Fleas

Adult fleas are flattened from side to side, dark colour, wingless and have strongly developed legs. Their hind pair of legs is especially adapted for jumping. They have sucking mouthparts used to siphon out the blood of animals. Larvae are worm-like, legless and tan. They feed on organic debris, dried blood and excrement from adult fleas. Fleas usually bite humans where clothing fits tightly against the body. Adult fleas can live for several weeks without a blood meal. When found indoors, they are usually associated with pet dogs or cats. Fleas can transmit several diseases including bubonic plague and tularaemia. They are also the carriers of a tapeworm, which, in the adult stage, is found in dogs and men.

Fleas are frequently encountered in homes and are common pests on domestic cats and dogs. Cat fleas may breed on animals such as possums and become troublesome of wild animals find refuge in a sub area or attic. Dog fleas look like cat fleas Sticktight fleas can become a problem when pets frequent areas near poultry. About half the size of a cat flea, sticktight fleas remain firmly attached around the ears and eyes of their host. Mobile fleas on either cats or dogs around homes or apartments, therefore, are most likely to be cat fleas. The cat fleas are suspected of transmitting plague and Murine typhus to humans, but its primary importance is its annoyance to man and pets. Cat fleas will readily try to feed on almost any warm-blooded host. Some people are bothered by fleas walking on their skin. Flea bites usually cause minor itching but may become increasingly irritating to sensitive or reactive people. The bite consists of a small-centralized spot surrounded by a red halo, usually without excessive swelling. Bites tend to be concentrated on the lower legs but some may also appear elsewhere. Some people and pets suffer from fleabite allergic dermatitis characterized by intense itching, hair loss and reddening of the skin, and secondary infection. Just one bite may initiate an allergic reaction, and reactions may become apparent over 5 days after the bite. Cat fleas may also serve as the intermediate host of dog tapeworm. Cats or dogs may acquire this intestinal parasite by eating fleas containing a cyst of the tapeworm.

Adult cat fleas are about 1/10 inch long, wingless, dark reddish brown and laterally compressed. The adult is the pestiferous stage because it bites to feed on the blood of the host. Unlike most other kinds of fleas, cat fleas remain on the host where they mate and lay eggs. An adult flea generally lives less than 3 weeks on the host. Each female lays about 10-20 eggs per day. Fleas may be found on some pets throughout the year, but numbers tend to increase dramatically during the spring and early summer. Cat flea eggs are opalescent, oval and about 1/32 inch long. The eggs are smooth and readily fall from the host to substrates where hatching occurs within 2 days. The whitish wormlike larvae feed on various materials including dried excrement produced by adult fleas feeding on the host. The food gives the larvae a greyish appearance. Flea’s larvae develop more quickly at high temperatures. They feed and crawl around for 5 to 15 days at 70-90 degrees F and up to 35 days at 55 degrees F before they build small silken cocoons in which they develop into adult fleas. At cool temperatures, fully formed fleas may remain in their cocoons for up to 4 months. High temperature and direct pressure on the cocoon stimulate emergence from the cocoon. At room conditions, the entire life cycle may be completed in about 24 days. Immature stages are readily killed by either excessively dry or flooded conditions. Larval development is normally restricted to protected places where there is at least 75% relative humidity. Cat fleas are most prevalent in coastal localities and places with moderate daytime temperatures and fairly high humidity.

Flea eggs dropping from infested pets develop to adulthood in carpeting, furniture fabrics, the bedding areas of pets, and occasionally in peripheral cracks and crevices. Vacuuming or shampooing will usually not remove enough larval food to prevent development, but will remove many adults and destroy larvae. Thorough periodic cleaning of carpet, furniture or areas where pet’s food or rest will help reduces the number of fleas present. A large variety of total release aerosol-type devices are currently available to control fleas indoors, but those containing DDVP provide best control when they are used at no less than 1 oz spray per 1000 ft3 (125 square foot room). Products with high concentrations of insecticide are available only to professional applicators. Some aerosols contain an insect growth regulator (methedrine) that inhibits larvae from developing into adults. Growth regulators have no direct effect on adult fleas but may aid to prevent eventual flea infestation. Pyrethrin dust kill fleas by removing wax from the insect’s body and dehydrating the insect for faster knockdown of fleas Which are extremely safe to humans and pets that should be applied only by a professional pest control operator. These insecticides provide rapid effects and excellent residual control of adult and larval.

