The Pressure Is On

They’re the size of a poppy seed, but their share of the overall pest management business is slightly larger. Fleas account for 7 percent or less of overall revenue for nearly 70 percent of respondents to PCT’s 2024 State of the Flea Control Market report, yet 25 percent say pressure has increased during the past year and there’s an emphasis on identifying underlying culprits.

Managing fleas requires more than making sure the family pet gets a consistent preventive treatment.

“I am always telling customers that every year, fleas are getting worse and worse, and maybe that is because we started relying on the flea medications for our pets and stopped being concerned about what else is happening in the yard,” said Camille Landry, president of FullScope Pest Control, with locations throughout north Houston, Texas.

“You have racoons, possums, stray cats, and all of those are dropping flea eggs in your yard,” Landry said. “You need to take the pet out of the equation sometimes and be concerned with a preventive strategy.”

Fleas only account for 1 to 2 percent of overall revenue at Dixie Exterminators in Marietta, Ga. But when they’re biting, customers call quick, said Cliff Pepper, the company’s director of business development.

“Fleas and German cockroaches tend to be the ‘crisis pests’ outside of wildlife,” he said. “When the calls come in, it’s like, ‘Oh, my God, what’s happening?!’ All of a sudden, they’re getting bit or their dog or cat is going crazy. They want service and it’s, ‘How soon can you do it?’”

Doug Foster has noticed a slight increase in flea activity year after year.

“It’s not like a hockey stick — it’s almost like watching the stock market,” said the owner of Columbus, Ind.-based Burt’s Termite & Pest Control. “We noticed an uptick during Covid, and we are trying to figure that out. From talking to other PMPs across the country, when people were working from home, more of them were getting pets.”

Foster also notices an increase with a growing market of Airbnb and Vrbo rentals popping up that are pet friendly. “We have a couple of hotels that call us whenever they have a guest with a pet,” he said. “As soon as the room is vacated, we treat the room right after they vacuum as a proactive approach.”

AT YOUR SERVICE. Ninety-five percent of survey respondents offer flea control services, and 51 percent sell it as a separate add-on that is not included with a general pest control program. Most (72 percent) charge $299 or less for the service, with many pest management professionals (PMPs) we talked to providing a two-visit service to prevent callbacks.

Anecdotally, a majority say flea infestations in multi-family residences such as apartment buildings and other rentals are more frequent. “People from all walks of life and from all different backgrounds have a need for flea control,” said Jim Regan. The technical adviser for Cowleys Pest Services in Farmingdale, N.J., points out: “Anything that’s causing issues with biting is absolutely necessary to get rid of.”

Basically, fleas are small but mighty important to customers who are suffering the consequences. It’s an essential service.

“We do have a specific, specialized plan so whenever someone calls in with a flea problem, we can propose a solution — and then anything else we find on the property, the technician can make recommendations and upsell additional services as needed,” said Chad Highley, president, Environmental Pest Control, Lawton, Okla.

L.J. McCoy is director of field operations at Pest Professionals in Mission, Texas, just eight miles from the Mexico border. He says he noticed a bit of a rise in flea activity in early 2024 compared to last year.

“We had a mild winter and everything started sooner,” McCoy said. “Our first flea job was in the middle of February.”

A FINE TIME. Many report early spring and late summer flea activity as being more prevalent than other times of the year.

In some cases, a house that may have had some flea activity and has been empty during vacation will have fleas that essentially go dormant. Vibration from movement upon return from a trip stirs up the hungry buggers. The family dog is then a four-legged smorgasbord.

Or, the family waits to pick up an animal for a couple days after returning home.

Then, the people are the prey, triggering an immediate call to a pest provider, Foster said. “All of a sudden, the first person who enters the house is dinner,” he said.

Fleas bite.

And in this report, PMPs share treatment protocols, callback encounters, revenue gains and common species encountered on the job.