Flea Control Sydney – How to get rid of Fleas

“Flea Control in Sydney – Effective Strategies for Eliminating Fleas”

Bruce Gow, a certified Pest Controller, shares his expertise in tackling flea infestations in Sydney.

With over seventy to eighty species of fleas in Australia, the cat flea and the dog flea are the most prevalent, typically black or brown and measuring 1-6mm in length. Cat fleas, found on dogs and cats, are more common.

“Grass Fleas” & “Sand Fleas”

Dispelling Myths:
Bruce addresses the common myth of “sand fleas” and “grass fleas,” clarifying that fleas cannot survive in grass or sand alone. Instead, they inhabit these areas after being shaken off by pets. To combat fleas, regular pet washing with residual flea shampoo is crucial.

While vacuuming helps in mild cases, professional intervention becomes necessary for severe infestations.

If these nasty, itching pests are a problem for you, please call us without delay on 0417 251 911, or fill in form for a free quote and advice about fleas and Pest Control Sydney Metro

Flea Characteristics:
Fleas are wingless jumping insects with flattened bodies, utilizing hooks on their legs to grip hosts. Their powerful hind-legs, equipped with resilin similar to rubber, enable them to jump up to 20cms vertically and 35cms horizontally—over 150 times their body length.

A human with the same sort of jumping power could easily jump right on top of Uluru! (Ayres Rock).

Life Cycle:
Female fleas lay up to 25 eggs daily, leading to over 800 offspring in a lifetime. Eggs hatch within five to fourteen days, developing into blind, leg-less larvae.

Larvae feed on dried blood and organic matter, maturing into pupae after two to three weeks.

Pupae emerge as adults upon sensing vibrations or heat, initiating the biting and feeding cycle. The entire process can take weeks to over a year.

Flea Control Methods:
The A1 Pest Control team  recommends shampooing pets every 2 weeks in summer and monthly in winter using safe, residual insecticides like Permethrin.

Home preparation involves removing children and pets, clearing floor and lawn areas, and vacuuming extensively. Blocking off pet entry points is crucial for long-term protection.

How they will greet you after you return from holidays!

Whenever vibrations or even heat is sensed, the pupa will emerge as an adult and begin biting and feeding off the host. This may take from two or three weeks, or in rare cases over a year. This is why after you return from holidays & enter your home, you are suddenly bitten by large amounts of fleas. Sound familiar?

FLEA CONTROL: Our Flea Guarantees

If you follow all of our directions over the phone, and of those given to you onsite by our technician, we may offer you a rock solid guarantee of satisfaction! Please inquire about this offer at any time by calling us on 0417 251 911, or fill in the form.

Fleas are firstly controlled by shampooing your pet with a safe, residual insecticide. Your vet may have recommended a very safe insecticide called pyrethrin, but this will only last a day.

The shampoos we recommend contain “Permethrin”, which are technically called a synthetic pyrethroid. There will last a lot longer and aren’t as dangerous and smelly as are other Organo-phosphates such as Diazinon & Maldison.

Tip: Look at the active ingredients section at the front of the bottle or can. Always follow the application and safety directions on any flea pest control product.

We recommend that you shampoo your pets every 2 weeks in the summertime and about every month in winter.

Preparing your home for flea treatment.
On the day of treatment, these things should be done before we get there:

1. Remove all children & pets from the areas about to be sprayed
2. To get the maximum benefit of the treatment, remove all objects from the floor & lawn areas
3. We cannot spray long grass, as it will not get to the ground area that needs to be treated. Mow lawns & hose dry areas to get the eggs to the surface. This will also help keep the evaporating effect of the insecticide down.
4. Vacuuming all floor areas and carpet, especially skirting boards & under furniture & cushions. Vacuum bags can be discarded or sprayed with common fly spray in order to kill any adult fleas captured within the bag.
5. BLOCK OFF AREAS FROM ENTRY BY PETS
   This is vital for long-term protection. If your pet is going under the house carrying fleas, these will be dropped into the soil. We cannot flood the area to get to where they are breeding, as the amount of pesticide that is need would be dangerous to your pet and to yourself.So the answer to permanent flea relief is to block entry permanently so that your pet cannot enter. I’m sorry, but that is the ONLY answer. Otherwise it will be an endless cycle of fleas being killed outside, and being picked up again when your pet goes underneath your house.
6. The bedding of your pets is to be thoroughly washed or thrown away prior to treatment
7. An Insect Growth Regulator (or I.G.R.) may also be used in tablets which are added to your pet’s food. You can get I.G.R.s from your vet. A common trade names are called “Programme” or “Pro-ban.”
8. After our treatment your pet should be washed again ASAP after the treatment with shampoo or a residual flea powder.

If you use these simple methods will get your pet and home flea-free within just a few days in minor infestations, to about one month in more severe cases.

Are you renting? See our End of Lease Flea Treatment and End of Lease Flea Control pages for some quick tips. Also see our Flea Pest Control pages.

Is YOUR home protected? Remember A1 Pest Control for your home’s complete termite and flea pest control systems.

Call us today on 0417 251 911 or send us a message today for advice or free quotes!

Flea Control Methods

Flea Guarantee:
Following A1 Pest Control’s instructions grants a satisfaction guarantee. Shampooing pets with safe insecticides and preparing the home for treatment are key steps.

We suggest insect growth regulators (IGRs)be used in flea treatment for added protection.

Non-chemical methods of prevention and control

Cleanliness is an important prerequisite to flea control.

Maintaining cleanliness is vital, with thorough cleaning of floors, carpets, and pet-favoured areas.

Outdoor and subfloor areas should be addressed to disrupt flea breeding environments. Exclusion of rats and other small mammals also helps prevent flea problems.

Insecticidal control

Insecticides and growth regulators (IGRs) are applied strategically, considering the extent of infestation.

Cooperation with pet owners is essential, emphasizing the treatment of both premises and pets simultaneously.

Our technicians don’t undertake treatment of pets. This is the job of yourself or your veterinarian.

The animal may be taken to a pet wash professional for de-fleaing.

In any case, only products specifically registered for flea control on pets should be used. These may be powder formulations or washes. Even if the treatment is entirely successful in killing all the adult fleas on the animal, re-infestation is usually only a matter of a short time if the pet is allowed to range widely or mix with other pets away from the home. some pet owners seek longer-term protection of pets from adult fleas with insecticidal collars or with a program of ingestion of a systemic insecticide. Pet owners should consult their vet about matters dealing with the direct treatment of their pets.

Improvements in the treatment of pets against fleas have seen a significant reduction in the amount of flea control work undertaken by pest control operators. Thorough vacuuming of the premises, prior to treatment with insecticides, can be advantageous.

If you do this, it is advisable that the contents of the vacuum cleaner be incinerated or sprayed with an appropriate insecticide.

Some types of insecticide formulations and methods of application are summarised as follows:

Surface spraying – The types of insecticides most commonly used in flea control are organophosphorus, carbamate, synthetic pyrethroids and IGRs as emulsifiable concentrates, wettable powders or suspension concentrates. These materials may have a residual life of up to a few months, depending on conditions.

As carpets and rugs must be treated indoors, the choice of an insecticide with low mamallian toxicity is clearly desirable.

Indoors, surfaces treated should, within safety constrains, include all surfaces that may harbour eggs, larvae, pupae or adults.

Typically, carpets, rugs, areas under rugs, crevices in upholstered furniture, floorboard cracks and wall-floor joints may all require attention. Outdoor areas and subfloor areas may require attention.

It is sometimes advisable to wet such areas with a hose prior to penetrate into dry, dusty soil.

Dusting – Dusts, though not often used in flea control, can be useful for the treatment of areas where spraying is difficult or dangerous.

The treatment of roof or wall voids and basements can, if necessary or appropriate, be carried out using dust formulations. Present a complex problem and effective treatment will rely on the co-operation of the occupants. Steps to consider include.

1. Determining the extent of flea activity.
2. Arranging treatment of pets (for adult flea control).
3. Advising thorough vacuuming and cleaning.
4. Applying insecticides carefully, aiming at all the possible habitats that larvae or other stages may infest.
5. Advising the occupants of the importance of regular attention to pets and the importance of cleanliness in the home.

Once the premises and surrounds have been cleaned and treated at the same time as the pets have been treated, and provided the pets have been restricted from the treated areas, control should be established within a week or two. Heavily infested or chronically infested homes may take longer to fully gain control and may need additional treatments at an additional expense.  This is a scenario that doesn’t suit every homeowner but, once the vet advises on the most appropriate systemic flea control, the pets are likely to bring home fewer adults that will survive to establish a new infestation. If you have a current flea infestation, it it is not unusual to take 2-3 months to gain 100% control. No insecticide can instantly kill eggs or pupae. See http://www.pestproducts.com/controlfleas.htm. A lot of clients assume that 100% effectiveness should be obtained immediately after treatment, and this is simply not the case unless it is an early, light occurrence of fleas.

To hasten the effectiveness of our insecticidal management, we incorporate IGRs (insect Growth Regulators) which inhibit the moulting process and breaks the breeding cycles. At all times, our main goal is to protect you, your family, pets and the environment.

Conclusion:
Flea control is a collaborative effort, combining chemical methods with client-directed preventive measures.

We emphasize the importance of regular pet care and cleanliness to achieve long-term flea control.

While immediate results may not be apparent, patience and continued efforts are key to complete flea eradication.