Fleas

Fleas are tiny, wingless insects about 1/16 to 1/8 inch long with laterally compressed (flat side-to-side) dark brown bodies built for moving through fur and hair. They have powerful hind legs that allow them to jump up to 8 inches vertically — about 150 times their own body length. The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is the most common species found on both cats and dogs. Adults have backward-facing bristles that help them cling to their host.

Pets scratching excessively, especially around the neck, ears, and base of the tail, is often the first sign. Part your pet's fur and look for fast-moving dark specks or tiny dark comma-shaped flea droppings (digested blood) on the skin. Place your pet on a white towel and comb them — flea dirt appears as dark specks that turn reddish-brown when wet. You may also notice bites on your own ankles and lower legs.

Effective flea control in Myrtle Beach requires treating the pet, the home interior, and the yard simultaneously. MBPC applies residual insecticides with an insect growth regulator (IGR) to carpets, upholstered furniture, pet bedding areas, and baseboards. The IGR prevents flea eggs and larvae from developing into biting adults. Outdoor treatments target shaded areas under decks, porches, and shrubs where pets rest, as well as areas near palmetto trees and salt marshes. Coordination with your veterinarian for pet treatment is essential for comprehensive flea control in SC.

Keep all pets on year-round veterinary flea prevention — this is the single most important step in Myrtle Beach, SC, where our mild coastal climate means pets are outdoors nearly every month, and there is no safe off-season to skip treatments. Vacuum carpets, rugs, and upholstered furniture at least twice weekly, focusing on areas where pets rest. Wash pet bedding in hot water weekly. Keep your lawn mowed and shrubs trimmed to reduce shaded humidity where flea larvae develop. Pay special attention to sandy, shaded areas under decks and porches where pets nap — the Grand Strand's sandy soils are ideal flea pupae habitat.

Adult fleas live on their host animal, feeding on blood multiple times per day. However, flea eggs, larvae, and pupae develop off the host in carpets, upholstered furniture, pet bedding, and cracks in hardwood floors. Outdoors, flea larvae develop in shaded, humid areas where pets rest — under porches, decks, and in mulch beds, often near palmetto trees. Myrtle Beach's subtropical coastal climate — with an extended warm season — means almost year-round flea activity. Our sandy soils provide ideal pupae habitat, allowing flea cocoons to survive and develop in yard areas where pets play. Flea pupae can remain dormant in carpets for up to 6 months waiting for vibrations and warmth that signal a host is nearby.

Peak activity: Spring-Fall