"Don't Play Host to Uninvited Fleas in Your Home"
Chattanooga Times Free Press, p. H4
Sunday, October 12, 2003

Fleas are a nuisance to us and to our pets. Fleas are no longer a July through October pest, but are a year-round problem, particularly if your flea problem is indoors.

While their tiny bites are rarely felt, the irritation caused by the flea's mouth secretions can range from a rash or inflammation to secondary infections caused by scratching the irritated skin area, typically the ankles and legs of humans. They can cause flea allergy dermatitis (FAD, cause secondary skin irritations and lead to anemia as well as cause tapeworms, and carry typhus fever and bubonic plague. Our pets suffer similar problems from fleas and may bite and scratch themselves constantly. Their coats become roughened and the skin can become infected leading to eczema.

Each stage of a fleas’ metamorphosis -- eggs, larvae, pupa, and adult – requires treatment to rid the environment of fleas. Fleas lay their eggs on the pet host and the eggs readily fall onto the ground, floors, bedding, or furniture. In 6-12 days the eggs hatch, becoming larvae with biting mouth parts. The white, worm-like larva avoids light and feeds on particles of dead animal or vegetable matter generally present in cracks and crevices. After a few days of feeding upon organic refuse, the larvae spin cocoons and enter a pupal stage.

Fleas are known to remain in the pupal stage from five days to five weeks in the absence of hosts. Adults emerge from the pupal case when vibrations from pets or humans let them know a host is near. This is one reason why people returning to an unoccupied home may suddenly be attacked by an army of fleas.

Fleas can jump to some 150 times their own tiny length with their powerful. Female fleas lay over 2,000 eggs in her lifetime and consume 15 times her own body weight in blood daily.

To completely rid your home, yard, and pets from fleas, all three must be treated at the same time. Fleas are controlled by destroying the adults and making breeding places unsuitable for larval life. Adult fleas are destroyed by bathing the host with strong soap and by applying insecticides. Insect growth regulators (IGRs) are the most effective pest control and are used in conjunction with residual sprays to quickly reduce adult populations. IGRs prevent flea larvae from turning into adults, and have a residual effect of almost three months. Additional applications at 2 week intervals may be necessary to completely eliminate the fleas.

Homeowners can prepare for the treatment by thoroughly vacuuming all floors and furniture - be sure to dispose of the vacuum bag outside in a closed receptacle and clean and clear all floors and mopping hard surfaces to prevent flea larvae from finding food. Pet toys and bedding must be washed lawns must be mowed short. After the flea treatment, the home should be vacuumed every three days for 2-3 week. Vacuuming improves the effectiveness of the insecticide by stimulating unhatched fleas to emerge from their protective pupae cases. (Fleas are protected from the insecticide while in the cocoon stage). Once exposed to the insecticide residual, they also will be eliminated.