Flea & Tick Identification & Prevention

Fleas and ticks are common pests that we run into when spending time outside. These pests find their way into our yards and other outdoor space that provides them with moisture, shade, plenty of vegetation, and lots of animal activity.

Fleas and ticks are external parasites that feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals as their sole source of nutrition. Ticks will feed on any host (person or animal) that brushes past them, while fleas prefer an animal host over a human host. Fleas are a type of wingless insect, and ticks are a type of arachnid.

Fleas are about the size of a speck of dirt and have rigid, flat bodies that are shiny and dark reddish-brown. They have powerful back legs that allow them to jump away from danger or onto a host. Fleas have spines on their mouths, legs, and backs to help them hang onto their animal hosts. Ticks have oval-shaped bodies, adults have eight legs, and they are wingless and lack antennae. They have specialized mouthparts to grasp the skin of their victims, pierce their skin, and insert a tube for feeding.

Fleas invade in massive numbers, reproduce quickly, and deliver numerous itchy bites to their human or animal hosts. Itching at the bite site often leads to secondary infections. They also spread some diseases that can make people ill, along with spreading parasitic tapeworm. Ticks are carriers of potentially serious diseases, including tularemia, Lyme disease, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

Limiting contact with fleas and ticks is always important to you, your kids, and your pet’s health and safety.

Fleas and ticks are a common pest problem in Texas, and because they are introduced onto properties by wild animals, they can find their way into almost any of our yards.  Once living in your outdoor space, it is easy for fleas and ticks to find their way onto one of your pets and move into your home.

While fleas and ticks are usually associated with pet owners, they very easily hitchhike on people, our clothing, pieces of furniture, rugs, or rodents, and into our homes. While fleas quickly and easily create large indoor populations, most ticks cannot breed indoors and are more of a concern in our outdoor spaces.

Where exactly ticks like to hide depends on environmental conditions and the ticks themselves. Some ticks prefer densely wooded areas, and some prefer grassy areas, some like ditches, and others like fence lines. Leaf piles, woodpiles, and construction debris also provide places for ticks to gather. 

Fleas hide in similar areas to ticks. They stay away from open sunny areas and prefer to hide in damp, dark areas. The ground under decks, shrubs, woodpiles, and fallen leaves are places these pests gather.

Inside your home, fleas lay eggs in dark spaces in rugs, the cracks of floors, upholstered furniture, and behind baseboards. Once the new fleas hatch, they will immediately look for a host to begin feeding on. If no animals are available, they will bite and feed on the blood of people.

To get rid of fleas and ticks that have created a home in your Texas yard or house, partner with the pest control experts at EcoArmor Pest Defense. We treat our customers' homes like our own and go above and beyond to solve pest problems!

Our seasonal pest control options give you protection against fleas and ticks throughout the entire year! We believe in our services so much that we back them with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you live in McKinney, TX, or surrounding areas and want to learn more about our effective flea and tick control solutions, reach out to us today; we're here to help!

Protect your Texas home and property from fleas and ticks with the help of EcoArmor Pest Defense’s professional pest control services and our easy-to-implement prevention tips:

• Rake up leaves and other organic debris from your yard that fleas and ticks like to hide under.
• Regularly mow the grass on your lawn to keep it short.
• Cut back overgrown shrubs and bushes, leaving a space between them and your home’s exterior to help keep the soil dry and less conducive to flea and tick activity.
• If you own pets, make sure to wash their bedding regularly and regularly vacuum areas of your home where they spend most of their time.
• Keep rodents out of your home by sealing any opening in your home’s exterior that they could use as entry points. 
• Inspect yourself and your pets after spending time outside for fleas and ticks before going into your home.
• Inspect secondhand rugs and furniture for fleas before bringing them into your house.

Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control solutions in the Anna and McKinney, TX areas.