How To Kill Backyard Fleas

We all hate fleas, espically when they’re in our own backyard. There’s nothing worse than lying on your hammock, ready to relax, only to watch your pooch scratch and scratch. Fleas itch, bite and make you feel like your skin is crawling. They ruin everything, and must be gotten ridden of.

Unfortunately, by the time these tiny insects make it into your home and yard, you’re in for a battle. The problem is you don’t always know that you’re infested until it’s too late.

Why fleas take over

There are several reasons why fleas can take over your home, backyard, and pets.  

First, fleas are difficult to see, ranging in size from 1.5 to 3.3 millimeters (1⁄16 to 1⁄8 inch) long. They are usually dark in color (see images of fleas), so unless your pets are endlessly scratching, you may not know the tiny insects are hatching all over your yard, home, pets, and even on you!

 

Another reason is their ability to breed and multiply at an alarming rate quickly. The good news is for fleas to produce, they must have a host. And you don’t count. Fleas can feed on human blood. They can make you itch and cause welts and allergic reactions, but they can’t breed on humans. Instead, they look to your beloved pets.  

Even if you don’t have a pet, other animals, such as backyard squirrels, birds, deer, and raccoons, among others, can bring fleas into your haven. This is why fleas are particularly common in the backyard. Not only do these cause you grief, but once they begin to multiply, you can dig deep into your pocketbook.

Fleas can live for several weeks looking for a host, and once they find one, a female flea has the ability to lay as many as 50 eggs in one day and up to 2000 eggs in its life span of 100 days.

Are Fleas Dangerous?

Many have asked the question – Are fleas dangerous? And the answer may surprise you. Without a doubt, fleas can be extremely dangerous.

Many pests, such as aphids, are a nuisance and attack plants only, but because fleas feed off blood, they are so much more. 

Fleas can cause:

• uncontrollable scratching and flaky skin 
• hot spots 
• hair loss 
• tapeworm 
• anemia 

Bubonic Plague

Once rats were blamed for the Bubonic Plague or Black Death, but now scientists believe it was lice and fleas that spread the horrible disease that killed 20 to 50 million people in the 1300s. 

Fleas became infected with the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Once infected, they looked for a host. If none were available, they would bite humans, transferring the bacteria into the human’s bloodstream that would then collect in the lymph nodes.

Fleas as a bioweapon

Fleas as a weapon seem somewhat unlikely, but it did happen and with great success. During World War II, the Japanese had a secret bioweapon research unit known as Unit 731. Within this facility, they infected fleas with poisonous substances and lethal diseases. In doing so, they found the Bubonic Plague to be the most brutal. They used their research to drop infected fleas into Chinese cities, killing 440,000 people. 

Needless to say, fleas are seriously dangerous disease-carrying insects that you don’t want in your home, pets, and backyard. So don’t wait for an infestation, be preventative. And if they do find their way, make sure that you treat them immediately. 

The flea business

The Flea business is BIG business – The US alone gets 150 million flea customers yearly. If you fall into this category, you’re about to contribute to the $30 Billion in sales.  

Whether you tackle the infestation head-on, choose a professional, or a combination of both, once these insects make it into your home, you will be diving into your pocketbook. 

If you decide on a professional exterminator, keep in mind you’ll likely need two visits. The first visit will kill the hatched fleas, costing you anywhere from $75 to $400, depending on the size of your home. And that amount doesn’t consider that you still need to kill fleas on your pets. You can add, on average, an additional $40 per pet if you bring them to a professional.  

If you’re looking to do it yourself, keep in mind that just treating the yard isn’t going to be enough. You will need to treat for fleas everywhere – your backyard, inside your home, pets, and possibly your car. And you need to treat everything as a unit.   

Just knowing what you’ll need to shell out of pocket should make you want to take some precautions.

How to tell if you have a flea infestation in your backyard

Before you panic, it’s best to know if you do have a flea infestation. Doing a weekly check will help ensure you keep them out of your yard. There are a few sure ways to tell.  

Pet Check

First, check your pets regularly. These blood-sucking insects love to bury themselves in the warmth and shade of animal fur, usually around the armpits and groin area. To do a thorough check, you should:

• Rub your pet’s fur from bottom to top and look for tiny dark fleas if they’ve been in the backyard. Also, look for black specs that resemble dirt or flea droppings. 
• If your animal has a thick coat, you may wish to invest in a flea comb. A flea comb has many teeth spaced close together to trap fleas. To use a flea comb properly, start at the cat or dog’s shoulders and work your way down the fur. If you see a flea in the comb, quickly place it in warm soapy water to kill the flea. 

