Fleas and Flea Eggs Can Survive in the Cold
WouterWhen temperatures drop towards freezing, many people assume that flea treatments are no longer necessary. The truth is, however, that fleas and flea eggs can survive the cold. In fact, they can survive as long as 10 days if the high temperature is 37 degrees or higher. However, if temperatures remain below freezing for longer than that, fleas will die.
It is crucial to treat the house and yard for fleas, particularly in the colder months. Fleas are easy to come by in winter, when they may seek out warmer places to reproduce. It is also a good idea to sign up for an alert service so that you can receive notification when an outbreak of fleas is reported.
During the cold months, fleas are able to survive because of their life cycle. Female fleas can lay eggs as early as 24 hours after biting. In fact, female fleas can lay as many as 10,000 eggs in 30 days. These eggs can contaminate carpets, furniture, and other areas in your home. When the flea larvae hatch, they form a cocoon and mature into pupae. These pupae can remain in the cocoon for 30 weeks, meaning that they can live in your home even when temperatures are below freezing.
Even though adult fleas don’t like the cold, they are still capable of producing hundreds of eggs in a short amount of time. The cold does not kill their eggs, but it does slow their development. Adult fleas can survive up to five days below freezing. However, an adult flea will die when temperatures fall below 50 degrees.
