R.

If you review our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn the real key to breaking any flea infestation is to get their eggs. Our ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES do just that. They're plenty safe for use in any home – even where a child or other other "sensitive" person might reside. More importantly, they actually works. Get this applied to any carpeting found in the home and you'll be well on your way to solving your problem.

Additionally, you should deploy 3-4 FLEA TRAPS in the home where flea activity has been noted. They will really help to both collect any foraging fleas as well as alert you to any problem area you may have missed.

Lastly, don't forget the yard or any pets that have access to the home or the yard. As our article explains, it's important to get control of the problem throughout the home but if you leave the yard and the pet untreated, no doubt the problem will persist.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Flea Control Article:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control

Once A Year Flea Granules:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page23.html

Flea Traps:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page22.html

If you read our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn the cycle of the flea and that it's entirely possible to get a flea infestation without being a pet owner. Basically all you need is one flea and your house or yard can become infested. There are many animals that carry fleas besides the common pets which are mostly to blame for any local infestation. Additionally, the current weather pattern most of our country is experiencing only serves to heighten the chances that such an infestation can occur.

Still, I'm not quite sure you have fleas. Here's why. First, seeing flea eggs is just about impossible. To the trained eye they're quite hard to id; to the average home owner impossible. Second, fleas are very easy to id to the naked eye and not difficult to tell apart from specks of dirt. Lastly, if you did indeed have fleas but no pet that resides in the house, all you would need to do is walk around with bare legs or feet with white socks on. If in fact there were fleas in the home, anyone there would find them landing on their socks or legs. Fleas need food and if there is no host animal in the home on which they can feed, any fleas present will readily attack the people in the home.

At this point if you feel you are unsure or would like to take a proactive approach and do something, I suggest setting out some FLEA TRAPS to start. These do a great job of collecting a wide range of "people seeking pests" and if anything in the home is looking for a blood meal, the traps will surely catch some. This could lead to information that you could then use to solve the problem with the proper treatment the first time around. If after monitoring the problem for some time you still believe there is something living in the carpet or on the floors and would like to spray something, the FLEA TERMINATOR GRANULES would be ideally suited for any carpeting in the home. It's odorless and very safe yet highly effective lasting upwards of a year. For hardwoods or tiled floors, the PRECOR 2000 would be a good way to treat. It's a dry aerosol that can be misted over the area. It's just about odorless, easy to apply and treatments will last many months.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Flea Control Article:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control

Flea Traps:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page22.html

Flea Terminator:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page23.html

Precor 2000:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page246.html

If you take some time to read through our extensive FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn the most favorite place for fleas to stay is on the "host" animal they target. Amongst the favorite host's for fleas will be dogs, cats, squirrels, rats and mice. In fact, pretty much any animal in the yard could have fleas during the summer or warm months. But as our online article explains, fleas don't want to leave their host animal as this is where they get both food and shelter. In fact most fleas will live their entire life on whatever animal they first find. Additionally, this life is quite short and in most cases will be less than a week. All the while they'll be laying eggs on the pet which will live out their life cycle right there under all the fur and pet hair.

So if your pet isn't getting them from the yard, where then are the fleas coming from? Well, the answer is the pet itself. As explained in our article, the pet and the inside of the home are the two most likely places for fleas to be breeding. The pet is actually number one with the house being a close candidate for second place because it's usually infested by the time anyone living there realizes what's happening. In fact the least important area to treat is the yard so I would say to forget it for now and instead focus your attention on the pet.

What usually happens in cases like this the pet will get 1-2 fleas. Once they feed they'll start laying eggs. Most of the eggs will at first stay on the pet. Over time if the problem is allowed to develop without treatments being done, the pet will get so filled with fleas the eggs and larvae will start dropping off them which is what leads to homes getting infested. In many cases it's the pet causing the problem in the yard too.

So at this point it's important that you make sure your pet is being bathed and treated weekly. Using the TRIPLE PY SHAMPOO and some PETCOR should stop the flea cycle on the pet and for now, I'm willing to bet this is the main reason why your problem is continuing to have a problem. If you actually had fleas in the yard or home, you and anyone else living or walking around there would be attacked just like the pet. But when it's just the pet that's getting them, it usually means the pet is the main "flea generator" and only after you take a direct approach of treating it will the problem subside.

