Flea Pest Control
Flea control in Poole, Bournemouth and the surrounding areas.
BMS Pest Control offers a fast, effective and professional service at affordable prices to rid your home or business of fleas.
Our treatments are safe, clean and are carried out at a time that is convenient to you. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have and to offer help and advice.
Fleas Treated from just £100
Fully Inclusive, Guaranteed
Get Rid of Fleas
Fleas are a very common problem in UK homes, particularly when pets are present. While a few fleas are just a nuisance, a large infestation can be a very stressful experience for both pets and their owners. Their bites are very itchy and can sometimes become painful.
While there are many different types of fleas, the most common is the cat flea, which lives on both cats and dogs and also bites humans.
Flea Control - What We Do
Preparation - Pets
For our treatment to be successful, it is imperative that your pets are also given a good quality treatment at the same time.
We cannot recommend any particular brand, but anything that is prescribed by a vet should suffice. Please do not use an off the shelf product.
Please note that all pets (including birds, reptiles and spiders) must be removed from the property during the treatment. Fish tanks can be left but these must be covered with sheets or towels.
Preparation - House
Prior to our treatment, we require that the property has been thoroughly vacuumed (including sofas and pet bedding) and tidied - removing as much clutter from the floors and under beds as possible.
If possible we recommend that pet bedding is washed at 60 degrees and to empty your vacuum cleaner (or dispose of the bag) outside afterwards.
Treatment
We will spray all floors, skirtings and soft furnishings with a residual insecticide. Unlike DIY aerosols or ‘flea bombs’, a residual insecticide will continue to kill fleas even after the treated surfaces are dry. This is applied as a coarse spray using a pump sprayer. We do not spray clothing or bedding but if you think they may contain fleas or eggs, they can be washed at 60 degrees.
During the treatment we will require you and your pets to leave the house and then stay out until the treated surfaces are dry.
This is usually a few hours but can vary depending on the surface. Once dry, it is completely safe to return.
After Treatment
After surfaces have dried you may notice a faint white powdery substance. This is perfectly normal; it is the residual part of the chemical. This residue will continue to kill any fleas that come into contact with it after the treatment has been carried out.
Avoid vacuuming or washing treated surfaces for 14 days after treatment to ensure the residue continues to work.
You may continue to see fleas and be bitten for a period of time after treatment. This is due to fleas emerging from eggs that were laid prior to the treatment. The residue left behind by the chemical will kill these fleas once they come into contact with it.
Fleas in Your Home or Business?
About Fleas
Cat Flea (ctenocephalides felis)
Characteristics
Adult Fleas
Small, wingless 2-4mm long.
Red / dark brown colouration
Can jump large distances but does not fly
Flattened body
Larvae
Eggs and larvae are very small and not usually seen.Life Cycle & Habitat
Fleas lay their eggs either directly on an pets coat or in and around a pets bedding. The eggs hatch into larvae in about 1-2 weeks. The larvae feed on organic debris such as dust and adult fleas droppings. Over the next week or so the larvae will moult several times before making a cocoon and pupating.
Fleas will then remain in this pupal state until they are ready to feed. The flea is stimulated to emerge by vibrations, carbon dioxide levels and heat caused by a passing host (an animal or human) which they will then jump on to and start to feed.
If they do not detect a nearby food source then they can remain in this dormant state for months. Once movement is detected, it is likely they will all emerge at once. This is why large numbers of fleas can be seen when people return from their holidays or move into an empty house whose previous occupants had pets.
Identifying a Flea Infestation
What to look for
Human occupants being bitten.
Pets scratching or biting themselves.
Adult fleas on your pets fur or on the floors or sofa.
Fine black dropping (‘flea dirt’) found on pets or their bedding.
Need Advice?
Get in TouchFlea Infestations in Empty Houses
We frequently carry out flea treatments for estate agents and property management companies. Properties that have been left empty for months that previously had pets can have a severe infestation.
The infestation is often only discovered when the agent enters the property to show clients around and the hungry fleas jump on them en masse.
This video is an example of just how bad an infestation can be in a previously empty house.
Fleas or Bedbugs?
The two most common biting insects found in the home are fleas and bedbugs. Unfortunately, the bites from these insects can be quite similar so other evidence must be considered when identifying an infestation.
Please read our Bedbug page for more information on bedbugs.
Fleas
Location on Body
Often around the ankles or parts of the body that is within jumping distance of the flea. Children playing on the floor are particularly susceptable to bites. Upper body can be bitten if fleas are on the sofa or bed.Time of Bites
Fleas will bite at any time of day. You may not be aware of the bite till hours afterwards.Location in House
Fleas can be in any part of the house.Other Evidence
Seeing live fleas or pets scratching.
Bedbugs
Location on body
Bites can be all over the body but particularly on areas of skin that are exposed at night. Bedbugs sometimes bite in clusters that may look more like a rash, but this is not always the case.Time of Bites
Bedbugs will always bite while you are sleeping.Location in House
Bedbugs will always be near to where you sleep, though they can be in sofas.Other Evidence
Blood spots on your sheets or pillows in the morning. Bedbug droppings or eggs may be found on the mattress or bed frame.
Where do they come from?
Fleas are usually introduced into home on pets or other animals, though they can sometimes be carried on humans - which explains the occasional flea outbreaks in offices.
If occupants have moved into a new house and are being bitten but have no pets, it’s likely that the previous occupants did - fleas can lie dormant in an empty house for months.
Pets usually pick up fleas from interacting with other pets but they can also be picked up outside in areas where there is other wildlife such as foxes, rabbits and rodents.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fleas
The insecticide we use is a 'residual insectide'. This means that after the spray has dried, a residue is left behind which will continue to kill fleas for days after the treatment. This residue is completely safe for humans and animals. DIY flea sprays are not residual - this means that to kill every flea in your house you would need to hit each flea with the spray directly.
No. Once lit, the smoke immediately rises and deposits the insecticide all over the ceilings and walls without touching the areas where the fleas are - the floor.
Though they may claim to be, 'spot-on' treatments are not 100% effective. Fleas don't actually live on the animal, they live in the animals bedding and surrounding areas (which can spread to other parts of the house). While a 'spot-on' product may kill most of the fleas on the animal, it won't kill any of the fleas in the house. Once the treatment has worn off (usually a lot less than the 30 days that most of these products claim) the fleas in the house can move back on to the animal. To be most effective, we recommend using a 'Spot on' product that was provided by a vet at the same time as one of our treatments.
We only spray carpets, floors (including lino and wood/laminate), rugs and soft furnishings (including chair covers and sofas). We cannot spray people, pets, bedding or clothes. We also do not generally spray leather furniture.
We will give you an information sheet after the treatment listing all the dos and don'ts. The most important of which is to avoid vacuuming or washing treated surfaces for a while after the treatment. As mentioned above, the residue left behind after the treatment carries on killing the fleas after the spray has dried. Vacuuming or washing a floor would remove this residue.
Its normal to still see fleas for a period of time after the treatment. This is due to fleas emerging from eggs that were laid prior to the treatment. Provided you have not vacuumed or cleaned the floors, the residue left behind will kill these fleas a few hours after they have come into contact with it.
Yes, if you still see fleas 21 days after the treatment, just let us know and we’ll come back for a follow up treatment..
Other Services
Areas Covered Include:
Blandford, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Dorchester, Poole, Ringwood, Salisbury, Swanage, The New Forest, Verwood, Wareham, Weymouth, Wimborne and other Dorset and Hampshire Areas.
Quick Links
© 2022 BMS Pest Control Contact Us: