30/08/2010
Pest of the Month for September
Fleas
Cat Flea (Ctenocephalides felis) Dog flea
(Ctenocephalides canis)
Biology;
Egg - larva - pupa - adult.
Female fleas can lay in excess of 1000 eggs. These hatch
after 2-3 weeks as larva once mature theses pupate and emerge as adults after
3-4 weeks brown in colour and 2mm in length, then becomes parasitic.
Habitat;
Lives among the fur of its chosen host and feeding on its
blood the larva live in carpets and hosts bedding, also feeding on adult f***s.
Importance;
Some fleas can be carriers of disease or may transmit
parasitic worms. Some irritation caused by bites.
Female fleas can lay in excess of 1000 eggs. These hatch
after 2-3 weeks as larva once mature theses pupate and emerge as adults after
3-4 weeks brown in colour and 2mm in length, then becomes parasitic.
Habitat;
Lives among the fur of its chosen host feeding on its blood, larva live in
carpets and hosts bedding, feeding on adult f***s.
It is estimated pet owners
alone spend over £1 billion each year controlling fleas.
Adult fleas are not only a nuisance to humans and their
pets, but can cause medical problems including flea allergy dermatitis (FAD),
tapeworms, secondary skin irritations and, in extreme cases, anemia. Although
bites are rarely felt, it is the resulting irritation caused by the flea
salivary secretions that varies among individuals. Some may witness a severe
reaction (general rash or inflammation) resulting in secondary infections
caused by scratching the irritated skin area. Others may show no reaction or
irritation acquired after repeated bites over several weeks or months. Most
bites usually found on the ankles and legs may cause pain lasting a few
minutes, hours or days depending on one’s sensitivity. The typical reaction to
the bite is the formation of a small, hard, red, slightly-raised (swollen)
itching spot. There is a single puncture point in the center of each spot.
Mosquitoes, bees, wasps and bedbugs cause a large swelling or welt). Also,
fleas may transmit bubonic plague from rodent to rodent and from rodent to
humans in countries where it is endemic. Oriental rat fleas can transmit murine
typhus (endemic typhus) fever among rats and from rats to humans. Tapeworms
normally infest dogs and cats but may appear in children if parts of infested
fleas are accidentally consumed.
Identification;
Adult fleas are about 1/16 to 1/8-inch long, dark reddish-brown, wingless, hard-bodied
(difficult to crush between fingers), have three pairs of legs (hind legs
enlarged enabling jumping) and are flattened vertically or side to side,
allowing easy movement between the hair, fur or feathers of the host. Fleas are
excellent jumpers, leaping vertically up to seven inches and horizontally
thirteen inches. (An equivalent hop for a human would be 250 feet vertically
and 450 feet horizontally.) They have piercing-sucking mouth-parts and spines on
the body projecting backward. Eggs are smooth, oval and white. Larvae are
1/4-inch long, slender, straw-coloured, brown headed, worm-like, bristly-haired
creatures (13 body segments), that are legless, have chewing mouth-parts, are
active, and avoid light. Pupae are enclosed in silken cocoons covered with
particles of debris.
Life Cycle and HabitsFleas pass through a complete life cycle consisting of egg,
larva, pupa and adult. A typical flea population consists of 50 percent eggs,
35 percent larvae, 10 percent pupae and 5 percent adults. Completion of the
life cycle from egg to adult varies from two weeks to eight months depending on
the temperature, humidity, food, and species. Normally after a blood meal, the
female flea lays about 15 to 20 eggs per day up to 600 in a lifetime usually on
the host (dogs, cats, rats, rabbits, mice, squirrels, foxes, chickens, humans,
etc.). Eggs loosely laid in the hair coat, drop out anywhere especially where
the host rests, sleeps or nests (rugs, carpets, upholstered furniture, cat or
dog boxes, kennels, sand boxes, etc.). Eggs hatch in two days to two weeks into
larvae found indoors in floor cracks & crevices, along floorboards, under
rug edges and in furniture or beds. Outdoor development occurs in sandy gravel
soils (moist sandboxes, dirt, under shrubs, etc.) where the pet may rest or
sleep. Sand and gravel are very suitable for larval development which is the
reason fleas are erroneously called “sand fleas.”
Larvae are blind, avoid light, pass through three larval
instars or moults and take a week to several months to develop. Their food
consists of digested blood from adult flea faeces, dead skin, hair, feathers,
and other organic debris. (Larvae do not suck blood.) Pupae mature to adulthood
within a silken cocoon woven by the larva to which pet hair, carpet fibre,
dust, grass cuttings, and other debris adheres. In about five to fourteen days,
adult fleas emerge or may remain resting in the cocoon until the detection of
vibration (pet and people movement), pressure (host animal lying down on them),
heat, noise, or carbon dioxide (meaning a potential blood source is near). Most
fleas overwinter in the larval or pupa stage with survival and growth best
during warm, moist winters and spring.
Adult fleas cannot survive or lay eggs without a blood meal,
but may live from two months to one year without feeding. There is often a
desperate need for flea control after a family has returned from a long
holiday. The house has been empty with no cat or dog around for fleas to feed
on. When the family and pets are gone, flea eggs hatch and larvae pupate. The
adult fleas fully developed inside the pupa cocoon remains in a kind of “limbo”
for a long time until a blood source is near. The family returning from holiday
is immediately attacked by waiting hungry hordes of fleas. (In just 30 days, 10
female fleas under ideal conditions can multiply to over a quarter million
different life stages.)
Newly emerged adult fleas live only about one week if a
blood meal is not obtained. However, completely developed adult fleas can live
for several months without eating, so long as they do not emerge from their
puparia. Optimum temperatures for the flea’s life cycle are 70°F to 85°F and
optimum humidity is 70 percent. The cat flea is the most common flea which
feeds on a wide range of hosts.
Medication;
Relief from itching can be obtained by
applying Vaseline, menthol, camphor, calamine lotion or ice. Highly sensitive
persons should consult their physician for advice.
Treatment;
Treatment is best left to a
professional pest control company. It is often necessary to complete 2
treatments to eradicate the infestation and it is essential that any pets on
the premises are treated by a vet.
Prevention;
Trim lawns and weeds to create a drier,
less-ideal environment for flea larvae. Avoid piles of sand and gravel around
the home for long periods of time. Fence gardens to prevent dogs from roaming
freely in heavily infested areas or contacting other infested animals.
Discourage nesting or roosting of rodents and birds on or near the premises.
Screen or seal vents, chimneys, crevices, etc. where rats, mice, squirrels, may
use to enter crawlspaces and buildings. Wash or destroy pet bedding, regularly
groom pets and vacuum frequently to remove up to 95 percent of the flea eggs,
some larvae and adults. Only about 20 percent of the larvae might be removed
when vacuuming since they wrap themselves around the bottom strands of
carpeting.
Pets;
There are many formulations as shampoos,
aerosols, dips, sprays, dusts (powders), collars, dab-ons, spot-ons and monthly
tablet or oral liquid treatments. Usually, the most effective pet treatments
are available through licensed veterinarians.
Forest Of Dean Pest Control We are a Local Based Pest Control Company that service the Forest of Dean and surrounding areas. All of the Forest of Dean, Chepstow, Monmouth, Tintern, Symonds Yat East and West, Hereford, and other areas of Gloucestershire.
