Sunday, 24 February 2013

Super Fleas? I Don't Think So






Super Fleas



Pet lovers report a surge in the number of fleas infesting their pets. Some are worried that a Super Flea has built up a resistance to their standard treatments. But warm, wet summers and mild winters are more likely to be the cause experts say and coupled with improvements in household insulation, which provide warm, humid conditions all year round, these will allow the flea population to thrive.Fleas are a common problem in homes with cats,dogs or other such pets. They are also often found in homes that previous occupiers had had pets, when the house is taken over by it's new occupants.Flea pupae can remain dormant for two years or more, if conditions are not favorable or there is no food supply i.e. no warm blooded creatures to attack. They would be awoken by the vibrations of the footsteps of the new occupants moving about the house. It is very common for a flea infestation to remain dormant, in the pupa or cocoon stage of it's life cycle, in an empty home only to be stirred into action when people move in. This can be as long as two or more years.Possibly the first sign that there are fleas present will be seeing flea bites, the most common place for flea bites are the feet and lower legs. There are usually many more fleas living on carpets, they will jump up and bite peoples lower limbs as they walk around.

Flea Life Cycle

Flea Life Cycle
http://www.marvistavet.com/assets/images/Flea_Life_Cycle.gif
When dealing with flea infestation, you have to know the life cycle of the flea and depending on the stage at which you first encounter them will determine which form of treatment it is best to use.

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Eggs and Flea larvae
Using insect growth regulators at this stage of the Flea Life Cycle can only effect flea eggs and flea larvae, by preventing them from becoming adult fleas.
They will not kill fleas that are in their protected pupal casing. The pupal case or cocoon is watertight and therefore not effected by Insecticidal flea treatment. This is probably the hardest and most frustrating part of the flea life cycle to deal with and is the reason why your need to understand that the dormant stage of the flea life cycle is so important from a pest control point of view.

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Methods For Controlling Flea Pupae.

You cannot assume that as soon as a home or lawn has been given flea treatment, you will not see any more fleas. Insecticidal flea treatments will kill adult fleas that are in contact with the spray and insect growth regulators will only effect flea eggs and flea larvae.
Once your home has been given flea treatment that destroys the eggs and larvae, the next stage is for you to get rid of as many pupae as possible. Inside the cocoon there will either be fully adult fleas or fleas and larvae that have been affected by IGR (insect growth regulator) spray previously used.
Using your vacuum cleaner on all areas such as carpets, rugs, floors and furniture will accomplish two important jobs:
  • It will pick up pupae that can be disposed of in a sealed garbage receptacle outdoors . Great care should be taken when disposing of the vacuum contents so that no adult fleas can escape. Placing a piece of flea collar in the vacuum bag or cylinder will help in this.
  • Its vibration entices adult fleas to hatch and so come into contact with the areas you have treated with Insecticidal flea treatment spray. You will need to continue treating your whole house with insecticidal flea treatment to completely get rid of any fleas remaining in your house, as well as preventing those developing ones from continuing to reproduce.
At the pupae stage your vacuum has become your most effective tool for removing the pupae.


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Boric Acid and Borax as a Pest Control

Boric acid/Borax, are naturally occurring compounds.
Boric acid is an odourless white solid at room temperature. Borax exists at room temperature as either a solid or thick liquid and has a pale yellow colour.
Boron is used in a combination of common elements, such as sodium to make salts like B
orax and with oxygen to make Boric acid.
Both are natural and increasingly popular insect control products. Unlike hornet or ant sprays, they do not kill bugs on contact using highly deadly chemicals. Rather, they act as a desiccant that dehydrates many insects, including Fleas, by causing tiny cracks or fissures in their body covering. This eventually dries them out. The “saltiness” of boric acid also interferes with their very simple metabolism.

Washing pet bedding every week, ideally at above 50°C to kill fleas.
Care should be taken when moving bedding to avoid dropping adult  fleas or eggs that may be on them.
Consider placing pet beds in areas without carpets such as on wooden floors because fleas absolutely love a nice bit of carpet to hide in.

Adding a half cup to a load of stinky dog blankets along with detergent will have you swear your dog hasn't laid on them before.
While they are non toxic and easy to use, it's still not a good idea to inhale them.

How to Apply

You will need a shaker, big jar with holes poked through the lid works well. A face mask that covers nose and mouth to prevent inhalation. Remove all animals from the room.
A stiff broom and your vacuum cleaner, a piece of flea collar in the vacuum bag or container is a good idea to deal with any fleas that you might pick up when you give the room a thorough vacuum before applying the powder/granules to the carpet. Don't forget to move couches and chairs to apply underneath them.
Next, with the broom brush the powder/granules deep into the carpet pile, this is where the fleas, at various stages, will be hiding.
The combined vibrations of the vacuum and the brushing will encourage flea larvae to hatch and to be killed off.
Boric Acid and Borax work by grazing the body covering of the insects, in this case fleas, allowing the powder to dehydrate them. It also disrupts their nervous system.

Since its Natural, its Safe, Right?

Yes and no. It is a lot better than chemical pesticides and lasts longer.
It won't cause skin irritation but care should still be taken to make sure it is not be eaten or inhaled by humans or pets. If you have brushed it well down into the carpet inhalation should not be a problem.
After a few days vacuum again to pick up what's been killed, not forgetting to put a piece of flea collar in the vacuum bag or container to deal with anything that may still be alive when you vacuum.
Great care should be taken when emptying the container or disposing of the bag, it only take one female adult to escape to start an infestation.
On bare floor boards concentrate on getting into any gaps between them and wipe off any excess from the floor surface.
Property that has been empty for some while can still have a flea infestation just waiting to happen.Flea pupae can remain dormant for two years or more, if conditions are not good or if there is no food supply i.e. no warm blooded people or pets to attack.They will become activated by the vibrations of the footsteps of the new occupants moving abound the house. It is very common for a flea infestation to remain dormant, in the pupa or cocoon stage of it's life cycle, in an empty home only to be stirred into action when people move in.
They have an ability to go into a sort of suspended animation.


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Diatomaceous Earth 


Diatomaceous Earth is the fossilized remains of microscopic shells created by one-celled plants called Diatoms.

Diatomaceous earth food grade is not harmful to humans or household pets as it is a superior grade and contains very little crystalline silica which is harmful when inhaled.
Are there any safety concerns with DE?

Yes, you must wear a dust mask when using it as it can irritate the mucous membranes. Once the DE dust has settled it won't trouble you. The constant breathing of any dust should he absolutely avoided. 

Diatomaceous Earth As A Pest Control

Diatomaceous Earth makes a very effective natural insecticide due to the razor sharp edges of the diatom remains.
When it comes in contact with the insects, the sharp edges lacerate the insects waxy body covering allowing the powdery Diatomaceous Earth to absorb the insects bodily fluids causing death from dehydration. As Diatomaceous Earth works in a purely physical way and not a ‘chemical’ way it has no chemical toxicity. Therefore Fleas and such like can’t build up a tolerance/immunity to it. 
It is most commonly used in lieu of boric acid, and can be used to help control and eventually eliminate an insect infestation, including Fleas.
Medical-grade Diatomaceous Earth is sometimes used to de-worm both animals and humans.

To kill adult fleas a treatment containing an Insect growth regulator should be used. You want to take that and spray all of the skirting boards, floor boards, all the furniture legs of all the different tables and chairs and couches and things like that. Make sure you spray the bottoms very very well. Also, you want to make sure that the outside area is taken cared of, no good having a flea free zone inside if you or your pet can carry them back in every time you go outside.

See Also: