Yes, it is possible for fleas and ticks to be active during the winter months within the State of Indiana. The season that fleas and ticks are most active in Indiana starts in late spring, summer, and into late fall. Once temperatures fall below freezing, fleas and ticks are not very active at all.
If you discover fleas and/or ticks around your home and property, you should seek the assistance of a professional pest control company immediately because infestations have the capability of quickly growing. In this guide, we will share information pertaining to fleas and ticks. Continue reading to learn more.
Understanding Fleas: The study of Fleas: Biology and Public Health Risks
Throughout history fleas have been linked to catastrophic outbreaks including the plague. Today’s U.S. population recognizes fleas mainly as bothersome pests which bite both pets and humans. The cat flea species Ctenocephalides felis represents the most widespread flea type throughout the United States. Fleas which parasitize rodents can transmit deadly diseases such as plague and murine typhus in the southwestern United States while other flea species exist.
The Cat Flea and Public Health
Human skin becomes very irritated when bitten by cat fleas because of specific chemicals present in flea saliva which trigger itching. Pets can develop serious allergic reactions called flea bite allergy because their immune response to flea bites is often more intense. Veterinarians should treat pets with flea bite allergies and guide owners on controlling flea infestations.
The double pore dog tapeworm Dipylidium caninum uses cat fleas as hosts. While dogs and cats usually get infected by this tapeworm it can also infect children who swallow fleas carrying the parasite. Although tapeworm infections do not result in severe diseases people should seek medical advice when they suspect they have one. The main indicator of tapeworm infection appears as tapeworm segments called proglottids in a child’s stool.
Other Fleas of Public Health Concern
The Oriental rat flea Xenopsylla cheopis presents a major health risk across the globe. The Oriental rat flea lives on rats yet bites humans as well while transmitting plague effectively. The chigoe flea known as Tunga penetrans creates health concerns in tropical and subtropical zones. This flea has the ability to penetrate human skin which leads to intense pain and the possibility of severe infections. People visiting regions infested with this flea should never walk barefoot to avoid infestations.
Flea Diversity
The world contains about 2,500 flea species while 325 species exist in the continental United States and most fleas live on mammals but some are found on birds. There are at least 30 flea species found on mammals in Indiana while the cat flea stands out as the most problematic pest for pets, livestock, and humans.
Recognizing Fleas
Adult fleas measure roughly 1/8 inch in length with an oval shape and reddish-brown coloration. The absence of wings and their narrow bodies enable fleas to navigate host fur or feathers. Fleas use their large hind legs to jump and their slender proboscis to feed on blood. Flea larvae present as tiny whitish worms while their pupae stage occurs inside sticky cocoons with a coating of soil particles and debris.
Cat Flea Life Cycle
Through complete metamorphosis the cat flea transforms initially as an egg into its adult form. Adult fleas survive by residing on a host animal from which they suck blood. The female flea needs blood to produce eggs and produces 25-40 eggs daily.
The eggs female fleas lay on pets detach soon after deposition. When conditions are right eggs hatch within 2-5 days and larvae mature over 7-14 days. Before molting into pupae larvae consume organic matter as their food source. Adult fleas emerge from pupae after 1-2 weeks while pupae themselves can live for many months. The complete flea lifecycle spans 21-28 days which includes multiple generational turnovers throughout each season.
Flea Habitats
Cat flea larvae and pupae live where pets spend most of their time and rest. Cat flea larvae and pupae commonly infest pet sleeping mats and carpets along with upholstered furniture and bed covers indoors. Flea larvae and pupae develop in dank shaded soil near spots where pets rest outdoors including beneath shrubs and inside soil gaps in concrete walkways and porches.
Feeding Habits
Every day adult cat fleas require 10-15 blood meals from warm-blooded animals to survive. When fleas bite humans, they most commonly target the ankles and calves. Carbon dioxide and vibrations draw fleas to jump onto nearby hosts due to their attraction response. Larvae consume organic waste that contains pet feces along with feces from adult fleas.
Infestation and Bites
Fleas infest pets when they come into contact with other animals harboring fleas or when they inhabit areas favorable for flea development. Most human flea bites come from adult fleas who have just emerged. When humans have flea bites, they indicate that flea larvae exist in their home or barn and these larvae produce adult fleas without stopping.
Winter Survival
Adult cat fleas are the only species of fleas that manage to survive Indiana winters. Pets can remain infested with fleas while wild mammals such as coyotes, raccoons and opossums serve as typical hosts. Flea eggs and larvae along with pupae cannot endure outdoor winter conditions and indoor occurrences during this season are rare.
Human Influence on Fleas
Fleas thrive when pet owners fail to check their pets for fleas and ignore sanitation measures that hinder flea larvae growth. To manage flea populations effectively pet areas should be maintained clean and pet bedding needs regular washing.
Flea Control
Achieving effective flea control requires consideration of multiple interrelated factors. A veterinarian should be consulted to manage pet flea control and a professional pest control company should manage home, yard, and barn infestations.
Knowledge of flea biology along with control strategies allows pet owners to make better decisions. Reducing flea larvae development requires the critical practice of vacuuming. The majority of alternative flea control approaches including ultrasonic devices and dietary supplements lack effectiveness.