Second, if the pet has full access to the house, you should also set out some FLEA TRAPS to make sure they aren't established inside. If you find the traps are catching fleas, treat with our ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES which is by far the safest and most effective method for long term protection. It goes on dry and lasts 6-12 months no problem. Combine this with the direct pet treatments I outlined above and I'm sure you'll be flea free in a few weeks.

Here are direct links to the information and products listed above:

Flea Control Article:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control

Triple Py Shampoo:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page247.html

Petcor:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page2011.html

Flea Traps:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page22.html

Once a Year Flea Granules:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page23.html

If you read our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn some key yet often times unknown facts about fleas. One of the big ones is that in general, fleas don't "hang" out in the open like the grass in a yard. What's most likely out there would be eggs, larvae and pupae. And this would only be true of larvae and pupae if the conditions are right for them to survive past the "egg" stage. As our article explains, these guys need a lot of water, humidity and food to live past the larval stage. Now if they do survive this stage, they'll then pupate and when ready to hatch, they'll only do so when a meal is close by so they can jump on it and feed. The key here is that they'll only hatch out to an adult when food is close by and not because they're ready to hatch.

So to answer your question we need to look at the impact rain has on the four stages of the flea's development. The first stage, eggs, are probably not affected much. If anything, the rain might pick up some and relocate them elsewhere as the water runs down gullies and drains off your property. No doubt some will be relocated to an environment where they won't stand a chance at survival. But surely some will relocate to ideal conditions so in the end rain can't directly kill eggs but indirectly it could have a big impact on what happens to any group of eggs.

The next stage, larvae, are small little worm like creatures which are very weak and vulnerable. They need protection from the weather including extreme sun and rain. No doubt flea larvae probably suffer from a hard downpour. In fact, this stage is probably the one that suffers the most from a good rain.

The third stage, the pupae, is much like a flea egg in that it's protected and secure. Rain, sun and other weather won't much affect it directly in the short term. And though rain might carry it away to a somewhere more remote destination, flea pupae spend all their time waiting for a meal to come by. Meals can be in the form of a cat, dog, squirrel, chipmunk, raccoon, deer and basically any mammal including people. And they can wait a long time. Upwards to a year or more. All this while you never know they're out there laying and lurking but if any type of food comes close enough, it will instinctively hatch and jump onto it's "meal ticket".

Lastly, the adults are no doubt badly affected by direct rain. It will probably kill most any out in the open but as stated above, adult fleas don't make a habit of staying out in the open. Remember, adults only want to feed, mate and lay eggs. Most die within a few days of hatching from their pupae casing and for the ones that last 1-2 weeks, they'll only be able to do so if they're well protected on some animal's skin where they'll be feeding and laying eggs.

So in summary, rain doesn't really do much "killing" of fleas. In fact, we feel rain really does nothing but make the overall flea problems worse. Having been in the business for over 30 years, I've seen a definite pattern between the rain and the fleas. That pattern is simple: more rain, more fleas. In fact, I think it's safe to say more rain, more bugs! No doubt water is essential for most insects and rainy years are undoubtedly "worse" for most people. Of course for us in the bug business, rain is a good thing

Here is a direct link to our Flea Control Article:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control

Thanks for all the time you have put into it.
The information is great and is the most informative one I have found.

Many Thanks,
L.E.

Thanks for the feedback. Our FLEA CONTROL article does cover quite a bit but we feel this is needed. Trying to solve a local flea problem can be frustrating unless you fully understand the way they develop and how each stage interacts with it's surroundings. Once this is understood, the methods we outline to control them makes a lot more sense.

http://www.flea.net/flea-control

I was looking at your website and would like to ask what you would recommend for the flea problem I'm currently having.

I have 2 cats which spend some time in the backyard. This is a horrible season for fleas, as I've never experienced such a problem in the 15 years I've had my cats.

