Fleas - those tiny scourges of pets and pet owners - are on the rise in North Carolina, the state's Pest Management Association says.
The state's unusually warm winter likely is contributing to the higher number of flea infestations, said Lee Smith, a member of the association's board, an entomologist and the owner of a pest management company in Eastern North Carolina. Plus, fleas typically come in cycles of every five to seven years, Smith said.
And it's not just dog and cat owners that have to worry. Fleas can swarm any home, even those that do not have pets, according to the association.
The most common indicator of a flea infestation is the irritating red bumps they leave behind when they bite the skin, Smith said. Bites can appear on pets and humans, and they usually are around the ankles, sock area or arms.
Though the effects are most often limited to bites, fleas also can transmit tapeworm among animals and can cause allergic reactions in some people. The most common ways for fleas to enter a home is on pets, clothing or through rodents that may be underneath the house or inside the heating and cooling system.
"Vacuuming the home is a big component of flea control," Smith said. "It ... causes the fleas to emerge from their cocoon."
Mowing the lawn and keeping wildlife around your house to a minimum also are good preventative measures, as is using flea-control medication on pets.
Smith said research from the University of Georgia shows that the application methods of flea medication are not as effective as they once were. Topical treatments tend to wash off depending on the pet's exposure to water or outdoor activity.
Oral treatments can be more successful, Smith said, noting that he recently switched to that for his yellow Lab.
And one other place to keep an eye on - beach or other vacation homes that may not have been used much during the winter. They can be primary breeding grounds for fleas because the pests can lie dormant in the homes for months.