All pet owners know the necessary nuisance of protecting our companions from fleas and ticks. The smallest pests have the potential to become a huge annoyance to both you and your furry friends. Understanding how fleas and ticks operate can help us better defend against them. Here are some lesser known facts about fleas and ticks: 

1. Older than Dirt

Fleas and ticks have been bothering different mammals for millions of years. Fleas have been around for at least 165 million years. Around 40-50 million years ago, fleas evolved into the wingless, highly-modified insects we know today. On the other hand, a tick isn't considered an insect at all. Evidence shows that the first tick evolved from an ancient species of arachnid 90 million years ago. This is because they have 8 legs instead of 6, and they are also wingless. 

2. Just One Season?

3. What You Don't See

Adult fleas only take up 5% of the flea population. The other 95% consists of eggs, pupae, and larvae. Fleas in the larvae stage also tend to hide from the light, opting to dig into carpets or cracks. This leads to sometimes missing them during cleaning. Ticks, like fleas, favor dark, warm, and moist places. They will even crawl under clothes to seek out these areas. 

4. Terminator Vision

Fleas and ticks both search for their hosts in the same way. They find hosts by detecting body heat, movement and the vibrations caused by it, and the smell of CO2 we release when we breathe. Because they can't fly, fleas jump up over 150 times their body length to attach to a host. On the other hand, ticks are more passive in their approach. Ticks use a technique called "questing," wherein they cling to greenery or grass until latching on a passing host. 

5. Hard to Shake Off

The saliva in hard ticks helps them stay stuck on their hosts. It functions like cement for a tick, helping them anchor to their host and making it more difficult to remove them from the surface. Adult fleas also get a bit of help from their anatomy. Most species of fleas that infect animals have backward facing spines. This helps them grab and grip hair or fur when you try to remove them. 

How to Protect Pets (and People)?

It's important to check your pet after long outdoor exposure for fleas and ticks, especially after traipsing through high-risk areas with lots of tall grass, bushes, or other greenery. Fleas like to hide around the neck, belly, tail base, and armpits. Ticks opt to stick around the ears, neck, and between the toes. You can remove fleas with a flea comb and ticks with tweezers!

To prevent you and your precious pets from fleas and ticks, look no further than our Flea and Tick Line in our Home Collection for an easy and effective way to repel pesky parasites. All products include pet-safe, all-natural oils that make fleas and ticks run for the hills. Spray our Body Mist before every outing, or massage our Soft Paw between toes to repel ticks. The possibilities are endless! Use our products separately as repellent or combine the line to get the most effect. It's suitable for people and dogs, so you can protect your friends, family, and furballs.

Whatever your method, be sure to keep you and your cute companions safe from fleas and ticks!