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Pest Types
All information in this section of our website is taken from the Pest Fact Sheets which are published on the Harrow County Council website. We would like to thank the Harrow County Council Web Team for their kind permission allowing us to reproduce these fact sheets.
All information in this section of our website is taken from the Pest Fact Sheets which are published on the Harrow County Council website. We would like to thank the Harrow County Council Web Team for their kind permission allowing us to reproduce these fact sheets.
Fleas
Among the several different species of flea, those most commonly found in houses in this country are the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) and dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis). The human flea (Pulex irritans) is now extremely rare and is largely found in piggeries. The flea is brown in colour, about 2mm long and 1mm high and is so thin from side to side as to be almost flat. The adult feeds on blood from birds or mammals while the larvae feed on small particles of organic matter.
Fleas are extremely well adapted for their way of life. Their armour makes it almost impossible to squash them and the tall, thin body allows them to move around very rapidly among hairs or feathers.
The creature is capable of jumping a vertical height of over 30 centimetres which represents about 200 times its own body length. This is comparable to a man being able to jump about 350m or 1000 feet!
Fleas are extremely well adapted for their way of life. Their armour makes it almost impossible to squash them and the tall, thin body allows them to move around very rapidly among hairs or feathers.
The creature is capable of jumping a vertical height of over 30 centimetres which represents about 200 times its own body length. This is comparable to a man being able to jump about 350m or 1000 feet!
Life Cycle
Fleas pass through three stages (egg, larvae, pupa) before emerging as adult. The eggs are smooth, oval and greyish white and very small (¼mm). They can just be seen with the naked eye. Unlike louse eggs, they are not attached to hairs. They easily fall off the host animal to continue their life cycle in cracks and crevices on the floor or in the lair or nest of the host. In warm conditions, the egg hatches in about 7 to 10 days into the larvae - a small white thread-like creature with bands and bristles around its body enabling it to move around. The larvae is fully grown (5mm in length) after about 40 days. It then pupates in a cocoon spun from a salivary secretion. The cocoons are normally covered with dust and therefore difficult to discern. The adult eventually emerges after a further 14-21 days. They can lie dormant in their cocoons for months or even years until the vibrations of a likely host stimulate their emergence. If an infested house has stood empty for a long time, the hungry fleas will start to emerge as soon as the new occupants move in.
Their habits
Each individual flea species is more or less dependant upon its own host species, but in many cases it can also suck the blood of other species. Of the 50-60 different species of flea found in Europe, about half occasionally bite humans, but only one species - the human flea - is able to breed on a diet of human blood only. A cat or a dog may have a light infestation of fleas without the human inhabitants of the house noticing, but if domestic animals are carrying large numbers of fleas, there is naturally a greater likelihood that humans will be attacked. A big problem may occur if the cat or dog is removed from the house, the fleas left behind then have no choice but to move to humans. In these cases, you may take comfort from the fact that cat and dog fleas cannot breed without their principal host, and so the infestation will die out on its own. On the other hand, they can live for months on a diet of human blood!
Their home
Both adults and larvae live in cracks and crevices, usually on the floor and in the host animal's bedding.
Treatment of pets In dealing with an infestation of cat or dog fleas, it is necessary to have the host animal treated with a suitable insecticide (veterinary advice should be sought on this matter), and the animal's bedding should also be washed and treated with insecticide.
Treatment
All floors, floor coverings and skirtings should be treated with a suitable insecticide. Particular attention should be paid to cracks and crevices. Either an aerosol spray or dusting powder can be used. Upholstered furnishings and mattresses if infested can be similarly treated whilst bed linen should be washed. Thorough cleaning of floors and floor coverings with a vacuum cleaner is also recommended. Spray the inside of new vacuum cleaner dust bags with insecticide after each use to kill any fleas collected. Many products are suitable for dealing with fleas on floors and furnishings, eg crawling insect killer aerosol spray or dusting powders (usually in puffer packs). Be sure to use only the chemicals which state they are suitable for flea infestations. Always read the label before you buy and carefully obey the safety precautions during use. These products can be purchased from most chemists, hardware stores and vets. For large infestations, it is recommended that professional treatment is sought.
If you are unable to deal with a common pest problem satisfactorily, then contact Commercial Pest Control London. Our rates are competitive and we will get the job done fast and efficiently. For a professional service call Commercial Pest Control London today on freephone 0800 043 2056
Fleas pass through three stages (egg, larvae, pupa) before emerging as adult. The eggs are smooth, oval and greyish white and very small (¼mm). They can just be seen with the naked eye. Unlike louse eggs, they are not attached to hairs. They easily fall off the host animal to continue their life cycle in cracks and crevices on the floor or in the lair or nest of the host. In warm conditions, the egg hatches in about 7 to 10 days into the larvae - a small white thread-like creature with bands and bristles around its body enabling it to move around. The larvae is fully grown (5mm in length) after about 40 days. It then pupates in a cocoon spun from a salivary secretion. The cocoons are normally covered with dust and therefore difficult to discern. The adult eventually emerges after a further 14-21 days. They can lie dormant in their cocoons for months or even years until the vibrations of a likely host stimulate their emergence. If an infested house has stood empty for a long time, the hungry fleas will start to emerge as soon as the new occupants move in.
Their habits
Each individual flea species is more or less dependant upon its own host species, but in many cases it can also suck the blood of other species. Of the 50-60 different species of flea found in Europe, about half occasionally bite humans, but only one species - the human flea - is able to breed on a diet of human blood only. A cat or a dog may have a light infestation of fleas without the human inhabitants of the house noticing, but if domestic animals are carrying large numbers of fleas, there is naturally a greater likelihood that humans will be attacked. A big problem may occur if the cat or dog is removed from the house, the fleas left behind then have no choice but to move to humans. In these cases, you may take comfort from the fact that cat and dog fleas cannot breed without their principal host, and so the infestation will die out on its own. On the other hand, they can live for months on a diet of human blood!
Their home
Both adults and larvae live in cracks and crevices, usually on the floor and in the host animal's bedding.
Treatment of pets In dealing with an infestation of cat or dog fleas, it is necessary to have the host animal treated with a suitable insecticide (veterinary advice should be sought on this matter), and the animal's bedding should also be washed and treated with insecticide.
Treatment
All floors, floor coverings and skirtings should be treated with a suitable insecticide. Particular attention should be paid to cracks and crevices. Either an aerosol spray or dusting powder can be used. Upholstered furnishings and mattresses if infested can be similarly treated whilst bed linen should be washed. Thorough cleaning of floors and floor coverings with a vacuum cleaner is also recommended. Spray the inside of new vacuum cleaner dust bags with insecticide after each use to kill any fleas collected. Many products are suitable for dealing with fleas on floors and furnishings, eg crawling insect killer aerosol spray or dusting powders (usually in puffer packs). Be sure to use only the chemicals which state they are suitable for flea infestations. Always read the label before you buy and carefully obey the safety precautions during use. These products can be purchased from most chemists, hardware stores and vets. For large infestations, it is recommended that professional treatment is sought.
If you are unable to deal with a common pest problem satisfactorily, then contact Commercial Pest Control London. Our rates are competitive and we will get the job done fast and efficiently. For a professional service call Commercial Pest Control London today on freephone 0800 043 2056
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