larva, nymph, and adult requires a new host and blood meal.

After feeding, the engorged tick will drop to the ground below; once it is ready to feed again, it will crawl to the top of a piece of grass and wait for a new host to walk past them. Ticks are most problematic in wooded areas, tall grass, and in the vegetation next to fencelines, steps, hiking trails, and walkways.

Small in size, regularly introduced onto our properties by wild animals, and thriving in our warm, humid climate, fleas and ticks in Atlanta are challenging pests to eliminate. If you are tired of finding fleas and ticks in your yard, on yourself or your pet, or in your home, we are here to help.

Here at Solstys Environmental, we offer the personalized services necessary to meet each customer's unique pest control needs. Our professionals are here to help you feel comfortable; we will work with you to eliminate your current problems with fleas and ticks and implement a plan to stop them from returning.

Call today for the local Atlanta pest control necessary to stop fleas and ticks from your taking over your property once and for all!

Use the following five prevention tips to help stop fleas and ticks from taking over your Atlanta property:

1. Cut back wooded areas or areas of tall grass from your yard. Create a stone barrier between your yard and any wooded areas or fields.
2. Maintain your yard. Keep the grass cut short and cut back shrubs and bushes from your home's exterior.
3. Remove woodpiles, leaf debris, and other yard clutter from your property.
4. Keep lids on trash cans, remove bird feeders, and pick up uneaten bowls of pet food to eliminate foraging sites for wild animals on your property. 
5. Plant things like garlic, rosemary, lavender, and citronella grass in garden areas; these plants naturally deter fleas and ticks.

The best way to prevent problems with fleas and ticks year-round is to partner with a professional. Trust Solstys Environmental to provide you with effective home pest control in Atlanta.