Description: Fleas begin as larva which transform from a tiny maggot-like worm into a six-legged blood-thirsty super-jumper (about the size of a freckle) able to leap 150 times its own body length! From egg to biting adult, the cycle can take from two weeks to eight months.

Seasonality: Year-round in Florida, hatching on a 2 week to 4 month cycle depending on warmth conditions.

Attractions: Females lay their eggs on all kinds of furry mammals and humans if no animal is available. The eggs are cleverly laid in the hair so they will drop out where the "host" spends its time, nests or sleeps. Eggs drop off the host continually and can be found hiding in rugs and carpets, on furniture and bedding and the interior of cars if the pest is transported there.

They’re here! Unfortunately, flea eggs are not noticeable to the naked eye allowing flea populations to become extensive very quickly. A well fed female flea can lay more than 25 eggs a day!

Damage: One female flea can lay 2,000 eggs in her lifetime Virtually all of the flea’s life cycle takes place in your house, not on your pet. Because the eggs are not noticeable to the naked eye, infestations usually spin out of control before you realize there is a problem. Eggs hatch at different intervals requiring multiple treatments to eliminate the population.

Description: Jumping, blood-sucking pest. Fleas can jump seven or eight inches up in the air, and jump more than a foot horizontally. They are very small, usually less than 3/16 of an inch long and are almost always dark-brown to black in color.

Seasonality: Year-round in Florida, most active in spring and summer.

Attractions: Dogs and cats are the preferred hosts. If your dog or cat is not available, fleas will feed on you. Adults can live for several years, go without feeding for months, and remain in a structure (your pet's or your bed) long after your pet has been removed.

They’re here! By the time you see or feel adult fleas, your home and yard are filled with thousands of hatching eggs. One flea can bite 400 times a day, with the females consuming 15 times their body weight in blood daily. It doesn’t take long before families with pets recognize a flea infestation when they see one. Everybody is scratching except for the rare family member who is immune to the bites. Also noticeable is their distinctive jumping. The distance an adult flea jumps is comparable to a human jumping as high as the Empire State Building (distance in proportion to size). Flea bites are sometimes mistaken for a mosquito bite but they leave behind smaller welts in larger numbers. Bites are characterized by a red "halo" and a small raised puncture in the center, which is the actual bite. They typically come in clusters and will occur near elastic bands such as are on socks and underwear.

Damage: Aggressive breeders and feeders, fleas are very hard to control making prevention the best treatment. Most people and pets are allergic to flea saliva and will experience severe itchiness in the bite areas which can last for weeks.

Description: Cat flea eggs are pearly white, smooth ovals about 1/32” long. The eggs readily fall from the pet and land on surfaces like bedding and carpeting in the animal’s environment. Adult fleas are small, less than ¼”, and are black. Unlike dog fleas, they typically do not jump but remain on their host.

Seasonality: Year-round in Florida but most active in spring and summer.

Attractions: While cats are their preferred host, any warm blooded animal or human is susceptible. In other words, cat fleas can penetrate your home even if you don’t own a cat.

They’re here! Female cat fleas remain on the host and lay about 20 to 30 eggs per day on the animal. Warm temperatures and mechanical pressure, caused by walking on the carpet, vacuuming, etc. stimulates the egg to hatch. At room temperature, the entire life cycle may be completed in about 18 days. An adult cat flea generally lives about 30 to 40 days on the host; it is the only stage that feeds on blood. The eggs as they hatch, continue this cycle.

Damage: These blood-sucking pests carry infectious diseases to humans and animals. They are extremely irritating to their host animals and the human hosts they bite. Human bites tend to be concentrated on the lower legs but can also occur on other parts of the body. The bite consists of a small, central red spot surrounded by a red halo. Prevention is the best course of action to protect you and your pet from fleas. Multiple treatments are required due to varying hatch times for flea eggs.

Description: Photo shows the 3 most common varieties of the American Dog Tick. They are about the size of a #2 pencil eraser when adults. They are dark gray to black and can reach a spherical ½" when full of blood.

Seasonality: Year-round in Florida. Pets and humans can carry ticks into your home. Outdoor activities increase your exposure to this pest.

Attractions: Ticks feed on human and animal blood and will attach themselves to any available host for feeding. Once attached, they do not leave the host.

They’re here! Once attached to a person or animal, a tick's barbed mouth, along with a special glue (you don't want to know), allows it to relentlessly hold on until it has finished feeding.

Damage: These blood-sucking pests carry a multitude of infectious diseases. Prevention is the best course of action to protect you and your pet from tick diseases. The National Center for Infectious Disease has a list of tick-borne diseases.

Description: Brown Dog Ticks are flat, about 1/8” in length and are brown in color. Females can swell to ½” after gorging themselves on blood. This is the only species of tick which infests both dog kennels and residential dwellings.

Seasonality: Year-round in Florida, but most active spring through summer. In colder months, this tick cannot survive outdoors and will move into your home for warmth.

Attractions: The Brown Dog Tick feeds almost exclusively on dogs and human hosts are very rare. Additionally, unlike other ticks, they invade your dog and your home and do not stay on their host for their entire lifecycle. The Brown Dog Tick requires a warm environment & high humidity to reproduce. It is believed that its intolerance to cold is what makes them seek out the inside of buildings and homes.

They’re here! The most common sign of ticks is finding them on your dog. In this case, as this tick spends its entire life cycle in your home, they can be seen in cracks and crevices, crawling up walls and inside false ceilings.

Damage: Ticks carry a number of infectious diseases which affect humans and pets. Prevention is the best form of treatment. If ticks are present, your home and yard should be treated to control the population. The National Center for Infectious Disease has a list of tick-borne diseases.