At what temperature fleas die, you can find out from special handbooks on sanitary hygiene. Many people are wondering if it is possible to eliminate fleas on your own? Most housewives want to know if fleas are afraid of cold or high temperature? The conditions under which these insects die along with their eggs will be described below.
Habitat features
A comfortable habitat for parasites is a human dwelling. They grow and multiply in humid places, hidden from sunlight. Pests look for accumulations of debris in order to settle there and multiply.
The optimal environment for survival differs depending on the type of parasite. Insects living on the fur of cats and dogs grow and reproduce at temperatures from 20 to 25 ° C. The peak of animal functioning occurs in the spring-summer period. For parasites living in the basement, a comfortable temperature is 14-15 ° C. The optimum air humidity is 80% or more.
It is more difficult for parasites that breed during hot periods to tolerate frost. Basement pests are less resistant to heat. Basement fleas are more resistant to physical stress. To destroy them, the animal is heated above 50 ° C with thermal devices - this is the temperature at which adult basement fleas and their eggs die.
The average life span of animals is 2-3 months. This period depends on the living conditions. During her life, the female lays 500 eggs, which is why the colony increases dramatically.
An increase in ambient temperature to 35 ° C shortens the development cycle of an insect by 30%. Adults are larger than their predecessors. A decrease in temperature leads to a slowdown in development up to 1 year, pests grow smaller in size.
Critical temperatures for different flea species
Changing the temperature is more effective than using insecticides. The fine spray may not hit the small larva. And unfavorable living conditions kill animals.
Such types of fleas as felines and dogs are similar in their structure and features of life. Therefore, pet parasites are killed in the same way. Pests are unstable to frost less than -10 ° C, which slows down the reproduction process.
If the cold reaches -15 ° C, animals freeze in 1 hour - this is the temperature at which dog and cat fleas die.
Sandy insects are the smallest animals in their family that cause a disease called sarcopsillosis. Due to their small size, it is difficult to exterminate all individuals with insecticides. Therefore, it is necessary to know whether sand fleas are afraid of frost.
Animals are common in hot regions: India, Central and South America, Africa. Representatives of this species of fleas love to live in high temperature conditions (30-40 ° C). Sand fleas die at low temperatures: less than -5 ° C.
To be afraid of parasites is not only frost. Heat and sun rays interfere with the reproduction and growth of insects. When the air is heated to 45 ° C, the condition of the animals deteriorates sharply - this is at what temperature adult fleas and their larvae die in half an hour. The temperature of instant death of fleas is + 50 ° C and above.
Essential oil
The essential oil can be used to treat fluffy surfaces and other soft textile areas. But often the hostesses just wash the floors - the presented treatment has an excellent effect both on the cleanliness of the room, which is also important in eliminating fleas, and on the pasture of individuals.
This is important: Beware of using substances for the treatment of essential oils to which the residents of the house develop allergies. Essential oils can also be negatively perceived by animals - this should also be looked at during processing.
The influence of cold
Animal parasites function in the warm season, when the air is warmed up to 15-25 ° C - this is the temperature at which fleas live. If the thermometer drops below 0 ° C, the pests will feel discomfort. They are unable to produce offspring.
The deceleration of vital processes begins at -5 ° C. During frosts from -10 ° to -15 ° C, they fall into suspended animation. This is an analogy to hibernation in mammals. The cold is stronger than -15 ° C is fatal for all species of animals. In such conditions, adults die in 25 minutes - 1 hour.
Exposure to heat
Violation of the vital functions of insects begins at + 30 ° C. When the air warms up to this level, the pests begin to feel discomfort, they run into basements, hide behind furniture.
At a temperature of + 50 ° C, metabolic processes in the animal's body accelerate, and death occurs in 20-30 minutes. + 70 ° C are more dangerous for an insect - this is the temperature at which fleas their eggs die in 1 minute.
The temperature is lethal for flea eggs
A prerequisite for the extermination of pests in the house is the destruction of eggs. Their diameter is up to 1 mm, so it is not possible to destroy all eggs at once with an insecticide.
They are destroyed by frost and heat. Eggs die faster at high temperatures. When exposed to + 50 ° C or more, insects die almost instantly.
To destroy parasites with frost, it is necessary to act with cold at -20 ° C. It takes two days to exterminate all flea eggs.
Fleas in the house - what is the danger of such a neighborhood
Fleas are dangerous in that they leave punctures at the bite sites, and this can cause a number of external skin lesions:
- dermatitis;
- redness, burning and itching of the skin;
- an allergic reaction;
- swelling;
- in rare cases, suppuration of the bite site and an increase in lymph nodes are possible.
Also, fleas are carriers of infections, the infection is easily transmitted through birds and animals:
- Through rats, a person can become infected with the plague.
- Fleas after birds transmit salmonellosis.
- You can contract typhoid, hepatitis C and B, tularemia.
- The likelihood of being hit by helminths increases.
As you can see, blood-sucking insects are very dangerous for humans, so you should not neglect safety measures, especially if there are children in the house.
How to choose the optimal temperature for killing fleas
To eliminate parasites on clothes, towels, toys and other fabric products, they are washed at a water temperature of + 50 ° C and above. Subsequent treatment with a steam generator is effective.
