When asking the question do fleas die in the winter the answer is yes. They can die but they will not be killed easily. As you might suspect fleas are hearty creatures that have a strong penchant for survival. This means that they can survive low temperatures for extended periods and not succumb.
However, while the answer to the question of do fleas die in the winter is yes, there are things you can do to accelerate the process. While this will not get rid of all the fleas, you can control them by keeping the fleas off your pets and out of your home.
How Cold Affects Fleas
As with most insects, the cold does not stop the functioning of their bodies. Instead, the cold simply slows down their activities. The fleas move slower and are not nearly as active which makes them more vulnerable. However, if the fleas have found a home on your pet, then they can stay alive, active, and reproduce just like in the spring and summer months.
The reason why fleas are so hearty despite the cold is their unique life cycle. Once a female bites your pet to get its food, they can start producing eggs in as little as 24 hours. In just 30 days, a female flea can lay up to 10,000 eggs. Keep in mind that the eggs will not be in one place, they can be spread around your home. Or, if your pets are outside, in the places where they sleep such as the dog house.
The cocoon that holds the pupae can stay intact for up to 30 weeks or 7 months before it hatches an adult flea. This means that when in their pupae state, a flea can survive the cold and even freezing conditions for extended periods until they hatch.
Once they hatch, the adult fleas are still pretty tough, but they are more vulnerable to the cold. This means that they can survive until the temperatures reach below freezing for an extended period. After that they will succumb to the cold.
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To put into perspective the conditions in which fleas will die from exposure to the cold, an adult flea becomes vulnerable when the temperatures dip below 46.4F or 8 Centigrade. However, they are only vulnerable to dying, they will need to be exposed to such temperatures for extended periods. An adult flea will die faster when exposed to sub-freezing temperatures. This is only true if the exposure lasts for at least five days.
That means when outdoors with the temperatures not exceeding freezing, an adult flea can still be alive for five days. Conversely, fleas die faster in hot temperatures. An adult flea will die after being exposed to temperatures over 95F or 35C in just 40 hours. Plus, the 40 hours of exposure need not be in a row, but over a four-week period. While it may sound counterintuitive, fleas are more vulnerable to hot weather than the cold.
Do fleas die in the winter? Yes, if they have reached the adult stages. However, given that fleas are pretty tough, reproduce frequently, and can survive long winters while still in the pupae stages, getting rid of the fleas is not going to be easy. This means that to protect your pet and home, you will need to implement a flea eradication program the year-round.
How to Prevent Flea Infestation
The first step is to understand that the fleas that live on your pets only represent about 5% of the total population in your home and yard. This means for every single flea that you see on your dog or cat, there are 20 fleas that are somewhere nearby. While you can bathe your pet, that only means more fleas will be finding their way to them. Plus, the fleas are reproducing at a rapid rate.
Apart from finding out the answer to the question of do fleas die in the winter, you should take steps to ensure your pet and home are protected. What follows are some simple tips that may keep the fleas at bay.
Bathe & Protect Your Pets: The first step should be to use a flea and tick shampoo that will rid the fleas from the pet. And then to add a flea collar or treatment that will keep them off your pet for an extended period. There are collars that can last for several months, meaning that the fleas will stay off your pet even if they travel outside.
Treat the Home: Fleas tend to nest in the carpet, rugs, and similar areas for warmth and protection. You should shampoo the carpet with a product designed to get rid of the fleas. As you treat the carpet, remove any rugs from the home and treat them as well. Finally, vacuum any areas in which dust, hair, or debris might have collected. While fleas tend to stay off floors without protection, they may find shelter in the dust bunnies under your furniture.
Spray the Yard: Even in the winter months fleas may still exist in your yard. This is a good time of the year to spray the front and backyard with a flea-killing product. Be sure to keep your pets inside after application. Then, as the warm months of spring arrive, give it another spray. This will kill any fleas that might’ve ventured into the yard after the first application.
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Of course, if your pets never go outside, then the fleas are not likely to find their way inside your home. Fleas are parasites, so they are not sitting out in your yard unless they have a food source such as your pets that are present. However, there is the possibility of field mice and rats that may harbor the fleas. So getting rid of these pests is a must as well.
If you wanted to know the answer to the question, do fleas die in the winter? A better question is how you can prevent and get rid of fleas no matter the season? Knowing the answer to that will help you and your pet stay free of flea infestations the year-round.