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Fleas are attracted to heat and light. It’s one reason why they love harboring on our furry friends and why they also get into your skin. These same attractants can be used to trick them into their death. In the same vein, knowing how to attract fleas to one spot is possible using simple traps.
| FLEA TRAP | BRAND | EXPERT RATING | CHECK PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
 | ASPECTEK Favored- Trapest Sticky Dome Trap |  | Check Price |
 | Victor The Ultimate Flea Trap |  | Check Price |
For this post, we will discuss how to use flea traps, how to increase its effects, and what commercial options you can purchase.
What attracts fleas?
Various things attract fleas depending on what life stage they are in. Usually, fleas love warmth – our skin for one. To give you a better image of the flea attractants, here are the most common examples:
*Relative warmth
Fleas love warmer climates which is why they tend to prosper during summer or spring seasons. Also, they love body heat.
It’s the reason why fleas harbor on pets, and since furry animals have thicker hair than humans, it’s much easier for fleas to stick around.
When it comes to humans, flea bites may also happen since our bodies release heat. However, fleas tend to prefer a specific person/s within a household. There’s no solid explanation for this. Still, it’s believed that it could be due to the fact that humans release different scents.
Overall, fleas prefer an environment with temperatures of above 65F but not higher than 95F.
If your home has a colder temperature, there’s a chance that the fleas will hide on your carpets and rugs. Once they detect a warm host, they will transfer or take a ride.
*Carbon dioxide
Fleas are attracted to carbon dioxide, the gas that warm-blooded organisms produce. It’s also the same reason why fleas prefer a specific person over other members of the household. If the person produces more CO2 than others, he or she may be peppered with bites.
Aside from carbon dioxide, fleas also love movement since it produces heat. Try wearing white socks, rub your feet together, and place it on top of an infested carpet. Fleas will start to crawl in a matter of minutes.
*Darkness
Flea larvae and eggs tend to seek darkness. This is so they will be hidden out of plain sight. Such a thing will borrow them time to become a pupa and reach adulthood.
Once the fleas reach adulthood, they will seek out a host. Take note that a newly sprung flea will die if it doesn’t find a host to feed on right away.
More things will attract fleas. As long as you have furry pets, the risk of fleas will remain high. In addition, your pets itself are attractants of fleas.
Using flea traps
One of the leading ways on how to attract fleas to one spot is by placing traps. Such traps have one thing that an adult flea loves to seek: heat. Aside from a heat source, the trap is also equipped with sticky padding. So when the flea jumps into it, the insect will be trapped to death.
Flea traps are an excellent way to divert the fleas off your skin and your pets. It’s also part of a bigger flea control effort.
Since traps are physical items, you need to ensure that your pets won’t chew on it or disturb the installation.
With fleas being possible carriers of plague and typhus, traps play a vital role in reducing the health impact of fleas to both humans and pets.
Are flea traps effective?
If we’re talking about attracting fleas, traps are very helpful. Fleas will get stuck on the sticky surface. Since they can’t feed, the fleas will also die in the process. Some flea traps also have poisonous substances that will kill the pest upon contact.
Take note that flea traps are only effective to some extent. It’s not the sole solution to your flea bites, let alone the infestation that’s taking place in your home. Also, flea traps are made to remove fleas in certain areas alone, say a room or a lounge.
It should be paired with other extermination and repellent methods to ensure that you’ll annihilate the fleas.
Does it work outdoors?
Most flea traps made for household use are fit for indoor purposes. The main reason is its small size and somewhat fragile construction.
Although you can still use it outdoors, say your shed or patio, you have to place many units to accommodate all the fleas that will jump into it.
Take note that once the trap surface becomes filled with fleas, it may not be sticky enough to trap more. When this happens, you can’t maximize the purpose of the trap.
How to use flea traps
The first thing that you have to think about is the location of the traps. It’s best to set it near your bed or your pet’s sleeping spot. This way, the fleas will be attracted to the carbon dioxide emission and be diverted into the nearby heat source.
Also, always place multiple traps. Aside from that, watch out for possible hindrances that may stop the fleas from being trapped.
If you’re re-using a flea trap, make sure that you refill or change the trap surface. Most manufacturers of flea traps nowadays produce these refills so you wouldn’t have to purchase the traps as a whole.
How to Make DIY Flea Traps
If the infestation on your home is just small and you don’t have the budget for commercial flea traps, you can come up with a makeshift version.
Here’s a homemade flea trap that you can create in under five minutes:
What you need to do:
-Shallow bowls with low sides
-Water
-Dish soap
-Battery-operated tea light candle
How to do it:
Add some water on each bowl and add some dish soap. Mix it mildly and make sure that dish soap is well distributed all over the bowl.
After that, place the bowl near your bed or any spot where you want to trap fleas. When it’s set, place a battery-operated tea light candle beside it. For more heat, it’s best to use multiple lights.
What happens here is you get to attract the fleas. Once the fleas jump, they will land into the dish soap bowl and die within minutes.
