Flea season is between May and September, here's 8 tasks for us to pursue to protect our pets.

That's a valiant flea that dares eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion.
William Shakespeare

Here's William now.

Today is the second day in a row the outside temperature has reached 95 degrees F. It's a little early for this part of California, by a week or two. The landscape is drying rapidly as it usually does after the rains stop. Of course, wildfires are expected, and just as predictable fleas emerge. 95 degrees (35 C) is the warmest an adult flea is able to endure. They cannot survive outdoors if that temperature is exceeded for longer than 40 hours in a month. Although flea larva will live long enough to form cocoons and complete the molting, all of them will die in the cocoon.
Adult fleas cannot survive in temperatures below freezing, 32 degrees Fahrenheit. At that temperature, they die within 24 hours. 20% of emerged adults and 72% of pre-emerged adults expire from the cold. They are able to live up to ten days at 37 degrees F. survival rates improve when the temperature exceeds 47 degrees F. the survival of adults will then stay alive for 20 days. Flea eggs require 50 degrees F. to be able to hatch within 12 days, but the first larvae die 10 days later.
Fleas do flourish in warm temperatures, but not too warm. 70-80 degrees F. is the optimum range, spring and summer is the best time for them. In the Northern climates, May through September is the flea season. In the Southern States, the fleas are active all year long, there is no relief. Humidity is a matter of life and death for the small pests, it is needed for the eggs to hatch and to complete their life cycle.

The life cycle of a Flea.

There are over 250 species of fleas in North America, only a few use humans as hosts. Among the human pest are: the Cat Flea, (Ctenopsyllus segnis), Dog Flea, (C. canis) a human flea ( Pulex irritans) the Oriental Rat Flea (Xenopsylla cheopis)  Rabbit Flea (Cediopsylla symplex), Mouse Flea (Ctenopsyllus segnis), Ground Squirrel Flea (Diamanus montanus) and a Flea that feeds on Prairie Dogs the Oropsylla hirsuta. They have all gained the status of being a "human Pest".

The small flightless insects are external parasites of mammals and birds, consuming their blood to survive. they are flat, with sharp claws to enable them to climb and crawl through their host's fur or feathers. Their mouths are made to pierce the skin and suck blood from the opening. They have strong hind legs enabling them to leap up to 50 times their body length. Flea larva are more worm-like, with no limbs, although they do have mouth's to feed on organic debris. The adult fleas feed on a wide array of warm-blooded mammals, including humans. Dogs, Cats, Rabbits, Squirrels, Ferrets, Rats, Mice, and birds. The pests actually specialize in using one species or a group of species, often feeding on others but unable to reproduce after partaking.

The number of eggs depends on the species of Flea, ranging from two eggs to several dozens. Females lay between one hundred to many thousands in their lifetimes. Some species of Fleas live in the burrows or nests, the eggs are then laid on the surface. Others lay their eggs directly on the hosts, allowing them to fall on the ground while the animal roams its environment. The dens and nests of the hosts are normally infested with the insects because the eggs have nothing to hold them to the fur or feathers. Gestation is about two weeks, they lay more eggs on animals whose immune system's are compromised. The larva feed on organic material after they hatch, dead insects, and vegetable matter are all eaten with zeal. After 3 larval stages, if they are afforded an adequate amount of food, the Pupa weave cocoons after each stage. They emerge from the cocoons as adults after four days. The adults' primary goal in life is to consume blood and reproduce, with a host the fleas life expectancy is 3 months, without a host it's only a few days. They have an organ that can feel our body heat and detect the CO2 we emit, also capable of detecting vibrations they seek us out.