Environmental conditions in do not promote extensive outdoor flea populations, except under unusual circumstances or in shaded and protected areas such as sheltered animal enclosures or crawl spaces where pets may sleep. Failure to treat these places may result in a continuing problem due to reinfestation of the pet sprays may be used to eliminate fleas in specific sites where large numbers are found. Regular watering and lawn maintenance help destroy larvae and prevent development of excessive populations of fleas.

Although many different flea collars, shampoos and dusts are currently registered for use on pets by veterinarians or consumers, their overall effectiveness is somewhat questionable and controversial. You should consult with a veterinarian to determine the safest and most efficacious treatment for your pet. Special combs are available that help remove adult fleas from the fur of the pet. Removing fleas may provide comfort to the animal and reduce flea breeding. Recent studies indicate that Vitamin B, (thiamine hydrochloride) supplement does not prevent fleas from feeding.
Cat fleas, dog fleas, rat fleas and wild rodent fleas are common. Less common are human fleas, but they are still around, and all fleas will bite any warm-blooded creature if their preferred host is not available, Fleas can live up to a month without feeding, but they need a blood meal to reproduce, and some are dangerous to humans. Rat fleas and wild rodent fleas carry typhus, and some carry bubonic plague, These fleas do not usually bite humans unless their host animal has sickened, died or been killed, That is one reason a good pest control operator will recommend treating for fleas when eliminating rats and mice, and a good reason for never touching the carcass of a rat, chipmunk, squirrel or other rodent.
Fleas evolve in four stages: Egg, larval, pupal and adult. The eggs look like grains of salt and may be laid on the animal or in its bedding. After about three days, the eggs hatch into worm-like larvae, which move in hitching motions, like inchworms. They also flip rapidly in circles when disturbed. After a week or so, they spin cocoons and enter the pupal stage, emerging as adults three or four days later. Adults are brown to brownish-black in colour, with narrow bodies that allow them to move rapidly through fur, feathers or hair, and legs that make them some of nature’s best jumpers. They will also emerge voraciously hungry and ready for bear (or lion, or you).
Your property can become infested even without pets. Animals, especially cats, frequently seek relief by leaving infested areas, carrying fleas with them. Once the infestation becomes irritatingly obvious, you should seek professional help for a thorough eradication. Over-the-counter sprays will only do part of the job.
Professional pest control operators will recommend a thorough indoor and outdoor treatment pesticide and insect growth regulator. It is less toxic than a pesticide It also lasts longer,  Its purpose is to keep flea larvae from growing into adults.

• Have your pets treated for fleas the same day your property is sprayed.
• Vacuum all carpeting, especially under furniture, and immediately empty the cleaner bag into a sealable trash container, Tightly seal the container and dispose of it.
• Launder or replace your pet’s bedding.
• Clean your pet’s shelter.
• Remove all small objects from the area to be sprayed, especially toys. Members of the Pest Control Operators of California will absolutely refuse to endanger children by spraying toys or anything else that a child could put in its mouth.
• Clean all surfaces to be treated, Pesticides and insect growth regulators work better and last longer on clean surfaces.
• Keep your pets out of the treated area until the spray dries, usually for 10 to 20 minutes on a warm and dry day, or up to several hours on a cool or humid one.

The advantage of having a pest control operator treat your property, rather than you blasting away with spray cans, is that the operator will know where to spray for maximum effect. Fleas are quick to find new homes after their old ones have been treated. A good pest control operator will track them down, unless the pest happens to be hiding on a pet. Pest control operators do not treat pets.
PrimeClean uses special Green Safe naturalpyrethroid insecticide, which is produced by the flowers of pyrethrums with added IGR (Insect Growth Regulator) synthetic pyrethrin insecticide.

IGR is an ultra low hazard insecticide that acts specifically to inhibit development of the flea at the larva stage of their life cycle. The IGR interferes with the flea moulting process. Fleas moult several times from larvae to adulthood.

Warning Pesticide safety: – Be wary of very cheap prices for fleas control – check which pesticides are to be used – do they use the far cheaper, less effective, solvent based pesticides which can be harmful in premises for your health, the health of the occupants and pets.