It’s That Time of Year
Flea Problems
By: Mark Frye
It seems that some problems come on an annual basis. Most of the time I write my articles on topics that I have had the most calls on the previous week. Last week, on a homeowner basis, flea calls was number one. Looking back over the last few years, this is not unusual for April or May. All it takes is one hot dry spell during this time of year and we see high populations of fleas in Wayne County. Fortunately we were blessed with some beneficial rain last week but the fleas have already established a population. This means we have to kill the fleas and that can be very difficult. Persistence is the key.
Adult fleas are not that hard to kill. Yes, that’s right. I know some of you have sprayed and the very next day there seems to be more fleas around than there was before you sprayed. This does not mean that the spray did not work; it means you killed a lot of fleas but more have hatched. Fleas hatch over an 18 to 21 day cycle and they certainly don’t hatch all the same day. The eggs are laid over a period of time so they start hatching and before we know it they show up in large numbers right after you sprayed the first time. Just remember, the sprays kills adults but not eggs.
The female flea has to have a blood meal in order to lay a fertilized egg so keeping them off your pet will help to break the cycle. When your pets roam around the lawn or you let them off the premises eggs will fall to the ground in little capsules where the flea will grow to adult size. When they hatch they are hungry and ready to reproduce. There are several effective treatments for removing fleas from your pets. Ask your veterinarian or your local feed and animal supply store for help.
Inside control must start with a good vacuuming of the floors and upholstery where pets may have laid. The eggs and some adults will be picked up by the vacuum. Indoor sprays will include products with a Resmethrin or Tetramethrin (insecticides) and should include Methoprene to break up the life cycle of the flea. These products with Methoprene usually come in aerosol cans. The Methoprene is important because it will control the un-hatched flea eggs and stop the cycle. Unfortunately Methoprene does not work outdoors because it breaks down when exposed to sunlight. Outside control is more difficult. I suggest a water hose end attached applicator. You will need to wet the ground and vegetation thoroughly and the hose end applicator will do this fast and efficient. Pump up sprayers will not wet sufficiently to control the fleas. Fleas like the shaded and dry areas underneath tree canopy and shelters and especially the pets bedding areas. Concentrate your efforts there and spray every 3-5 days for a three week period. Outdoors, use an insecticide such as resmethrin, permethrin, cyfluthrin or bifenthrin. Remember persistence is the key to flea control and good sanitation goes a long way in controlling fleas. As always, if you should have any problems contact our local UGA Extension office at 427-5965.