If you found suspicious-looking pearly white seeds, you might wonder how long flea eggs can lay dormant. In this article, we will address your concerns and help you get rid of them.
Fleas are troublesome tiny insects, but their eggs are much worse. It is almost impossible to see flea eggs with your eyes. You might need a pair of a microscope to identify them because they are only about 0.5 millimeters in length, which is the size of a grain of sand. Flea eggs are oval and off-white colored.
How Flea Eggs Originate
However, you must also realize that getting rid of fleas from your home depends on getting rid of flea eggs population. According to research, flea eggs, larvae, and pupae usually makeup to 95 percent of the infestation. This is because a single female flea can reproduce over 50 eggs a day and up to 2,000 eggs within a month and these eggs may hatch in about 2 to 10 days. With favorable temperature (75degrees to 85 degrees Fahrenheit) and humidity (50 percent), the flea eggs will quickly hatch and go through the short journey to adulthood within several days.
How Long Can Flea Eggs Lay Dormant
For your question, flea eggs cannot go dormant. When the temperature rises or decreases, flea eggs can perish. As the temperature decreases, the longer it takes the eggs to hatch until it desiccates and dies. This is why washing suspected clothes or steam cleaning your furniture at the hottest possible temperature can help you get rid of the infestation. Some modern treatments also include insect growth regulators (IGRs) to prevent flea eggs from maturing.
The only flea stage that can go dormant is the cocoon stage. The adult flea only emerges from the cocoon when it senses that there is a suitable host in the location.
Eliminating Flea Eggs From Your Home
As said earlier, hot treatment can get rid of fleas from your home. However, you also need to use a multi-step system, which may involve, vacuuming, steam cleaning, and sprinkling an ideal flea treatment around your home. Remember to declutter your home while you work to eliminate possible hiding spots. You can also wash your bed linens and pet beddings at the hottest possible temperature.
If you have pets, make sure you run a flea comb through their hairs to collect any adult fleas or flea eggs. Treat your pets as well with an appropriate flea shampoo, rinse, spray, powder, or topical medication. Make sure to speak to your vet about how safe the products you want to use are for your home and pet. Do not forget to use post flea treatment options like flea traps to catch any residues in your home long after. So how long can flea eggs lay dormant? Not as long as most people feel. Flea eggs will die quickly if the temperature and humidity changes. Get rid of fleas as soon as possible, gain back your peace, and comfort in your home.