Flea, Tick & Mite Control in Tempe, AZ

Three tiny pests, three different sources. Fleas come in on animals, brown dog ticks settle into the home, and mites usually trace to a nest. This page sits under biting pest control, which can help if you are still working out which one you have. Flea and mite extermination are listed on Kekoa's Google profile, and customers report that Kai treats inside and out.

Which one do you have?

Fleas are small, dark and jump. Walk through a suspect room in tall white socks and look for dark specks, a monitoring trick University of Arizona Extension recommends. A flea comb on the pet works too.

Brown dog ticks are flat and reddish brown, with no light markings on the back. Larvae are the size of a pinhead and easy to miss. Extension says they favor a dog's ears and neck, and that they may be found crawling on walls and furniture. A tick on a living room wall is the sign to take seriously.

Mites are hard to see. Think about nests. Extension says tropical rat mites and spiny rat mites can transfer from roof rats and bite people in Arizona. Bird mites tie back to a nest in an eave, vent or roofline. No pets, and itching that started after birds or rats moved in? That is a useful clue for Kai, and your doctor should hear about any rash.

Why fleas in the house keep coming back

Extension puts it plainly: about 95 percent of the fleas in an infestation are eggs, larvae and pupae scattered through the home. A single female can average 30 eggs a day, and they fall off wherever the pet rests.

Pupae are the stubborn stage. They sit in sticky cocoons and can wait for a host, so numbers can jump even after a treatment. Expect to see some fleas for a while. That does not mean the plan failed.

In the Valley, sun helps. Open gravel in July is hard on flea larvae. Shade is the problem: under shrubs, along block walls, and on covered patios. Air-conditioned carpet stays comfortable all year.

The brown dog tick in Arizona, and what AZDHS says

This tick is different from the ones people know from hiking. It lives with dogs, around and inside homes. Extension has documented it in Maricopa County, and in warm weather its whole life cycle can take as little as two months. It spends about 95 percent of its life off the host, so treating only the dog leaves most of the ticks alone.

The Arizona Department of Health Services identifies it as the vector of Rocky Mountain spotted fever locally. AZDHS reports the disease was first detected on tribal lands in 2003, with over 500 Arizona cases and nearly 30 deaths since. AZDHS advises year-round tick control on dogs and keeping yards clear of brush, debris and fabric items left outside. Anyone with questions about a tick bite or a fever afterward should speak with a healthcare provider.

What flea and tick work from Kai covers

The job runs on two fronts. Kai handles the home and the shaded spots outside, and your vet handles the animal. Flea work leans on carpet, furniture edges and pet resting spots. Tick work leans on cracks, baseboards and walls near where the dog sleeps. Mite work comes down to the nest, since treating a room does little while birds or rats stay overhead.

A job usually covers:

• Identifying the pest from the pet, the walls or a sample.
• Checking pet beds, carpet edges, furniture and baseboards.
• Checking shaded runs, patios, eaves and any nests.
• Treating the areas that need it, inside and out.
• Preparation steps, re-entry time and when pets can return.
• A vacuuming and washing routine to keep up between visits.

Flea, tick and mite options, compared

This is a general comparison of the trade, not a list of what Kai carries.

Ask Kai on the phone which of these he would use for your situation. Any product he uses goes down according to its label.

Labels, landlords and the license

Federal law makes the pesticide label binding, so a product goes only where its label allows, and re-entry times come from that label too. Arizona ties for-hire work to a Department of Agriculture Pest Management Division license, and you can search any business by name. In a rental, the lease decides who pays, so a flea problem left by a previous tenant's pet is worth raising with the manager in writing the day you find it.

What flea control in Tempe looks like on the day

1. Kai asks about pets, past treatments and where the bites happen.
2. He checks pet resting spots, carpet edges, furniture and baseboards.
3. He looks outside at shaded runs, patios, nests and eaves.
4. You get preparation steps: floors picked up, bedding washed, pets moved.
5. He treats the areas that need it, inside and out, keeping placement away from where pets and kids reach.
6. He tells you the re-entry time and when pets can return.

You get the source named, the areas treated explained, and the products used listed for you. Ask your vet about the pet at the same time, so both efforts line up. Extension says product choice for the animal belongs in that conversation.

How much does flea and tick treatment cost, and how long does it take?

There is no set Kekoa price. What moves the cost: square footage, carpet versus tile, number of pets, the size of any yard area, and whether ticks are involved. Ticks often need more attention than fleas, because they hide in cracks throughout the house.

Tempe homes differ on most of these. A tiled apartment near campus gives larvae little to live in, while a carpeted ranch house with a dog door and a shaded side yard gives them plenty. A gravel yard in full sun may need nothing, and grass under citrus may need more. Indoor-only pets can take the yard off the list altogether. Past treatments count as well, so keep the name of anything you or a previous company used. With mites, the price depends as much on the nest source as on the room, and a bird or rodent job may come first.

Timing varies. Vacuuming daily for the first couple of weeks after treatment helps, since it brings pupae out and removes them. Some fleas may keep appearing for a few weeks as they hatch. Call Kai if numbers are not dropping, and he will tell you what he would change.

Prevention, and why Kekoa

AZDHS advises tick control on dogs all year, so ask your vet what suits your pet. Wash pet bedding weekly. Keep yards free of old couches, rugs and clutter. Keep birds out of eaves and rodents out of the attic.

• Flea and mite extermination are named on Kekoa's Google profile.
• He treats inside and out, which matters because these pests live in both places.
• One Google reviewer noted that he takes time to explain how to head off future issues.
• Monthly customers report a list of the chemicals used, which is handy to show your vet.
• A reminder the day before gives you time to pick up floors and move pets.
• You deal with the owner, so whoever saw your carpets is the one you call if numbers stay high.

Service runs across Tempe, Chandler, Mesa and Gilbert. Outdoor biters are a separate job; see mosquito control, and for large night-flying bugs, kissing bug control.