About a month ago, I began noticing my cats scratching more than usual and started seeing flea dirt around the house. I applied Frontline Plus to my cats and they seem to be doing ok…not scratching as much but I am experiencing a big problems with fleas in the house, of course, in the places they hang out which is my bedroom and the kitchen. I have been treating the kitchen which amounts to spraying 3-4 times (once a week). The flea dirt is much less but it's not gone completely. The big problem is my bedroom. I've sprayed the floors in against the walls, in corners, even on my dresser. Seems better now. But, the biggest challenge is the closet. My cats have a habit of running into my closet which means that my closet and all it's contents must be treated too. My closet is full of clothing, much of which requires dry cleaning only. There are also many boxes, shoes on the floor, etc. This is a nightmare. How can I rid my closet of fleas without having to take my clothing to the cleaners or having to wash every single item? What about my shoes? Please advise if there's a painless way of handling this. Thanks so much, R.

If you take some time to review our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn the most important thing about controlling fleas is to get control of the flea cycle. More importantly still is being able to do this by treating the key area or areas where it's happening. No doubt it's been happening on the pets. At this time your treatments of the cats with Frontline should be helping. However, as our article explains, there is no doubt a problem anywhere your cats have had access to roam. This explains why you continue to see fleas on them. Everytime they enter areas where the fleas have been breeding, they'll get new ones on them. Remember, the Frontline takes days to kill fleas so even though new fleas will die once they land on your pets, they'll still be biten and have to endure the discomfort of the fleas presence until you rid them from your home and yard.  And though you feel the bedroom and closet are problem areas, I am 100% sure the entire home must be treated with equal diligence, along with the outside, if you wish to rid yourself of this pest.

Another important point you'll learn in our article is that fleas don't leave host pets. In other words, the thing that will infest your home is the flea eggs which fall off the pet and not the adult fleas since they don't ever want to leave their home (which is on your cats). Doing this will result in their quick death (they're not very mobile and do not migrate anywhere) so instead they try very hard to stay on the targeted host at all times. So how does your home get infested? It gets infested from all the eggs that are dropping off your cats as they walk around your property, both inside and outside, and these eggs can easily number in the thousands since one flea will lay hundreds of eggs. Once they hatch and go through their first 3 stages, they'll lay in wait as flea pupae and hatch only when target animals (people and pets) come close enough to them. And since they can stay in this stage for upwards of a year, it can take a long time for the cycle to run it's course. All the while these hatching pupae will be seen on you and your pets and the general feeling is that the infestation will never end but rest assured it can if you do the right treatments. And just what are the right treatments? Using products that will last long enough to control both new eggs and larvae as they are introduced in the flea environment.

The most important point I'm making here is that even if you did have fleas in your closet, they would be limited to living in the rug below all your clothes and shoes as explained in our article. And though you might think you need to treat these items, the real target of your treatments should be the carpeting. Based on the problem you've described and the information you've included, I'm confident for your home the best approach will be our ONCE A YEAR FLEA POWDER combined with 4-6 FLEA TRAPS placed throughout the entire home. No doubt this will solve the problem though it will take several weeks for all the pupae to hatch as our article explains. However, this is perfectly normal. As long as the powder is installed you'll have something working continuously at killing the flea eggs and larvae which is paramount to solving the problem. Eventually the pupae will run out and since the powder will be stopping larvae from becoming pupae, the torture will finally end.

Lastly, in the yard, apply some BIFEN GRANULES followed up with some CYONARA RTS sprayed over the top. The granules will last a month or two providing long term control and the Cyonara will kill off anything that's hatched our right now. I would recommend reapplying the granules every two months too till the problem is resolved.

Here are direct links to the products and information mentioned above:

Flea Control Artilce:  http://www.flea.net/flea-control

Once a Year Flea Powder:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page23.html

Flea Traps:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page22.html

Bifen Granules:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page242.html

Cyonara RTS:  http://www.bugspray.com/item/cyonara_rts.html

Springtails don't bite so you can rule them out. But the list of possible causes that could make a dog itch, get red spots or scratch themselves is quite extensive. Here are some the top reasons we see this happen.

1) Fleas. If you aren't aware of what a flea looks like, I suggest you review our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE to learn. Fleas are one of if not the largest reason why pets get itchy and scratchy and this year is shaping up to be a wicked flea season. I'd start here on the list of possible reasons so make sure you do a good inspection of each pet to see if they're harboring any. Oh, we get many inquiries from people who have fleas and are asking if they're sporingtails since the two look very similar. And if you have a long haired pets, fleas can easily hide on the pet undetected so they can be tough to spot if you don't know what they are.

