The winter season’s snowfalls… and snow fleas?

Have you seen snow flurries already? Although winter is still a few weeks away, cold winter weather has arrived! As we get closer to December, many of us will spend plenty of time warming our cars, shoveling our sidewalks, making fires in our fireplaces and bundling up to stay warm.

Our pest control experts know that with every seasonal weather change, the types of pests and nuisance wildlife homeowners see most often will change, too. Throughout October and November, we’ve dealt with mice, rats and other wildlife looking to stay warm in your home. Now, we want to introduce you to one insect you might not be familiar with yet – “snow fleas.”

Snow fleas are not actually fleas, but rather a species of springtail. They are mistaken for fleas often because of their tiny size and the way they jump around as fleas do. Springtails are dark blue and have two “tails” that fold under their bodies. These tails are held by small hooks that, when released, launch the insect into the air.

Springtails like moisture. They can be found living in soil, leaf litter, mosses, fungi and all along the shores of ponds. This winter, you might spot them on warm days as these bugs hop across the surface of snow looking for food. Springtails have a special protein in them that acts as an anti-freeze, allowing them to survive and function in below-zero temperatures.

These insects are completely harmless, but they may be attracted to lights and settle in or around your house. We receive many calls during winter months from people worried about fleas, and they turn out to simply be springtails. If you are concerned about the pests present at your home, it is important to have a professional come to properly identify your property’s insects.

With that in mind, we hope everyone enjoys the season’s snowfalls! Stay safe, stay warm, and have fun!