Pest Library
Fleas & Ticks
Whether or not you own a pet, fleas and ticks can still find their way onto your Southwest Florida property — they live in lawns, shrubbery, parks, fields, and sandy areas, and move easily on the backs of rodents and other wild animals. Though both are blood-feeding pests, the tick is a type of arachnid and the flea is a type of wingless insect. Fleas can also hitch a ride into your home on secondhand furniture or rugs, making them tricky to avoid entirely.
About Fleas & Ticks
Whether or not you own a pet, fleas and ticks can still find their way onto your Southwest Florida property — they live in lawns, shrubbery, parks, fields, and sandy areas, and move easily on the backs of rodents and other wild animals. Though both are blood-feeding pests, the tick is a type of arachnid and the flea is a type of wingless insect. Fleas can also hitch a ride into your home on secondhand furniture or rugs, making them tricky to avoid entirely.
Signs of Fleas & Ticks Infestation
- Pets scratching, biting, or grooming more than usual
- Small, dark specks (flea dirt) in pet bedding or on light-colored flooring
- Itchy bites on ankles and lower legs, often in clusters
- Fleas visible jumping in carpeted areas or on pet fur, or ticks attached after time outdoors
Our Treatment Approach
Effective flea and tick control addresses both the indoor environment and the yard, since fleas and ticks live in carpets, bedding, lawns, and shaded outdoor areas. We treat indoor living spaces along with outdoor harborage zones, and recommend keeping pets on a year-round, vet-approved flea and tick preventative. Both pests spread diseases and parasites to people and pets, and their bites can leave hosts open to secondary infections.
Ready to get rid of fleas & ticks for good? See our flea & tick control page for full details.
Prevention Tips
- Keep your grass cut short and remove grass or leaf piles from your yard
- Make your yard less attractive to wild animals — use locking lids on trash cans, clear outdoor eating areas, and remove bird feeders
- Place pets on a year-round flea and tick control program
- Inspect yourself and your kids for fleas and ticks before heading back inside
- Regularly vacuum your home to pick up stray fleas and ticks that have found a way inside
Fleas & Ticks FAQs
Do I need a pet for fleas to be a problem?
No — fleas and ticks live in lawns, shrubbery, and shaded outdoor areas and can hitch a ride into your home on wildlife, secondhand furniture, or rugs, even without a pet in the house.
Are fleas and ticks dangerous?
Yes, both can spread diseases and parasites to people and pets, and their bites can lead to secondary infections, so it's worth treating an infestation promptly.
What's the best way to prevent fleas and ticks?
Keep grass cut short, remove leaf and grass piles, limit what attracts wildlife to your yard, and keep pets on a year-round, vet-approved flea and tick preventative.