Freezing is an effective method to get rid of parasites living above and under furniture, in genital crevices and other hard-to-reach places in the house. In winter (January-February) all windows in the house are wide open and left for 2-3 hours. After that, a general cleaning is carried out. The main condition is that the outside temperature should be less than 0 ° С.
Destruction of insects and their larvae by different methods
Before dealing with pests in the apartment, eliminate the source of infection. Pets should not be exposed to physical methods (cooling or heating). Chemical preparations - insecticides - have been created for them. They are designed for cats, small and large dogs. Only after processing the animal do they begin to eliminate the parasites in the room.
Fleas and extreme temperatures (-50 ° C and + 70 ° C) are incompatible.The following methods are used to get rid of parasites:
- airing carpets, bed linen and clothes in the cold for at least 2 hours;
- washing clothes in a washing machine with hot water (+ 90 ° С);
- ironing the fabric with an iron on both sides at the highest temperature;
- summer airing of mattresses, upholstered furniture, bedspreads, bedding in direct sunlight for 3 or more hours;
- pouring boiling water over cracks on the floor and baseboards;
- use of steam generators and thermal guns.
The least efficient way is to machine wash your clothes. It is used only in combination with other methods. Another drawback of this method is that not all things can be washed at high temperature conditions.
The most effective insect control method is a steam generator, thermal gun or steam cleaner. These devices heat the individual to + 90 ° C - this is the temperature at which adult fleas and larvae die in the apartment.
In addition to the rapid suppression of the vital activity of insects, the physical method of struggle has another plus. This method is harmless to human health, unlike insecticides.
Insecticides
Chemical insecticides are fatal to fleas. Poisonous substances paralyze their nervous system, cause muscle spasms, stop blood flow and death. Aerosols and liquids are popular for indoor treatment:
- Dichlorvos;
- Karbofos;
- Raid;
- Clean house;
- Butox 50;
- Medilis-Ziper;
- Raptor.
They contain insectoacaricides: cypermethrin, permethrin, tetramethrin and other substances from the pyrethroid group. These compounds remain on the treated surfaces for up to 30 days, do not disintegrate for a long time under the influence of sunlight or high temperatures. Chemical insecticides are dangerous to humans - inhalation of vapors can cause poisoning and related symptoms. Therefore, when working with chemicals, you must follow the safety rules and follow the manufacturer's recommendations indicated on the packaging.
For the treatment or prevention of infection of cats and dogs, it is recommended to use collars, drops and sprays containing safer insecticidal components. In pet stores, you can buy effective anti-flea products based on fipronil or imidacloprid:
- Frontline;
- Advantix;
- Foresto;
- Barrier;
- Celandine;
- Leopard;
- Dana;
- Phiprist.
Flea treatment for cats.
Application of the steam generator against insects
An effective way to destroy parasites on clothes, linen, furniture is a steam generator. This appliance produces a jet of hot steam. They are dotted with the places where the parasites are supposed to be hiding. The steam is kept for 3-4 minutes, waiting for the death of the animal.
The device emits a jet with a temperature of 90 ° C. This temperature regime is destructive for adults and larvae. The humidity of the steam is 5%. Therefore, things that deteriorate due to high humidity will not be damaged.
Different types of steam generators differ in their power. Sanitary-epidemiological services work with high-power devices. They exterminate all parasites in the apartment in 10-15 minutes.
The advantage of this pest control method is getting rid of pests in hard-to-reach places. It is convenient to handle skirting boards, corners of rooms, crevices with a steam generator.
Physical impact is a quick, effective and safe method for dealing with annoying parasites. High and low temperatures are fatal to animals.
The plant world against the pest
Various herbs have proven effective in the fight against petty bloodsuckers. The principle of operation of this method is based on the fact that fleas do not like a strong plant smell. To get rid of fleas, you need to spread the plant around the perimeter of the room. It should be changed immediately after drying. Freshly harvested herbs have a much stronger aroma.To help your pet get fleas, you need to tie a small twig with one of the recommended plants to its collar.
Flea Plants
What herbs are fleas afraid of:
- wormwood - the sharp specific smell of a plant is unpleasant even for a person, and for a flea, whose sense of smell is developed many times stronger, it is simply unbearable;
- tansy is an unconditional option than to scare off fleas from a person, this plant with small yellow inflorescences has a sharp aroma with an admixture of bitterness;
- flea cloves have a concentrated aroma, the high content of ethers in the plant prevents the reproduction of bloodsuckers, and also forces them to change their habitat;
- flea mint will help not only get rid of the insect, but also give the room a pleasant fresh air;
- bay leaf - the plant does not lose its aromatic qualities even after drying, to get rid of the annoying insect, you can spread the leaves of the laurel under carpets, beds and corners of the room;
- citruses. Another remedy when answering the question of what smell fleas are afraid of, but a person loves. A pleasant citrus scent will fill the room with warmth and freshness. While a person is enjoying the scent, pests will begin to look for escape routes.
Important!
Bloodsuckers cannot jump higher than 1 m, so all surfaces within this range must be treated.
The following types of herbs also help to solve the problem with insects:
- eucalyptus;
- lavender;
- thyme;
- geranium.
