They”re tiny — adults usually only are 1/16 to 1/8-inch long — and excellent jumpers, with three pairs of legs, leaping vertically — up to seven inches — and horizontally, 13 inches.

But their hardiness — combined with their piercing, sucking mouths and a female”s ability to lay 15 to 20 eggs per day, up to 600 in a lifetime — make fleas a nightmare for pet-parenting homeowners and renters, alike.

In honor of the flea”s favorite time of year to infest local homes, veterinarians and pest control professionals offer their advice for preventing and ridding homes of dreaded infestations.

“The first thing for all pet owners is to definitely have the pets treated,” said Linda Burk, an agent with James Pest Control in Columbus. “Fleas, if the infestation becomes severe enough, can be very dangerous for dogs or cats.”

“Definitely visiting the vets office and getting vet-approved flea control products is important,” agreed Dr. Meg Sutton, a veterinarian with Animal Clinic of Columbus. “Sometimes over-the-counter flea control products aren”t effective and can harm the pet.”

Sutton said her clinic uses Comfortis, a once-a-month tablet taken by mouth.

“It starts to kill the fleas on them within 30 minutes and it will kill all the fleas on them within four hours,” she explained. “I would say 85 percent of our clients have to keep fleas off their animals. And it becomes a huge problem if they can”t get them out of the environment or if the animal has a flea allergy.”

In the Golden Triangle, fleas can be a year-round problem, Sutton said, although they are most prevalent from spring to fall and can live in various conditions.

“They can survive in a pile of leaves on the deck,” she added.

Summer months are the worst for in-home flea infestations, said Everett Pennington, owner of Bugs B Gone.

“Anytime when it”s real hot and humid (is bad),” he explained. “Some years, it”s in cycles; you”ll have more fleas in certain years than others. This year has been a pretty good flea season. We”ve had a little more than normal, because it”s been hot and humid.”

“Fleas are going to go for areas with shade,” Burk said, advising homeowners to close off “crawl spaces” in their homes. “They will not stay out in areas with direct sun; they look for cooler areas.

“It”s virtually impossible to keep them from one yard to another,” she continued. “The thing to remember with fleas, always, is they have to have a live host. Once you come inside, be sure the dog is treated and call an experienced, qualified pest company. A lot of people say they can take care of (the fleas), but they don”t. Have monitors in the home to find high-infestation areas and be sure it”s fleas. You always want to identify, before you treat.”

“We recommend treating the environment inside and outside, as well as treating the pet itself,” said Sutton.

Removing a flea population is difficult, but not impossible and once agents with James Pest Control identify clients” pests as fleas, they prescribe a specific course of action, beginning three days before treatment, Burk explained.

“If we determine it is fleas, (we advise clients), for three days, to vacuum every square inch of the floor, whether its hardwood floors or carpets,” she said. “Then, we come in and we treat the entire area. And for three to five days after we are there, you still vacuum and take the bags out daily. The (flea) eggs could drop (after treatment), so you have to do this after we”re there to (remove the eggs). If they”re in the house, you”re still going to be the meal. Getting rid of the adults is just your first step and that”s why we recommend to continue with a (professional pest-control) maintenance program.”

“You need to vacuum everything you can to pick up all the eggs,” said Pennington. “And use a residual chemical with a growth inhibitor in it. You can”t overemphasize vacuuming everything. In a few days, you could have an outbreak of the eggs hatching out and fleas again. If you”ve got couches, chairs, and cloth animals are on, vacuum. And then use a vacuum where you can take the bag out and seal it.”

“It takes a co-existing relationship between the customer and the pest agent,” Burk added. “It requires paying attention and being methodical. They”re not just going to go away on their own.”