White Sock Test

Not everyone has a pet, but that doesn’t mean you still don’t have fleas. To spot-check, try the White Sock Test.

Put on a pair of white socks and walk around the backyard. Fleas don’t like direct sunlight, so you may wish to walk where they hide, such as in damp, shady areas. If you have fleas on the site, you’ll see them. Make sure you discard the socks before walking indoors.

White Paper Test

To check the inside of your home, you can also use the white sock test or place a white sheet of paper on the carpet, closet, or your pet’s bedding. If fleas are in the area, it won’t be long before you see them jumping on the paper.

Precautions

Besides doing a backyard and pet check regularly, you can take a few precautions to keep your yard free of fleas.

Get rid of wildlife in your backyard to ward of fleas

Many flea infestations come from your pets, but that doesn’t mean if you don’t own a pet, you won’t still have a problem – and not just your neighbor’s dog.

If you’re wondering – Can birds get fleas? The answer is yes. Birds aren’t the only wild animals that can bring fleas into your yard – squirrels, raccoons, deer, skunks, and other wild animals may be fun to see crossing through your backyard, but they can drop fleas along the way.  

Here are a few ways to minimize wildlife in your yard:

• Get rid of bird feeders 
• Don’t leave your dog or cats food outside
• Place household trash in a tied bag and place it in a trashcan with a tight lid.
• If eating outside, clean the patio of all plates and wash it down.

As beautiful and fun as having wildlife in your yard may be, if you’re trying to stay flea-free, you want to make your yard as unattractive as possible.

Plant flea-repelling plants in your backyard

Adding the right plants to your garden will give your backyard a lift and an attractive aroma to want to sit outside for hours at a time and help keep fleas in someone else’s yard. 

Backyard Plants that repel fleas

• Lavender oil is a popular ingredient in many natural flea repellents. While it will not kill fleas, it’s great for keeping them at a distance.
• Chamomile – Another great repellent to fleas. Not only does it repel fleas, but if you use it as a rinse after your pets’ bath. Chamomile will soothe any bites or hotspots they may have.
• Catnip – Not only repels fleas, but your cat will have a great time playing in it. 
• Rosemary – There are many benefits to planting Rosemary – fleas, aroma, cooking, and beauty. A great addition to any garden.

Backyard plants that kill fleas

• Eucalyptus oil – not only repels fleas but will kill them instantly.
• Chrysanthemums – Known to most as Mums, are not only beautiful, but they come in a variety of colors as well. Not only do they kill fleas, but they repel them as well.

Clean up your backyard to get rid of fleas

Fleas like to hide in damp, warm spaces, so ensure your yard is clean of trash and debris.

Take care to fill in spots where water tends to settle. These low spots are a perfect breeding ground. In ensuring your lawn is cleaned from twigs and excess water, you’ll have fleas looking in someone else’s yard for their perfect spot. Not only will keeping your backyard free of trash help control fleas, but it will also help with other unwanted guests, such as chiggers. 

Mowing

Mowing your grass regularly is important, but it is also essential to know that you don’t want to mow it too high or cut it too low. If it’s too high, fleas will flourish, but too low will be uninviting for spiders and ants that prey on fleas. You want to keep it around 2 inches. 

Mulching

When gardening, make sure you mulch with cedar. Not only does it give off an amazing smell, but it is a natural flea repellent and killer. 

How to kill backyard fleas

You have fleas, now what do you do? Don’t panic, but know you need to act fast. A flea infestation is not something to procrastinate taking care of, hoping it will go away. You can call a professional, but if you want to tackle the problem yourself, you will need to take care of your house, pets, yard, and possibly car simultaneously. And since fleas are hard to get rid of, it will take a few rounds of treatment to kill them completely.

Best flea spray for the backyard

After cleaning up debris around your yard and mowing, it’s time to attack. You can use a product with Boric acid or a natural flea spray such as Vet’s Best Flea and Tick Home Spray not only takes care of fleas, flea larvae, and flea eggs but attacks ticks and mosquitoes as well. And it does so without the use of harsh chemicals such as DEET. Instead, Vet takes care of your problem naturally with Certified Natural oils.

Vet is easy to use. Just attach your hose and spray on lawns, patios, kennels – any outdoor area and surface. Not only will you eliminate your flea problem, but you won’t have to worry about harming flowers or shrubs.

A 32oz concentrate bottle treats up to 5,000 sq feet. 

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