2) Ticks. They are quite active right now. Though most tick infestations won't prompt a lot of scratching, it can happen. Learn more about them in our TICK CONTROL ARTICLE.

3) If your pet stays outside a lot, there could be a local MOSQUITO, GNAT, BITING FLY, NOSEEUM or some other pest in the yard feeding on their skin, hair or blood. Any predatory insect that might feed on or close to a dog can cause an allergic reaction such as you are describing.

Additionally, I've seen dogs allergic to grass, pollen (like people), certain rugs or fabrics (since this is a new home it could something in their new environment), cleaning chemicals, some sort of detergent or something else you're doing that's "new" to them. The bottom line is the list of what could be causing them to scratch and itch is almost endless.

At this time I suggest you start with some products to help curb their itching (the symptom). Two we've had great success with is our MELALEUCA SHAMPOO and our OXY MED SPRAY. The Shampoo is an excellent way to start grooming them to both clean anything that might be on them as well as offer skin rash relief. The Oxy Med is best used directly on hot spots if you notice them attacking over and over.

Additionally, I suggest you start trying to determine what is causing the problem. Most of the pests listed above will readily attack people so I'm sure if any of them are involved, you or someone in the home or out in the yard will have similar experiences as the dogs. If that's happening, you most definitely have an insect problem. From there you should be able to figure out what's causing the issue. But if no one else in the home is being bit, getting itchy skin or having any similar problem as the pets, I'm not sure it's any kind of pest involved. At that point I'd consider going to the vet to see if any of the dogs are having an allergic reaction to something in the home or yard.

Here are direct links to all the information and products listed above:

Flea Control: http://www.flea.net/flea-control

Ticks: http://www.bugspray.net/catalog/products/page2.html

Mosquito: http://www.mosquitoes.net/mosquito-control

Gnats: http://www.bugspray.com/article/gnats.html

Biting Flies: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page306.html#biting_flies

Noseeums: http://www.bugspray.com/article/sandflies.html

Melaleuca Shampoo: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1238.html

Oxy Med Spray: http://www.bugspray.com/item/oxy_med_itch_relief.html

First, some good news. I do believe you're at the end of this vicious cycle and unlike most situations I comment on, yours is actually in "good" shape and should be over sooner rather than later. Additionally, it seems as though you have read our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE which goes over all of the problems you're experiencing so you're observations and reasons for what is happening are mostly in line and correct.

Second, the things you might be missing or misunderstood from our article… It's actually the third stage, what we call the pupae, which is the flea we're not able to kill (and not the fourth stage which you listed). This third stage is impervious to chemical and can lay dormant for long periods of time (upwards of a year). As explained in our article, rooms which are void or left empty without people and pets are likely to harbor this stage for a long time. Additionally, cool temps in dark environments tend to prolong their existence. Basements are notorious for such conditions and I've seen fleas survive for more than a year in many different homes so what you're experiencing is not nearly as long as it can go on. From your message, the problem is only 4-5 months old which isn't that long in "flea time".

Additionally, the fact you're going down there and vacuuming is a good thing. But will that get the fleas to hatch? No. As our article explains, the vacuuming serves to remove debris, larvae and even the notorious pupae themselves but it won't help to hatch them any faster. As for the fogging with aerosol bombs; that's definitely not doing anything so you can stop wasting your money and time with them. As explained in our article, you can only kill a flea once it's hatched and at this point, the only time anything in the basement will take a risk and hatch is if you're close enough for them to "get on". So by the time you set out any foggers, they'll already be on you and I don't think the aerosol will be able to find any still around to kill once you leave. But there is one thing you seemingly missed which we list in our article: FLEA TRAPS. You should definitely deploy some of these throughout the basement as they'll help get pupae to hatch for sure thus breaking the cycle that much sooner. We've had vacant homes with nothing but our Flea Traps deployed with tremendous results so they do in fact expedite the process once set out. This video shows some of the results:

http://www.flea.net/flea-traps/rental-property-with-fleas.html

Lastly, the main problem is probably more due to the animal involved than anything else. Cats are usually more inclined to go in "other areas" compared to dogs. They tend to jump and move into cracks and tight spaces. All these locations could be involved here and I wonder if you may have missed some of these when vacuuming the basement. In other words, if the cats were jumping up on a work bench or some shelving, there could be fleas up there now. Eggs, larvae, pupae – all stages could easily find what they need in the confines of the average basement so anywhere the cats may have gone would be prime places to vacuum and inspect. Window ledges, crawl spaces, tops of boxes – any and all of these places are prime locations for our Flea Traps and should be considered. The point is you shouldn't look on the ground only; be sure to look up at all levels present in the basement as they could all be involved with this problem.

