Fleas
Fleas are small, wingless, dark-brown or reddish-black insects measuring only 1.5–3.3 mm long (about the size of a pinhead), yet they are one of the most irritating and potentially harmful pests found in homes, especially those with pets.
General biology and appearance
Flattened sideways bodies allow them to move easily through fur, hair, carpets, and clothing
Enormous hind legs give them incredible jumping power – up to 35 cm vertically and 20 cm horizontally (200 times their body length)
Hard, shiny bodies make them difficult to crush
Piercing-sucking mouthparts designed to cut through skin and feed on blood
Adults can live 2–3 months (sometimes longer) under ideal conditions, feeding every few days
In South Africa the most common species in homes is the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) – it happily bites dogs, cats, humans, rats, and wildlife. Dog fleas, bird fleas, and the human flea (Pulex irritans) are also encountered.
The flea life cycle – why they come back again and again
Only 5 % of the infestation is adult fleas you can see jumping. The other 95 % are eggs, larvae, and pupae hidden in the environment.
Eggs
After a blood meal, a female can lay 20–50 eggs per day (up to 2,000 in her lifetime). Eggs are white, oval, and tiny; they fall off the host into carpets, pet bedding, cracks in wooden floors, under furniture, and garden soil.
Larvae
Worm-like, creamy-white larvae hatch in 2–14 days. They avoid light and feed on organic debris and dried blood droppings from adult fleas. They thrive in warm, humid conditions.
Pupae (the hidden danger)
After 1–2 weeks the larva spins a sticky silk cocoon camouflaged with dust and debris. Inside, it turns into a pre-emergent adult.
These pupae are almost indestructible – vacuuming, insecticides, and even freezing often fail to kill them.
Pre-emergent adults can remain dormant inside the cocoon for up to 6–12 months waiting for the right trigger.
Emergence trigger
Vibrations (footsteps), heat, pressure, and carbon dioxide from a potential host cause hundreds of hungry adult fleas to burst out of their cocoons simultaneously.
This is why people returning to a vacant holiday home or moving furniture after months can suddenly be covered in biting fleas within minutes – the “flea bomb” effect.
Health risks and irritation
Bites usually appear as small red spots with a central puncture, often in clusters or lines around ankles, legs, and waist
Intense itching leads to scratching and secondary bacterial infections (especially in children)
Some people and pets develop flea-allergy dermatitis (FAD) – severe skin inflammation from flea saliva
Fleas are vectors for diseases:
Plague (rare but still present in some wildlife cycles)
Murine typhus
Cat-scratch disease (Bartonella)
Tapeworm transmission (if a child or dog swallows an infected flea)
Where fleas hide in the home
Deep in carpets and rugs
Pet bedding and baskets
Under furniture, skirting boards, and in cracks in wooden or laminate floors
Upholstered furniture and mattresses
Vehicles (if pets travel in the car)
Garden soil, sandpits, and under decks where animals rest
Why DIY treatments usually fail
Supermarket flea bombs and pet sprays only kill adult fleas on the day of treatment. Eggs and pupae survive, and within weeks the population rebounds – often worse than before because the vacuuming that should accompany treatment is skipped.
Professional flea control that actually works requires a coordinated attack on every life stage:
Treat all pets with vet-approved products (spot-ons, tablets, or sprays)
Hot-wash pet bedding
Thorough vacuuming and empty the bag afterwards
Professional application of an insect growth regulator (IGR) plus residual insecticide throughout the house or vehicle
The residual chemical will kill newly emerged adults on contact
If you’re being eaten alive by tiny jumping insects, your pets are scratching non-stop, or you’ve just opened a holiday home and been attacked by fleas, don’t suffer another day.
Call SWAT Exterminators for a fast, guaranteed flea eradication programme that breaks the cycle completely. Get back to enjoying your home – without the itch!
