jessicalg701 asked 6 years ago
This summer we had a flea infestation which we only noticed after our cat sadly died, called the exterminator and for a while it worked.. 4 weeks later after I was allowed to hoover and mop again we saw a few more fleas but were reassured this was normal.. now 4 months later I have just seen 2 fleas in the space of 12 hours and noticed a bite on my back!! Do you think this is a new infestation even though we no longer have pets since the cat died 8 months ago?? If so what can I do?
Adam Retzer Staff answered 6 years ago
Jessica,
It is strange you are still seeing fleas after 8 months. They shouldn’t be able to survive or reproduce without an animal host in the home. This hold true for both cat fleas (C. felis) and dog fleas (C. canis). These account for nearly all domestic infestations.
However, human fleas (P. irritans) can survive and reproduce on human blood. So you may be dealing with this species. See my answer to this question for how to identify species.
You probably aren’t dealing with the previous infestation (if cat fleas). While most infestations end after 8 weeks, cocooned adults can enter into a quiescent (dormant-like) state for up to 5 months. Since it has been longer than 5 months, all of the fleas should be dead.
You are in a bit of an odd situation. It may be a good idea to have a pest control professional come take a look in person, so they can identify the species, source, and offer control solutions.
Warm regards,
Adam
RobertEchols answered 6 years ago
It is strange that you are seeing the fleas again after the exterminator exterminated your house.
I should add, my Mum has a dog a said a few weeks ago that she noticed a flea, however she has fully treated house and dog and has not seen a flea since