Fleas are making a comeback. This was recently noted in the PCT Magazine article “Trends of the Last Decade”. According to this article, flea treatments have been on the rise over the last several years.
Anyone who has a dog or cat has been advised by their veterinarian to use the various flea and tick treatments to ward off these nasty little buggers. However, it’s believed that the broad use of these repellents has helped these pests to build a resistance to them.
Industry expert, Dr. Gary Bennett, professor of urban entomology at Purdue University, is quoted in this article as saying “Any biologist that works with insects specifically or any other organisms that have high reproductive rates and short generation times knows that there will always be resistance selected.”
The American Pet Products Association conducted its 2011/2012 APPA National Pet Owners Survey showing 62% of U.S. households own a pet, which equates to 72.9 millions homes. Of those households 38.9 million own cats and 46.3 million own dogs. Think about all those homeowners at risk for flea infestations!
It is also thought that this flea revival may be partially due to increased wildlife intrusions. More and more people are finding raccoons, ground hogs, opossums and more entering their property and introducing fleas into a thriving, new environment.
There are several challenges we as pest control experts are facing with regards to flea control: Many PMP’s have not kept up with flea management best practices; they are not familiar with changes in available products as regards to site selection and application methods; and they’ve forgotten flea biology and habits.
Let’s brush up on our research (Mallis, Truman, etc.), let’s study the flea section on those product labels carefully and let’s attend those flea seminars when they appear. Would you like to see Bug Off Pest Control Center conduct a Flea Workshop? Let us know. Also, feel free to share your adventures in flea control with us.
The Center 