In summary, if you continue to treat the pets and the upstairs like you said you did and don't see any fleas up there, I doubt that area of the home is a problem. As for the basement, if you deploy 2-4 Flea Traps, I'm sure you'll break the cycle there too. Lastly, be sure to treat the yard as it warms because undoubtedly there was a problem outside last year that seemingly was missed. Failure to treat this year means almost certainly that activity will be coming back and most likely will be more robust than ever. Get out some granules now, before the season starts, and you should be able to hold it off and prevent a replay of what you experienced this winter inside the home.

Here are direct links to the information and products mentioned above:

http://www.flea.net/flea-control

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page22.html

jonathan

www.bugspray.com

What product and application will solve this so we can rent our house.   Only 4 rooms have carpet.

First, you should read through our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE so you can learn what's happening. As you will find out, our FLEA TRAPS will be a big help given the set of circumstances surrounding your current infestation. Rental properties can be real headache when it comes to flea control but with the right products and some diligence, the fleas can be defeated.

You don't mention if there is anyone living in the house now nor do you mention if there are any pets. This will ultimately factor in when deciding what will be your best treatment option. At this point (if there is no one and no pets in the home), I would say to apply the ONCE A YEAR GRANULES to the carpeting. Next, install FLEA TRAPS throughout. Wait 3-6 days and then start spraying over the surface with PERMETHRIN EC to kill off any adult fleas the traps aren't catching. The combination of Flea Granules, people moving in the house and the Flea Traps should get the pupa hatching and over the course of a few weeks, they should run out and the infestation should be over.

If there are tenants or pets in the home right now, you may have to adjust some of these recommendations. For more advice, give us a call at 1-800-877-7290. We're open Mon-Sat and can further advise on the phone.

Thank you,
T.

Non toxic flea control is best achieved with the ONCE A YEAR FLEA POWDER and the FLEA TRAPS we have featured in our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE. The granules are arguably the best flea product out there and in my opinion the most effective way to treat. I prefer it over sprays and aerosols and having used it many years, I've found it works better and is easier to employ as well. Additionally, neither pose a hazard to your pets – even when walked upon.

As our article explains, the Flea Trap is an excellent tool that when used with the Flea Granules will help you achieve the best results possible. Most homes will require 3-4 traps to get optimal results but it's well worth the investment. As long as you vacuum the "non rug" areas of the home – specifically the hardwood, tile or cement areas – you should be able to keep these untreated areas clean and free of the debris flea larvae need to prosper. In the carpet, the Flea Granules will provide long term control and after a few weeks following the initial treatment, you should be well on your way of achieving "flea free" status.

One last note; start using the PETCOR on the pets to insure you are breaking the flea cycle that could be happening on them. Pyrethrin based spray by itself isn't going to break this cycle and as our article explains, this can be a major contributor to the problem.

Lastly, if you suspect there could be a problem outside, treat the yard as explained in our article.

Stinger Stopper could be used on dogs but it would be overkill, a bit messy and more costly than a true "pet" option. If you go through our FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll find we have several options listed which are designed for this issue. Dogs, cats and many animals can develop skin rash and allergy from insect bites. Fortunately there are specific products that are designed to both heal them and make the itching more tolerable.

First, the OXY MED ITCH RELIEF is ideal for spot treating the bites. It will get the pet to stop itching which in turn will stop skin irritation. At the same time you should start using MELALUCA SHAMPOO at least once a week. This will also promote healing and take away the itch. The big key is to stop using any kind of insect killer on them during the healing time so if there are fleas, mosquitoes or some other insect problem where the pet resides, be sure and take care of it ASAP. Allowing the insects to go untreated will not help the pet in the long run so this issue must be addressed at the same time.

