Super Fleas
Super fleas I don’t think so
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 favourable 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
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.
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, this does not mean they are Super Fleas. 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.
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.
Boric acid was first registered in the US as an insecticide in 1948 for control of cockroaches, termites, fire ants, fleas, silverfish, and many other insects and is generally considered to be safe to use in the house on carpets and furniture to treat eggs and larvae by desiccation.
Washing pet bedding every week, ideally at above 50°C to kill fleas. Care should be taken when moving bedding to avoid dropping fleas or eggs that may be on them. Consider placing pet beds in areas without carpets such as on wooden floors. 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. 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.
Images by :-
http://entomology.wsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/flea.jpg
http://entomology.wsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/fleaeegs.jpg
http://entomology.wsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/flealarva.jpg
http://www.marvistavet.com/assets/images/flea_pupae.gif
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