Some reminders:
This is a cost-effective choice, but not always ideal if you have pets that roam the house. Your dog or cat may drink from the bowl, tip the bowl, or damage the lights.
How to choose a flea trap
If you want to skip the hassle of creating DIY traps, you can always purchase commercial traps. Most of these products are affordable and can be refilled with new sticky pads.
Make sure that you look for the following aspects:
-Heat
If possible, look for a trap that comes with a tiny bulb. This is the heat source which will attract the fleas into their death.
It can either be battery-operated or plugged into an electrical source. This type of traps can lure fleas that are up to 30 feet away.
Although you’d have to refill the sticky pads once in a while, you barely have to deal with any mess.
-Trap pad
The trap pad of most commercially available flea traps is made of a sticky and non-toxic substance that will kill the fleas once they get in contact.
In addition, opt for a trap that has replaceable pads instead of one that you have to buy over and over again.
-Size
Most commercial flea traps nowadays are of the same size as a plate, sometimes as small as a saucer. It depends on your preference, the area of installation, and the extent of infestation on your home.
If the fleas are already massive in population, you need the largest unit available.
-Efficacy
The only way to test if the trap works are to read what other buyers have to say about it. Customer reviews are a big help to gauge if the trap will work for you. If you have doubts, you can always ask the seller for warranty or money-back terms if the trap doesn’t work as advertised.
–Price
Of course, no one should spend thousands of bucks for flea traps. Since these products are complementary flea control tools, a few bucks should do here. Besides, you’d have to spend on professional extermination if the fleas have spread all over your home.
-Non-toxic
Although flea traps are made to kill fleas, it shouldn’t pose harm to your household. The trap shouldn’t produce any harmful fumes or foul smell.
Also, the trap must be pet-friendly. The last thing that you want to happen is an emergency trip to the vet.
Additional tips
To make sure that the traps will work on its full potential, it will help to follow these tips:
-Keep your pets away
As much as possible, don’t let your pets roam around the trap, especially if it has a history of chewing things. Aside from the toxic chemicals on the trap, the parts may also choke them.
Even if your pet won’t lick or chew the trap, there’s a chance that it will play on it, causing the trap to be disturbed.
-Use multiple traps
If you want to remove as many fleas as possible, you should place numerous traps all over your home. You should cover more ground.
-Protect your skin
Once the traps are in place, it’s best to put on a repellent spray or lotion to ensure that the fleas won’t target your skin. This will also divert them into the trap. Most importantly, it will save you from the itchy bites.
-Shield your pet
Just the same as protecting yourself, you should guard your pets against the fleas. Flea collars are helpful, but you can also give them oral medications as prescribed by a veterinarian. There are also topical flea sprays made specifically for dogs and cats.
When to contact a flea expert
Again, flea traps are just one of the helpful solutions to a flea infestation. If the pests are already wreaking havoc inside your home, it’s best to contact a flea expert to assess the problem.
The exterminator can pair the traps with more measures that will eliminate the fleas faster.
Best Traps for Fleas
OUR TOP PICK: ASPECTEK Favored-Trapest Sticky Dome Trap
Product Name: ASPECTEK Favored-Trapest Sticky Dome Trap
Product Description: The ASPECTEK Dome Trap is an electrically-powered tool that can lure fleas from as far as 50 feet away. Inside the trap is a sticky pad that’s large as a plate. You can also purchase replacement pads and store it for up to 12 months, so you’re always ready when an infestation recurs. It comes with a bulb, a cord, dome, and sticky pad. Everything is pre-assembled, so you only have to plug it and leave it. You don’t have to worry since this is RoHS and CE tested with a patented design. If the light bulb gets busted, you can purchase a replacement from ASPECTEK.
Offer price: $$$
Availability: InStock
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Efficiency
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Value for Money
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Lasting effect
Overall
Summary
Another big plus for us is the long cord that allows you to place the trap away from the electrical source. Also, it’s safe to put on top of carpets and rugs.
Pros
✔️Non-toxic
✔️RoHS and CE tested
✔️Can lure fleas up to 50 feet away
Cons
❌The bulb tends to burn out fast
RUNNER-UP
Victor The Ultimate Flea Trap
Another option that you can consider is Victor The Ultimate Flea Trap. It has a ‘super-grabber’ pad and can lure fleas from up to 30 feet away.
The package comes with one dome trap and two glue discs/pads. It’s non-poisonous and odorless, so rest assured that the Victor Flea Trap wouldn’t disrupt your household.
Like the ASPECTEK trap, this comes fully assembled, so you no longer have to think about anything.
Aside from trapping fleas, this also helps detect a flea infestation at home. It costs more than the first product, but its efficiency makes it worth every cent.
✔️Odorless and poisonous
✔️Comes with two sticky pads
❌The bulb dies fast
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Final words
Knowing how to attract fleas to one spot is both a great way to kill the pest and to detect an infestation. For this, you have the option to make a DIY trap or purchase a commercially available unit so you can skip the hassle.
