If you decide to use flea control chemicals, the GreenPaws Flea and Tick Product Directory provides guidance for selecting the lowest-toxicity products and avoiding high-toxicity products to prevent poisoning pets, family members, and yourself. If you choose to choose to work with a pest control professional, be sure the company is Ecowise or GreenShield certified and familiar with Integrated Pest Management techniques. Review all your options before deciding on a treatment plan. Studies indicate that use of these beneficial nematodes, available at garden supply stores, works best in sandy soil that has been watered before and after the nematodes are added. Some studies have shown that several species of nematodes can control fleas outdoors by becoming parasites on flea larvae without affecting plants, pets, or people. Manage pet resting spots to prevent fleas from establishing a population in your yard. Seal off any outdoor hiding places where pets or other furry animals may sleep. You can then expose these spots to sun through mowing or pruning, or simply flood the area periodically.Ĭlean outdoor pet shelters by laundering any bedding and vacuuming inside thoroughly. Wearing knee-high white socks, check for fleas in likely places – if fleas present, they will jump onto your legs. Even if you have an infested pet and home, you may not have an outdoor flea problem. In order to successfully control fleas, it is important to remove fleas in all stages from your pet and your home. Because the flea life cycle is 18 to 28 days under prime conditions, it is important to make sure your control efforts are implemented throughout the entire life cycle.įleas live only in warm, moist areas that are protected from direct sunlight and heavy rain or irrigation, and have frequent visits from host animals.
Multiple red and itchy bites, especially in a row, can be the work of a single hungry flea.Īdult fleas represent just 5% of the fleas present in an infested home, whereas eggs represent 50%. This is the primary way that people get bitten. Floor vibration from an approaching pet or person can trigger the immediate emergence of an adult from its cocoon, ready to jump onto a pet or person. The pupal stage can last as few as five days or up to a year. In as few as five days, but up to a month, a larva will spin a cocoon to pupate, being transformed within the cocoon to an adult flea. Flea droppings – or ‘flea dirt’ – is easier to see than either larvae or eggs and turns reddish brown when moistened. The white, worm-like flea larvae feed on dried blood, adult flea droppings, and pet fecal debris that tend to shed into sleeping and grooming areas.
Once on a pet, an adult flea burrows to the skin, bites the animal to get a good blood meal, and then settles in to reproduce.įlea eggs (white) and flea feces (black) will be noticeable in areas where your pet sleeps. In a yard, moist and shaded soil in warm weather is attractive both to fleas and their hosts. Adult fleas jump onto a new host either from an infested animal or from the areas where an infested animal rests. Other sources of fleas include used rugs and upholstered furniture, as well as visiting animals. Fleas favor warm and moist conditions, from 70 to 90° F and above 75% humidity. In southern and tropical states, they are active most of the year. In northern and Midwest states, fleas are seasonally active during spring, summer, or both. People, especially children, are sometimes exposed to the parasites through interaction with flea-infested pets.Ī pet’s first introduction to a flea is usually outdoors – indoor pets rarely host fleas. Cats and dogs can develop mild to severe flea allergy dermatitis, flea bite anemia, and internal parasites like tapeworms. Regulatory Updates on Flea Control Productsįleas are not only an itchy nuisance, but may also be a disease risk for you and your pets.
0 kommentar(er)
