How Do Animals In The Wild Get Rid Of Fleas

By: Mike Merchant and James Robinson

Fleas are minor, wingless insects that feed on the claret of animals and people. Americans spend about $ix billion a year controlling fleas – 1 of the biggest expenses for pet owners. In Texas, nigh flea issues are acquired by the true cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis. This flea feeds on cats, dogs and wild animals. Other kinds of fleas, such equally the dog flea, human flea, and rat flea, are less common on pets and in homes. Fortunately, fleas need non be a serious problem because there are many effective treatments.

Identifying the Problem

Developed cat fleas are well-nigh 1/eight inch long (one to three mm). They are brownish-blackness, flattened looking, and without wings. Backward-pointing beard assistance fleas motility through the hairs or feathers of host animals and make them more difficult to remove past grooming. The six legs, particularly the hind pair, are long and adjusted for jumping.

Flea larvae are less than one/four inch long (6 mm), legless, and dirty white in color. The about probable place to find larvae is in infested pet bedding.

Understanding Fleas

During their life bike fleas pass through 4 stages–egg, larva, pupa and adult. Although they can leap, adult fleas do non usually travel long distances without a host. Fleas adopt to wait and jump onto a passing fauna. In one case aboard, they remain until they are dislodged or clean-cut from the animal. Without a host, adult fleas live only a few days to 2 weeks. On short-haired cats and dogs fleas survive an boilerplate of 8 days; they live longer on long-haired animals.

The female flea begins laying eggs within 2 days of her first claret meal. Four to 9 days subsequently she produces an boilerplate of 27 eggs per solar day, consuming about fifteen times her torso weight in blood daily. Much of this claret is excreted every bit partially digested feces. Flea feces are a fine, reddish-black grit seen in pet fur and bedding.

Flea larvae feed on developed flea excrement. Without information technology, they cannot survive, although they besides may feed on organic matter such as nutrient particles, expressionless peel or feathers. Larvae develop in 5 to 11 days.

Fleas exercise not survive well outdoors in hot, sunny lawns. Relative humidity less than fifty percent or soil temperature college than 95 degrees F kills flea larvae. Moist, shaded spots near pet resting areas are the places to find fleas. Indoors, flea larvae are unremarkably constitute under article of furniture and in pet bedding.

The pupa is the transition stage betwixt the larva and developed. The pupa forms within a cocoon spun past the larva. Afterward a week or two the pupa becomes an adult. The adult flea may remain in the cocoon for up to 5 months, but when stimulated by a passing animal the adult tin can sally inside seconds. Long-vacant homes or apartments tin "come alive" with such fleas when new inhabitants move in.

Animal and Man Health

Fleas can exist a source of both irritation and disease. Dogs and cats scratch constantly when heavily infested, resulting in soiled and roughened coats and, sometimes, in nervous conditions. The almost serious furnishings occur when a pet develops an allergy to flea bites. Every bit few equally ane or ii bites can crusade severe itching and scratching in allergic pets.

Cat fleas do non normally alive on humans, but do seize with teeth people who handle infested animals. Flea bites crusade small, red, itchy bumps, usually on the ankles and lower legs. People with allergies to flea bites suffer from hives, rashes or generalized itching. Allergic reactions usually appear 12 to 24 hours afterwards a bite, and may last a week or more.

Fleas that accept fed on rodents may transmit diseases, including plague and murine typhus. For this reason, avoid close contact with wild rodents such as squirrels, rats and prairie dogs. Their fleas can seize with teeth you and may transmit affliction. Cat fleas, nevertheless, practise not comport plague.

Control

An integrated flea control plan includes good sanitation and treatment of the pet and environment. You can eliminate fleas from your home with proper treatment, but it may take time, particularly if the infestation is heavy.

Sanitation. Change pet bedding regularly and vacuum thoroughly. Vacuuming removes up to thirty percent of the larvae and upwardly to sixty pct of flea eggs from a carpet, equally well as the larvae's food supply of dried claret.

Vacuum nether furniture, cushions, chairs, beds, and along walls. Discard vacuum cleaner numberless at to the lowest degree once a week. Fleas can continue to develop inside vacuum cleaner bags and re-infest the house.

Treating Pets. Your pet's outset line of defense against fleas is a flea comb and a good bath. Lather acts as a gentle insecticide and helps control light infestations on your pet. Though time consuming, combing helps reduce the need for insecticides. Flea combs have fine teeth that remove adult fleas from fur. Well-nigh dogs and cats seem to savor this treatment; pay special attention to the face up and neck, and the area in front end of the tail. Dip the comb frequently in soapy water or an booze solution to kill fleas removed from the pet.

Insect growth regulators, or IGRs, are a safe preventative handling for fleas. These products work by disrupting the normal evolution of flea eggs and larvae. When exposed to IGRs, adult fleas are unable to reproduce; eggs fail to hatch and larvae die earlier they complete their evolution. Considering about IGRs kill merely eggs and larvae, they exercise not eliminate adult fleas quickly. For this reason, they are usually mixed with a balmy insecticide.

Insect growth regulators are available as sprays, spot-ons, pills or food additives. I product designed for internal use is called Program® (agile ingredient: lufenuron). Program® can be given equally a pill (for dogs), food additive (for cats), or injection (for cats). A similar product, Lookout®, contains lufenuron plus a heartworm preventative. These products are available only through veterinarians. They are very effective, especially for indoor pets.

2 other insect growth regulators for topical use are methoprene and pyriproxyfen. Methoprene is sold under several trade names including Precor® and vIGRen®. Methoprene and pyriproxyfen are available at pet stores every bit dips, pet sprays, spot-ons and flea collars. Control requires iv to six weeks.