If you need some help identifying the insect causing the bites, give our office a call at 1.800.877.7290 and one of our tech reps will be able to offer some advice.

The following video shows the Flea Trap in detail along with some results after being installed for just one day.

Thanks!

The once-a-year flea granules, First Defense, will not stain or discolor any rug when used properly. I don't think it could change the color of any carpet unless you pour a whole container out in one location and left it there for several weeks. Maybe then the color would fad a bit but I doubt it; the product is just not that caustic and has never shown any type of bleaching characteristic in all the years we've been selling it. If it did, someone would have said something. I personally have used it on all kinds of carpet and furniture varying in color from light to dark and it's never altered any of the treatment surfaces/material. And when applied as it's supposed to be applied ( as the following clips shows), for sure nothing will happen. As you can see, very little of it actually comes out so it's just not enough to really matter. In fact, once it settles in, you won't even know it's there.

On carpets with little to no nap like low laying oriental rugs, you can still use it but it definitely won't last as long. For obvious reasons, the product does vacuum up rather easily without long carpet fibers to hold it in place. First Defense typically adheres to the long strings of standard carpet fibers and on low profile rugs (carpet lacking long carpet fibers), it just doesn't do a good job of lasting as long as it normally can. If you are treating a situation with no current flea problem, I would stick with the First Defense and use it on these low risk rugs trying to hold off vacuuming them as long as possible. And remember, the vacuum can do a good job of removing all the flea eggs and other debris from oriental rugs and other low nap carpeting. It's the long string, more common wall to wall carpeting that poses the real risk and not these low nap area rugs. So even if you don't treat them with the First Defense, a good vacuuming can do wonders and will keep them flea free.

But if you really want to treat them (for example, if you have an active flea infestation and don't want to take any chances),  go with the Precor 2000 listed in our Flea Control article. It's what we recommend for use on hardwood floors too so you'd have a few locations where you could put it to use anyway.

Lastly, don't forget to install some of the Heated Flea Traps. They do a great job of monitoring local activity and if you have an ongoing flea pupae problem, the traps will really make the problem more tolearble.

My cats have long hair and I have found it nearly impossible to get the spray through  the hair and to their skin in all instances.  I also worry as they try to clean themselves after I have sprayed.  I sprayed them a week ago, and have noticed them scratching.  Today, in combing, I was able to get 1 or 2 fleas from 3 of my 5 cats.

I worry that I will not get rid of these fleas before the weather changes and it is time to put on the heat.    My question is … once I have treated the house, if the cats still have a flea or 2, will I have to treat the house again?   Should I worry that they may have ingested a bit of the spray in their incessant grooming after being treated?  And finally, if after being treated twice, do I need to try another strategy?

First, as explained in great detail in our FLEA CONTROL article, pets can many times accumulate adult fleas whether they are on Frontline or some other treatment. An adult flea can withstand these materials for several days so if the cat is in an environment which is producing fleas, expect them to keep getting more on them until the "flea factory" is shut down. Remember, products like Frontline are really targeting the larvae stage of fleas and are not well suited for dealing with adults.

Second, as also explained in our Flea Control article, in virtually every case of indoor pets that have fleas, the fleas are usually reproducing somewhere in the home. Since it only takes one flea hitching a ride on someone that enters the home to get the home infested, failure to treat the home annually will eventually lead to an outbreak (flea infestation). It sounds like this is currently the situation at your house at this time. We always recommend treating homes at least once a year for fleas whether you have them or not. Following this routine insures you'll never have to endure a flea problem; failure to treat is like rolling the dice at some game at Vegas: at some point your luck will run out. Take "luck" out of the equation and start doing some preventive treatments. This approach will hold off fleas effectively which in the long run will make it so much more comfortable for the people and pets of the household.

Third, as our article explains, the best product to use for such homes is the ONCE A YEAR FLEA GRANULES. This odorless, non spray approach is ideal when you have chemical sensitive pets active like cats. Since it only has to be applied once a year, it's also the easiest to employ. I strongly recommend you get some of this product applied regardless of the fact that you are planning on using the Ultracide. In fact, we recommend using the Flea Granules for carpet and furniture and then some PRECOR 2000 for any hardwood or tiled floors in the home. Ultracide is like Precor 2000 so using it on hardwoods or tiled floors would be the best place to employ it. We haven't seen it (or the Precor 2000) work that great on carpeted areas so we recommend the liquid or granules for these areas. If you wish to get the best results possible that will last the longest, follow this advice. If you stick to using just the Ultracide, expect to be doing several applications.