Fleas are difficult to eliminate. It is of the utmost importance to treat the pet along with the inside of the home. There are several natural ways to treat your pet for fleas:

1) Use a comb, many pets love the attention, using a good quality comb designed for the purpose of removing fleas of all sizes. There are not a lot of eggs and larva on the animal, but the adults do live the majority of their lives on their hosts. Deposit the extracted fleas in a bucket of hot soapy water rinsing the comb each time.
2) Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice (freshly squeezed) along with two cups of water into ordinary dog shampoo. Bath your pet each week, increasing proportions to the size of larger animals.
3) Apple Cider Vinegar, add one teaspoon to a quarter liter of water and let the pet drink this all day long. The formulation causes the coat of the animal to become slightly acidic, which repels the pest. Do not apply it directly to the skin of the pet.
4) Fleas will not survive the laundering process, wash the pets' bedding and any other fabrics they lie on in 140 degrees F. soapy water for a 10 minute period. Drying at the highest temperature is a sure way to eliminate the tiny pest. If the pet lays on a bed in the house, wash the sheets, and bed covers as well, at least once a week.
5) Boric acid powder works as well, simply dust areas that are not exposed to sunlight and the humidity exceeds 50 percent. Your dog can be dusted as well, some do not tolerate it and attempt to lick it off, do not allow them to. Diatomaceous Earth also does the trick, used in the same manner as Boric Acid, the animal may be dusted. Avoid causing dust, the particles are tiny and easily inhaled by both the pet and the person applying it. D.E. is also effective in treating the area for ticks. Placed in a fertilizer dispenser apply the Diatomaceous Earth to the lawn and the area surrounding the house. It is an extremely dry compound sucking the moisture from the ticks and fleas. Either Boric Acid or Diatomaceous Earth may be spread across the threshold of doorways to eliminate their journey to the interior of the home.
6)  Apply lavender oil or tea tree oil in a teaspoon of water and put it on your dog's collar. Sprinkling the concoction on a bandanna and tying it around your pets necks works just as well.
7) Vacuum every day, everywhere your pet goes. Fleas will occupy every nook and cranny of the house, during the treatment period vacuum often.
8) If it is possible, keep the pet indoors as much as possible, reduced exposure will reduce the chances of more fleas being brought into the house.

He likes it. 

Essential oils are an efficient and natural way to eliminate the flea adults, larva, and eggs. Take note however that excessive treatment quantities have the potential to harm the animal. It is always best to consult your Vet. for proper use.

My dog spends a lot of time laying in the hot sun, she is a black dog. It makes me wonder if dogs know by instinct the heat will kill the fleas. It is not inconceivable to assume the temperature of the dogs' skin will exceed 95 degrees. Heat kills a lot of pests, one of which is bed bugs, the house, in that case, is heated to a temperature of 150 degrees for a long period of time. That treatment would eliminate Fleas just as efficiently.

Fleas carry diseases, the most notable being the Bubonic Plaque that spread throughout the Medival world. The Rat Flea and the Ground Squirrel Flea are known carriers of that disease, which still exists in the wild parts of the country.

(Follow this Link to learn of the FDA's paper on the safe use of flea and tick products.)

It is the time of year for us to be concerned about a flea infestation. Unfortunately, most of the time when an infestation has started the animal begins to scratch like crazy. The bites begin to appear on our ankles, and lower legs, if they occupy our beds the tiny welts appear everywhere. Whether the pet resides in the rural areas, or in the largest of cities they are still subject to becoming hosts for fleas. They are difficult to eliminate but not impossible. The process can be completed individually, or a company specializing in pest elimination may be contracted to complete the tasks.

Thanks for reading and sharing. The natural treatments I have listed to deal with Fleas is another step in our quest to become as self-reliant as we can be. My intent is to raise our self-awareness to be able to realize the beginning and the end of their most active season. Our pets are dependent on us for their well being, is we have pets it is our personal responsibility to make sure we address those needs. Through instinct, our pets will do everything in their power not to show they are in distress causing us to notice behavior which is out of the ordinary for them. Spreading Boric Acid or Diatomaceous Earth around the house will go a long way in preventing an uncontrollable infestation. If the infestation is especially bad, at times it does go out of control, spread them liberally.

jacquesandkate  Emergencykitsplus.com