If you have four-legged, furry family members in your home, then you might be worried about fleas. Fleas can be a major nuisance pest that can be very stressful for you and your beloved pets to deal with. Not only can they cause itchy and painful bites, but they can also potentially transmit diseases.

But what are fleas attracted to and how could they end up in your yard in the first place?

In this article, we’ll dive into what attracts fleas to your yard as well as how to get rid of fleas when they are in your yard. Whether you’re worried you have an existing pest problem or you just want to do everything that you can to prevent one, we want to help. Like you, we love our pets like part of the family, and we completely understand your concern.

What Attracts Fleas to Your Yard in Northern Virginia?

What’s helpful to understand is that fleas don’t just hop their way into your yard. They are brought there. Fleas make their way into residential properties by way of local wildlife like raccoons, squirrels, opossums, and rodents. Even feral cats can pass through your yard and potentially drop fleas.

Therefore, any steps that you can take to implement wildlife control could be effective in the reduction of fleas on your property.

Here are a few considerations.

• Cover woodpiles: Woodpiles are a very common habitat for rodents like mice. It’s like you’ve built them a tiny little house with many cracks and crevices for them to take up residence. Woodpiles tend to have everything that rodents and other pests need to survive including a food source (typically bugs) and water (when puddles form). But you can discourage rodents from taking up residence in your woodpile by keeping it covered. Just be sure that you are keeping airflow available to the wood.
• Remove yard debris: Yard debris can also become a hiding and hangout spot for unwanted wildlife like rodents. Leaves or an abundance of twigs that have not been picked up can become the perfect spot for these pests. Also, remove any trash that might have blown into your yard and is lingering there. The idea is to think about potential places that rodents would like to hide or explore and remove them from your yard.
• Get rid of standing water: We talk a lot about removing standing water as a way of reducing your mosquito population (because stagnant water becomes a prime breeding site for mosquitoes). However, standing water also provides local wildlife with their own personal drinking fountain!
• Cut back overgrowth: Just like yard debris, lawn and landscape overgrowth can become a hiding spot for rodents and other wildlife. They love tall grasses and brush. Keep your lawn mowed regularly and trim back overgrowth in the landscape. Getting rid of overgrowth has the added benefit of also reducing ticks since this is where they like to hang, too.

How to Get Rid of Fleas in Your Yard

Implementing some of these wildlife control tactics is a really great first step in reducing the potential flea population in your yard.

Of course, even with your best efforts, there are likely still going to be animals that occasionally come through. If you’ve made it discouraging for them (by using some of the tips above), they’re less likely to hang around. But that doesn’t mean they might not drop fleas in your yard even when passing through.

For that reason, outdoor flea control is also recommended.

Outdoor flea control means having your property professionally treated with a flea control product. Professionally sprayed flea control products go a long way in safely keeping dangerous pests from harming your pets, even if they’ve made their way to your property.

At Kingstowne, our approach to flea control is different from other companies in Alexandria, Arlington, and Springfield, VA in that we actually bundle mosquito, flea, and tick control together as one service plan that handles all of these pests.

It just so happens that the same areas where fleas tend to thrive are where mosquitoes and ticks thrive, as well. Instead of ripping you off with an extra bill for mosquito control in the same area, with the same material, we lump it all together to ensure you’re fully covered.

While some homeowners inquire about DIY flea control options, this is not an approach we would advise. While it’s true that there are DIY flea control sprays out there, when it comes to a pest as nasty as the flea, you simply don’t want to risk using an ineffective solution.

The truth is, homeowners are often pleasantly surprised to learn that professional pest control is not as much money as they thought it would be. When you begin to add up all of the costs associated with a DIY approach (products, a sprayer, and even fuel used on trips to the store), it’s really not as cheap as you thought it might be.

And there is no guarantee that it will work!

If you are serious about outdoor flea control it makes sense to invest in a pro.

A Word on Flea Treatments by Your Vet

While we are on the subject of how to get rid of fleas in your yard, we also want to mention that any of the advice we’re giving is not meant to be in place of what your pet’s veterinarian suggests.

You should still follow your vet’s recommendation for flea control for your pet.

That’s because even though your yard is going to be protected with outdoor flea control, your pet could still pick up fleas somewhere else (such as on a trail or at the dog park).

Since fleas really are a nasty pest, you want to make sure that your pet has all of the layers of protection that he or she needs to remain safe.

Working with Professional Pest Control in Northern Virginia

We know that your pet's (and your family’s) safety is important to you. While fleas are typically an animal problem, they can also bite and bother humans. In fact, if your pet brings fleas inside, you could end up dealing with an entire indoor infestation!

For these reasons, outdoor flea control makes a lot of sense.

Of course, your options are varied when it comes to choosing a pest control company. Here in Northern Virginia, there are a lot of companies offering this type of service. But you want to find a company that can deliver peace of mind so that you know your family is in good hands.

At Kingstowne, we have highly trained technicians who apply professional-grade, highly effective products for flea, tick, and mosquito control. They know exactly the right amount of product to apply and where to apply it so that you can feel confident you’re getting the best possible protection in a safe way. We also include a flea and tick treatment in our lawn care program, so with Kingstowne Lawn Care and Pest Defense you’ll have extra control against fleas and ticks in your yard.

This can help you to have the peace of mind you’ve been looking for.

While the thought of pests hanging around on your property can be a source of major stress, it doesn’t have to be that way. By making smart choices and taking steps toward protecting your family, you no longer have to let these pests ruin your time outside.

When you invest in professional pest control, you can feel like you are finally getting your yard back!

If you’re ready to stop worrying about the danger of fleas (and ticks and mosquitoes) lurking in your yard in Alexandria, Arlington, or Springfield, VA, request a quote, get your customized plan, and sit back and relax as you get the royal treatment.

Image Souce: Flea