Additionally, you really need to employ some of the FLEA TRAPS we have listed in our article. Generally 2-3 are enough. Since they help collect the hatching pupae, complete control is obtained that much faster when you have some out. The flea traps will also spare your cats some discomfort since the traps will absorb some of the hatching fleas. This means less around to disturb the pets.

As for your concern about getting "rid of fleas before the weather changes"; your fear is unfounded. Fleas will thrive inside during any season if there are conditions conducive for their survival. And in cases where they have been breeding in the home from the start, like they have in your situation, the weather outside has no impact at all. Expect the present situation to continue until control measures are put in place.

As for your questions… Treating the house over and over will be needed if you only rely on the Ultracide. This is because it won't do anything for the hatching adults (as explained in our article) so you are forced to let the problem run it's course. This will take many weeks. Alternatively, if you apply the Once a Year Flea Granules, you'll break their cycle that much faster since the granules causes the pupae to hatch out faster than normal. And with some Flea Traps installed, even faster yet.

Regarding the pets and ingesting of the treatment; for the most part it's a non issue. You should only be applying a small amount to them and this amount should not have any impact. And as we explain in our article, it's most important to get the product deep down to their skin, which is where all the flea action is happening, so do take the time to rub it or brush it in if need be. Dipping a FLEA COMB and lightly combing them where their hair meets their skin is usually a great way to get good coverage on the most important part of their anatomy. The point is if you get it there where it really matters, you'll reduce the exposure to them (compared to just spraying their hair which they can lick pretty easily) and you'll be having a much greater impact on the source of the problem.

we never had this problem before. no, fleas. we do have 6 dogs, but, I vacum 2 times daily. wash floors. the fleas are not upstairs,just in the basement. I have covered registers, to keep them from getting upstairs. I have a critically ill husband , and a citically ill son , in the home . I have empizema.
what do we do???????????????????????????

First, you need to read our on line FLEA CONTROL ARTICLE which will explain all you need to know about this pest. There are several things you'll learn but some of the important ones will be that first, they don't "travel" or migrate on their own so there is no risk of them moving to the other areas of the house. That being said, the other thing you'll learn is that the most common carrier or transporter are pets or people. So if anyone or any pet is going down to the basement, they could easily be transporting the problem to other locations in the home.

Second, 20-25% of our flea control customers are people who do not have pets so any house can get the problem. If you have a pet, the odds are much greater. If you have 6 pets? I don't know how you couldn't get them! As our Flea Control article explains, most animals present or active in the yard can carry fleas. This would include squirrels, chipmunks, cats, mice and anything that you see as well as many animals you don't see. As a pet owner – especially a dog owner – it's highly likely they are going outside into areas where fleas are active. All it takes is one flea jumping on one of your 6 dogs and it's game over: the house can get infested.

So, now that you have them, what should you do? All is explained in great detail in our Flea Control article with the link above but here is the brief summary of what I know will solve the problem and pose no hazard to you or your family.

I'm not sure if the pets, the basement or the yard is your "key" area so for now, I'm going to say you need to treat all three locations. Use the BIFEN GRANULES and the TEMPO to treat this area. Failure to treat where they most likely came from means you'll keep bringing more inside (as will the pets) so you cannot ignore these areas.

Next, get the dogs treated. The PETCOR will get all stages of the fleas and if you treat them 1-2 a week, you should be able to stop the vicious flea cycle that can effectively infest any home if given the chance.

Lastly, get the basement treated with the ONCE A YEAR FLEA POWDER and some FLEA TRAPS. I also recommend setting up some traps in the living area to make sure a problem doesn't develop where everyone is living.

Remember, this problem didn't happen overnight and it's not likely that it will be gone in a day. As our article explains, breaking the cycle can take weeks so have patience and keep going down in the basement to get the flea pupae to hatch out. This will really help get through the cycle completely and get them to "run out" the supply of eggs and pupae which will make conditions that much more tolerable.