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Flea Traps
- Won't eliminate an infestation -
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Summary: Flea traps attract and capture fleas on sticky boards. They won't eliminate an active infestation, however, so are really only useful as a sort of "early warning system" in large facilities like kennels.
Jack DeAngelis, PhD
OSU Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
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What are flea traps?
 Flea traps are designed to capture adult fleas on a sticky surface. Fleas are attracted to the trap by a combination of light and heat. Generally the traps consist of a light bulb, which provides the heat and light, suspended over a sticky mat. Fleas jump toward the light and land on the sticky surface where they are trapped.
Do flea traps work?
Yes and no. Flea traps do attract and capture fleas but they won't eliminate an active infestation. The reason is simple -- your pets are far more attractive to fleas than are traps, since fleas are adapted to finding a suitable host rather than a light bulb. So, in the competition for a flea's attention your pets "win".
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| Adult cat flea (1/10"-1/5"). Adult fleas move between the host animal and the "nest", or pet bedding. |
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Should I use flea traps?
Probably not. In terms of eliminating fleas, flea traps don't work very well because they only trap a fraction of the population. The best approach to flea control is to use the relatively new flea medications that are applied directly on the animal, combined with treating bedding with methoprene. If flea medications are too expensive then the next best approach is to combine regular flea shampooing and combing with treatment of bedding with methoprene.
There is, however, one good use for flea traps. Since they do trap fleas they can be used as a sort of early warning system. In large facilities, like kennels, a small flea infestation may go unnoticed. Placing a few traps around may uncover a small, easily controlled infestation, before it gets out of hand.
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