What Raleigh, NC Property Owners Need To Know About Fleas & Ticks

Fleas and ticks are very different pests, but they share many similarities in terms of how they come into yards and how they get into Raleigh homes. Today, we're going to take a look at these similarities because they give important insight into how you can prevent flea and tick infestations inside your home.

Fleas & Ticks Are Parasites

While one is an insect and the other is an arachnid, both of these pests are parasites. They get onto animals and live on them. This is why wildlife (not fleas and ticks) are the focal point of prevention. Everything you do to get control of wildlife activity around your home will help to protect you from flea and tick infestations.

• Install fences around food sources.
• Install fencing to protect voids underneath structures and other potential locations for harborage.
• Keep bagged trash in covered containers and keep containers clean to prevent smells that may attract wildlife.
• Move bird feeders away from your exterior. Seeds are a highly sought after food source for many animals, particularly mice and rats.
• Move woodpiles, construction materials, and other objects away from your exterior.
• Rake leaves and remove other organic debris.
• Keep your landscaping trimmed neat, remove unnecessary vegetation, and put space between plants. An open landscape is a pest-resistant landscape.

Fleas & Ticks Get Onto Dogs & Cats

If you have a dog or cat, you are more susceptible to a flea and tick infection in Raleigh, especially if your dog or cat goes in and out of the house. Both of these pests will use your pet as a vehicle to get inside. There are several ways you can reduce this risk.

• Get a collar for your pet. While a collar won't give your dog or cat complete protection, it is an important first step. Find out from your veterinarian if a collar is right for your pet and for your family.
• If you don't have an outdoor recreation area for your dog(s) consider constructing one. This will reduce wildlife traffic and contain your dog(s) and prevent exposure to fleas and ticks hiding in landscaping and in the voids under structures.
• Do routine inspections for ticks attached to ears and between toes. Also, feel for ticks on the skin of your pet.
• Do routine inspections for fleas and flea dirt. Use a comb to do this.

Fleas & Ticks Get Into Your Home On Rodents

Mice and rats are significant vehicles for fleas and ticks. While these two pests behave differently and infest your home differently, they play the same role in the distribution of fleas and ticks.

• Rodents chew holes in wood and other building materials to get inside. A mouse only needs a hole that is about the size of a dime. A rat only needs a hole the size of a quarter.
• Rodents explore every level of your home and are able to introduce fleas and ticks in many places.
• Rodents can nest in walls, attics, and other secluded places. In storage areas, they can expose furniture, clothing, boxed items, and other stored items to fleas and ticks.

Rodent control in Raleigh is key to flea and tick control. There are a few ways you can get control of mice and rats.

• Do a detailed inspection of your exterior and seal any holes you find.
• If rodents are targeting an area, use metal flashing to bolster your defenses.
• Replace damaged door sweeps, screens, and weatherstripping.
• Put wire mesh in downspouts to prevent rodents from getting up to your vulnerable roof and roofline.
• Trim tree branches away from your roofline.
• Trim bushes and shrubs away from your exterior.
• Remove objects that sit near your home, these are hiding places for rodents.

Pest Control

Long before fleas and ticks get into your home, a high-quality pest control plan can help you keep them out. Ongoing pest control can reduce bugs around your home, which are food for mice and rats. Treatments can eliminate fleas and ticks before they are able to develop near your home and present a threat to you. And some pest control plans come with rodent monitoring and control.

If you live in Raleigh and you'd like to learn more about the pest control options that are available for the control of flea, ticks, and other dangerous pests in Raleigh, reach out to us. We look forward to assisting you.