Understanding Ticks and the Diseases They Carry
Ticks are tiny arachnids with eight legs which flourish in environments of woods and shrubby grasslands. These blood-eating external parasites attack birds and mammals indiscriminately because they do not choose their hosts carefully. Ticks show little preference when feeding because they will consume blood from human hosts along with animal hosts. Ticks have a four-stage life cycle: Ticks develop through four distinct life stages which include egg, larva, nymph and adult stage.
All three life stages of ticks which include larva, nymph and adult are capable of attaching to hosts where they feed. Ticks spread diseases because they attach to multiple hosts where they feed before dropping off and attaching again to different animals. Ticks transmit diseases when they feed but tick bites remain undetected because they produce no pain. Most ticks never become infected with disease-causing agents.
Ticks in Indiana
Although Indiana supports about 15 different tick species only four species are frequently encountered by people and their pets. These include:
The American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis): All Indiana counties contain the American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis), which carries Rocky Mountain spotted fever with a season from April to July.
The Lone Star Tick (Ambloyomma americanum): The Lone Star Tick (Ambloyomma americanum) transmits Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis and causes Alpha GAL Mammalian Meat Allergy (MMA) while being a common aggressive biter in southern Indiana. The American Dog Tick emerges from late March into summer and returns in the fall.
The Black-Legged Tick (Ixodes scapularis): The Black-Legged Tick (Ixodes scapularis) functions as one of the tiniest ticks which carries Lyme disease to humans and animals. Indiana features all life stages of this tick from April until winter warm spells.
The Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus): The Brown Dog Tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) transmits diseases primarily to dogs with human infections being uncommon.
All 11 species exist mainly on wild animals and human encounters with them are extremely rare.
Tick-Borne Diseases
The diseases transmitted by ticks usually start with general flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, chills and muscle aches. Since these infections pose a serious threat to life treatment must start as soon as doctors suspect the disease.
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)
The bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii creates RMSF and people catch it from bites by the American dog tick or the lone star tick. Indiana sees about six RMSF cases each year with the majority of these cases happening during spring or early summer. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) can be transmitted to humans by an infected tick after it remains attached for a mere 4-6 hours.
Severe headache, fever, chills and muscle aches develop 3-10 days after someone gets bitten by a tick. A rash emerges one to three days after the fever begins showing first at the wrists and ankles before expanding to other body parts. RMSF becomes treatable through antibiotics once it receives a prompt diagnosis. Diagnosis and treatment of the patient’s condition heavily relies on their memory of a tick bite.
Lyme Disease
The black-legged tick transmits Lyme disease which results from the bacterial spirochete called Borrelia burgdorferi. The discovery of Lyme disease occurred in Connecticut during 1975 while the first occurrence in Indiana was reported in 1983. Roughly 70% of people infected with this disease show a rash at the tick bite location within a month.
The “bull’s eye” rash develops over the tick bite area and its diameter varies between a few inches to over a foot while remaining either flat or raised. Even if a rash does not develop patients can experience symptoms such as fatigue, fever, headache, swollen glands and stiffness or pain in the muscles joints and neck. When the initial symptoms are not addressed by proper antibiotics treatment the disease spreads throughout the body causing heart, nervous system and joint complications which persist for years.
Ehrlichiosis
Two types of human ehrlichiosis occur in the Midwest: Residents of the Midwest encounter two forms of human ehrlichiosis: human monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME) and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE). HME presents with symptoms including fever along with headache muscle pain nausea vomiting diarrhea and confusion. While this disease can become serious it commonly does not result in death.
Indiana reported its first case of the disease in 1994 and the majority of cases have been found in southern Indiana counties because of the high population of lone star ticks there. The black-legged tick is the vector for HGE which results in symptoms that match those seen in HME. The first human granulocytic anaplasmosis case emerged in Indiana during 2003.
Treatment
Upon suspecting illness in both adults and children of every age group medical authorities recommend starting treatment with Doxycycline as the first line of therapy.
Preventing Tick Bites
To prevent tick bites, you should avoid areas with ticks particularly in the months of April through June. If this is not possible, follow these recommendations:
Put on long pants and socks with a long-sleeved shirt for protection.
Pull the shirt inside the pants and then pull the pants over the socks.
To reduce tick bite incidents, use insect repellent on your clothes and follow label instructions.
Perform complete tick checks as soon as you leave any areas known to have ticks. As soon as you find ticks remove them and wash your body within two hours. After attaching itself to a host, a tick might need as much as six hours to establish a firm hold.
Removing a Tick
To remove an embedded tick safely from skin simply use tweezers to grab ahold of the tick as close to the skin as possible while pulling upward steadily. Avoid squeezing the tick because doing so can make it release its bodily fluids into the skin wound. Avoid twisting or jerking the tick because these actions can separate the head and barbed hypostome from its body which could leave them stuck in the skin. Place ticks removed from the skin into a labeled bag with a date and store them in the freezer for no less than one month.
If you have a flea or tick problem, you may contact us here at All Pest today to discuss treatment options and set up an appointment by calling the following number: 765-259-0043