For severe flea problems, an IGR handling may not be quick enough. Utilize a product that kills adult fleas, such every bit imidacloprid (Advantage™) or fipronil (Frontline™). Both products have low toxicity to mammals and pose little take a chance to pets or people. Advantage™ and Frontline™ provide i- and three-calendar month protection from fleas, respectively. Frontline™ besides kills ticks for up to 1 calendar month after application. Both Reward™ and Frontline™ are bachelor from veterinarians every bit spray and spot-on treatments.

Spot-on treatments (pesticides applied to 1 or more spots on the beast'southward back) control developed fleas effectively. Natural oils on the fur help transfer the pesticide to all parts of the pet's body. With all products, read and follow label directions carefully. Products designed for use on adult dogs should non be used on puppies or cats, unless specified on the label.

Botanical (establish-based) insecticides impale developed and larval fleas and are relatively depression in toxicity. Botanical insecticides include pyrethrum (or pyrethrins) and citrus oil extracts (limonene and linalool). Use botanical insecticides with care. Though normally safe when applied co-ordinate to label directions, some pets (especially certain cat breeds) are sensitive to botanicals–especially citrus oil products.

It is sometimes claimed that garlic, Brewer'south yeast, cedar bedding and various herbal sachets control fleas, only there is little scientific show to support such claims. Volatile oils in fresh cedar fries are toxic to fleas, but the outcome lasts a very curt time. Tests have shown that Brewer'south yeast does non protect pets from fleas.

Treating homes . The pet's living areas should exist treated at the same time that the pet is treated. This kills young and newly emerging fleas and prevents re-infestation of the pet.

Several low-toxicity treatments are bachelor for indoor apply. Citrus sprays containing limonene or linalool tin can exist applied to rugs, rug and pet bedding. These products kill fleas on contact, but evaporate quickly and leave piffling residual protection against emerging fleas.

Boron-based products, such as disodium octaborate tetrahydrate, tin be used on indoor rug and have footling skin (dermal) toxicity. Borates kill immature fleas by contaminating their food supply. Because developed fleas feed on fresh blood only, boron insecticides practice not control this life stage. Borate treatments are best applied as shampoos to avoid problems with dustiness, abrasion to carpets, and contamination of article of furniture or food training surfaces.

The insect growth regulators methoprene and pyriproxyfen tin can be used indoors. Although methoprene is unstable in sunlight, it is an effective indoor treatment. Pyriproxyfen sprays, bachelor to pest control professionals under the trade names Archer™ and Nylar™, tin be applied both indoors and outdoors. Pyriproxyfen controls both immature and adult fleas. Indoors, care for pet loafing and sleeping areas, and in and under nearby furniture. Outdoors, treat only flea breeding sites such equally bedding areas, the ground under decks and shrubbery, and wherever pets spend a lot of time. Well maintained lawns in sunny sites are unlikely to harbor many fleas. Suitable consumer products for indoor and outdoor treatments are listed in Table one.

Follow-upwardly. Because flea pupae are hard to kill with insecticides, an additional follow-up treatment is usually needed 7 to 10 days afterwards the commencement application. When using short-residual insecticides such equally pyrethrins, two or three follow-up sprays at 5- to 10-day intervals may be required.

Biological and Mechanical Controls

Fire ants and other predatory insects consume flea larvae but they do non control fleas completely. Several kinds of predatory nematodes (a blazon of microscopic worm) are sold for outdoor flea control, but their effectiveness has non been well tested. Studies advise that nematodes work best in sandy soils. Irrigate with 1/4 to 1/2 inch of water before and afterward application. This prolongs nematode survival and helps them move through the soil in search of flea larvae.

Several kinds of flea traps are available from pest control companies and pet stores. The most effective designs use a special green light that blinks occasionally to simulate the shadow of a passing host. Most attract fleas to a sticky card, where they are trapped. Identify traps almost pet beds and loafing areas for all-time control. By themselves, traps are unlikely to solve nearly flea issues; yet, they can be a useful part of an integrated flea control programme for your habitation.

Don't wait until fleas get out of mitt. Begin your flea control programme early for all-time results. Start a frequent and thorough sanitation program, regularly audit your pet for fleas, carefully follow the label directions of the insecticide product yous choose, and dispose of all pesticides safely. These steps will help you lot reduce the need for extra pesticide treatments.

Safety Considerations

It'south important to article of clothing the proper protective clothes when applying pesticides. Long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, socks and shoes are the minimum. Check the pesticide label for additional safe requirements. When mixing liquid pesticides wear unlined, chemical resistant gloves. Allow pesticide sprays to dry thoroughly before letting people or pets into a treated area.

Never dispose of flea dips or other unused pesticides in tempest sewers, toilets or sinks. This pollutes the environment and tin result in costly clean-ups for your community. Leftover flea dip may be poured onto a grassy surface area for biological degradation, or disposed of in some other way as specified on the label.

Working with a Pest Control Company

Sometimes it's best to have professional help when dealing with fleas. A pest control company can care for both indoor and outdoor areas.

• Before having your home professionally treated, vacuum carpets and clear toys and vesture from areas to be sprayed. Vacuuming helps straighten fibers and fix the carpet to receive treatment. Plan to stay off treated carpets until sprays have thoroughly dried, usually at least 2 hours.
• Enquire the pest command operator to use the least toxic materials necessary to do the job. Use insect growth regulators for long-term control.

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Source: https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/insects/controlling-fleas/

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