The flea's strength lies in its biology and reproduction which means effective control and elimination means using what we know about flea biology to our advantage.

A flea experiences four stages in its full life cycle:

1. Egg

After being laid on a host mammal such as a dog or a cat, most flea eggs fall off of the host and wind up remaining in carpet, pet bedding, or other areas that the host spends most of its time. This egg can be ready to hatch in as little as two days. 

2. Larvae

What emerges from a flea egg is a flea larva. This stage of development takes on a worm-like form. During this stage, the larva is growing and feeding on organic debris nearby. The flea larva thrives most on adult flea feces as it contains partially digested blood from the flea's host so we can expect a flea larva to be most healthy in an area highly populated by healthy adult fleas. This stage can last as little as a week.

3. Pupae

The third stage of flea development is the pupa stage. In this stage, the larva spins a cocoon in which it will continue its development. This is much like what happens when a caterpillar spins a cocoon prior to emerging as a butterfly. While the flea in is this pupa stage, it is developing into an adult flea.

4. Adult flea

The final stage in a flea's life cycle is adulthood. After at least a week in the pupa stage, the adult flea is ready to emerge. Upon emergence, the flea will be starved and looking to feed on a host immediately. This explains how vacationers can return home only to be attacked by an army of hungry fleas looking for a meal.

Understanding the flea's life cycle will help the control and elimination of flea populations immensely.

Break the Cycle

Successful flea control depends on a number of factors.

1. Flea Host Treatment
   
   The first step in eliminating a flea population is identifying the source of the infestation. Adult fleas rarely leave the host mammal, so if there are pets or stray animals in the infested area, then steps must be taken to treat the pets with a veterinarian-recommended flea treatment.
   
   
2. Pupa Stimulation & Surface Preparation
   
   The second step in eliminating a flea population is exposing as many fleas to an insecticide as possible. Since insecticides rarely impact flea eggs and pupae, it is important to stimulate as many pupae as possible to emerge from their protective cocoons before treatment. Fleas in the pupa stage of development wait in their cocoons until they are stimulated to emerge by mammals walking by them. This sensation can be simulated by vacuuming the areas where fleas are suspected to be present. So before vacuuming begins, it is important that as much floor space as possible is free from debris and clutter -- this should always includes closets. Also, sweeping wood floors, mopping other flooring types, and washing or discarding pet bedding will help with this process. When vacuuming is complete, it is important to discard the contents of the vacuum away from the home.
   
   
3. Professional Treatment
   
   When vacuuming is complete, the home is ready for treatment. This is where a professional is needed. When a Sims Pest Control service technician treats a home for fleas, he will use extensive training and several tools to complete his mission of flea eradication. The service technician will treat all affected areas with a residual insecticide. This is important for a couple of reasons. 1) The residual insecticide is designed to kill adult fleas and flea larvae. 2) The residual insecticide keeps working even after it has dried. If more adult fleas emerge from their cocoons over the course of the following couple of weeks, they will come in contact with this residual insecticide and succumb to its effects.
   
   The service technician will also employ the use of an insect growth regulator (IGR). An IGR is typically mixed in with a residual insecticide and applied at the same time. The job of an IGR is to disrupt the life cycle of the fleas. An IGR can do several things. It can: 1) stunt growth by disrupting the molting process 2) deform mouthparts or parts in the digestive system in insects 3) prevent the hatching of eggs.
   
   

Now we see how understanding how fleas grow can help us be effective in eliminating their populations. The IGR can help keep eggs from hatching, and the residual insecticide will kill flea larvae and adult fleas once they have emerged from their cocoons.

Once these steps are completed, and due to the nature of flea pupae, it is possible that fleas may continue to emerge from their cocoons for 2 to 3 weeks after the initial treatment has been completed. These fleas will likely be eliminated by the remaining residual insecticide from the initial treatment, but a re-application of residual insecticide may be needed.

Glossary:

Egg: the first stage of the flea's life cycle. These are laid by the adult female flea and can be laid at a rate of up to 300 eggs per single adult female flea over a 3-4 week period.

Larva: the second stage of the flea's life cycle. Larvae are worm-like and translucent in appearance. They feed on organic debris and thrive on adult flea feces.

Pupa: the third stage of the flea's life cycle. Pupae exist in a protective cocoon. During this stage, they transform into what we recognize as an adult flea.

Adult flea: the fourth and final stage of the flea's life cycle. Adult fleas are the only stage that actively feed on mammals. They never leave a host mammal unless forced to do so.

Residual insecticide: a product that is used in the control and elimination of insects. These products remain active for an amount of time even after drying.

Insect growth regulator (IGR): pesticides that are used to prevent or disrupt the progression through an insect's life cycle.