Why are fleas so hard to get rid of?

A female flea lays about 2,000 eggs in her lifetime. A single female flea can lay up to fifty eggs in one day. The eggs quickly fall off your pet and into areas of your home. The eggs hatch in two to ten days. After hatching, they become larvae that head toward the dark places in and around your home, like deep into the carpet or under couches and chairs or under bushes and plants if outside. The larvae then spin cocoons, where they grow to the pupae stage of the life cycle. The pupae are protected by their cocoons and make them the most difficult stage to kill. It can take anywhere form 8 days to several weeks for all pupae to hatch from an infested environment. If undisturbed, pupae can exist for many months. During this time, the pupae continue to grow into adulthood, waiting for signals, like vibrations, temperature change, or exhaled carbon dioxide to tell them a host is nearby. The adult fleas leave their cocoons, hop onto the nearest host, find a mate and begin the life cycle all over again. The entire life cycle can be as short as two to four weeks, or as long as many months.

Administering products like, Frontline®, Revolution®, Advantage/Advantix®, or Comfortis® will help to eliminate the adult flea. Some of these products also have an insect growth regulator or IGR. This inhibits the hatching of flea eggs and prevents the development of larvae into the adult flea. Also vacuuming the carpets and furniture in your home, washing your pets bedding, and maintaining your yard and lawn will help to eliminate larvae and pupae from your environment. Remember to keep up with regular flea treatments for your pet as it can take up to several months for the pupae to hatch. Follow the instructions on your pet’s flea medication as to how often and how much should be given. If you have questions about how the different flea products work, please feel free to visit their websites.