Flea Elimination

We have all had, or will have flea problems, whether we want to admit it or not. Even if you don't have pets, fleas can still haunt your home from time to time. However, before you call in the professionals, there are a number of things you can do yourself.

First thing that must be understood is that killing the adult fleas that you can see, is like only treating the symptom only, not the cause. The real problem is waiting to be born.

Many times, flea collars just don't do the trick , a better understanding of the flea life cycle and knowing how to break their life cycle is very important to understand. Female fleas need blood to complete their reproductive cycle. Baby fleas need blood to grow. Although fleas prefer dog and cat blood, they will eat human blood.

The female lays eggs on the host animal, but the eggs fall to the ground, carpet, sofa, dog bed, your bed, or easy chair where they hatch in two-to-five days.
The flea larva feeds on organic debris in the environment. Within a week or two, depending on temperature and humidity, the larva spins a pupa (or cocoon) to protect it during metamorphosis to the adulthood.
In the hard-shelled pupa, the larva transforms from a tiny maggot-larvae like creature into an adult able to leap 100 times its own height, and the cycle begins again.

It may take a couple of treatments to kill off the emerging adults as they evolve from the larvae stage within the first 4-6 weeks. For that reason, the best time to start a flea control program is in the late spring, prior to an infestation.

To contain an infestation, fleas must be controlled: Whenever you see adult fleas crawling on your pet, it is only a symptom of a much larger problem.

Current studies indicate that adult fleas account for only 5% of the total flea population in any given situation. Eggs account for 50%, larvae account for about 35%, and the remaining 10% are the pupal cocoons. That means that for every single adult flea living on your dog or cat, there are 10 eggs, 7 larvae, and 2 cocoons.

These various life cycle stages will be found anywhere in the pet's environment, but will be most concentrated in the areas that the pet spends most of its time. Remember, when the adult flea on the pet lays an egg, it will fall off the hairs in just a few minutes. So, areas where the pet sleeps or lies around will have the most eggs. If the pet usually walks through certain paths (either indoors or outdoors), there will also be a substantial amount of eggs scattered in those areas. What this means is that environmental flea control must be spread over the pet's entire environment, focusing on the areas the pet spends the majority of his or her time.

It is very important that you carefully research the products you want to use. You will need a good "Fleas and Tick" killer / repellent for your pet (check with your vet), a good Flea Powder (for vacuum bags), extra vacuum bags, laundry detergent, and the actual "Room Treatment Product".

Flea Treatment

Step # 1 Before the treatment:
- Use a good flea shampoo and scrub your pet vigorously.
- Vacuum well around all areas your pet spends time. Remember you are trying to get up all the organic material that flea larva can live in (pet hair and dead skin, human hair and dead skin, and tiny food crumbs).
- Thoroughly wash all your pet's bedding and anything else that the pet uses, and anything else that will fit in the washer. Any good detergent will do.
Step # 2 The Treatment:
- Read the products label warnings carefully. Make sure you have and wear any personal protective equipment required, especially if you are allergic to plant products.
- Spray all the open areas of a room and carpet, and make sure you get the corners and along the edges. Spray on all the furniture in the room, under it, around it, and under cushions. Even spray around the edges of hard wood or vinyl floors, stair steps, and edges and corners of rooms your not sure if the pet have been in.
- Now leave the house for the time recommended by the Product, usually 4 hours. Leave the house closed up for this time, ventilate it when you return.
Step # 3 The follow up treatments:
- Keep treating your pet with the Flea and Tick repellents of your choice.
- Re-Treat everything as you did in the first 2 steps after 30 to 45 days.

No treatment will kill the eggs, and most organic products will dissipate within 30 to 45 days so it is vital that you retreat your pet and your home even if you don't encounter any more fleas.

Flea eggs are very unique and can hatch any time from one month to six months later. Thanks to nature, eggs can sense when there is a warm blooded mammal present and it is safe to hatch therefore you need to be on your guard for at least six months after the initial flea treatment.

SDA Pest Control, "Long Acre", Bluntisham Road, Needingworth, St. Ives, Cambridgeshire
01480 465684