By Julie Christensen
We can send a man to the moon , freestanding conjoined Twin and build up computers subject of storing millions of bits of entropy , yet we ca n’t get rid of the common flea . flea can be found almost everywhere , including your grand and your home . If you have pets that mostly be outdoors , you ’ll want to focus your vim on free the yard of flea .
flea are not only uncomfortable for your ducky , but in severe infestations , they can cause serious illness , such as anemia . These blood - sucking pest can also do rash , itching and irritation . Fleas generally hop a ride on dog-iron , cats and domestic fowl , but they can also attack humans . To get rid of them takes a multipronged , ongoing approach .
Creative Commons photo courtesy of Dluogs
The Life Cycle of a Flea
Adult flea lie their egg outdoors in grass and in particular , in louche areas , such as under bush and tree . When the bollock hatch , the larvae begin feeding on animal or plant material , count on the species . The larvae soon spin a entanglement and come forth as adult , just wait to hop a ride on any unsuspicious warm - blooded animate being . If your pets come indoors , they can quickly migrate inside the house , as well . The entire life round of a flea rove from 28 to 42 days and one flea can lie thousands of eggs .
Ridding the Yard of Fleas
When dealing with any pest , it ’s always beneficial to begin with the safe , most lifelike approach . If you have a large grounds , focus your attending on the areas where your pets seem to hang out the most . First , interlard your garden with ail , schnittlaugh and other member of the allium family , which seem to deter flea . Mulch efflorescence bed and pet runs with cedar chips . flea do n’t wish the smell of the cedar and the scrap are probably rag , as well .
Another effective and unsubdivided strategy is to comprise roundworm into your garden . Nematodes , which are microscopic worm , get a spoiled rap and some of them are harmful to garden plants . Many nematode worm , though , are helpful because they feed not on your works , but on flea and other plague . Steinernema carpocapsae nematodes subsist in cool regions , while Steinernema feltiea inhabit in warm areas . Nurseries and garden centers expect nematodes , usually marketed to demolish chuck . Spread the nematode worm in the most troublesome areas and permit them do their body of work .
Then , spread diatomaceous earth over the lawn , as well as under shrubs and in shadowed areas . Diatomaceous earth is the corpse of tiny aquatic animate being name diatom . As these animals became fossilize , their shell were ground into a very all right dust that contains silica . Although diatomaceous earth is completely safe for humans , pets and wildlife , it is toxic to any creature with an exoskeleton , let in fleas .
Diatomaceous solid ground works on fleas in two ways . First , it absorb vegetable oil from the pest ’ organic structure , make them to dry out out and become dried . Diatomaceous earth contain sharp edges that scratch the flea ’ bodies , causing further wound and dehydration .
Diatomaceous terra firma work only as long as it remains dry . Reapply it every 7 to 10 day for several weeks , or until the job is resolved .
Some gardeners swear by Borax , a natural washables product , for deter fleas . Borax is peculiarly in force at keeping them out of the house . Sprinkle borax in the lawn or on the patio near any entryways . Borax deters pismire and other dirt ball too .
Flea Control Indoors
If your pets descend indoors at all , chances are , flea have migrated at heart , as well . Any efforts you make to get rid of fleas in the yard should be backed up by a thoroughgoing cleanup at bottom . Start by vacuuming the theater thoroughly from top to bottom . Vacuum carpets , unvoiced aerofoil , rug and even under the carpet . Vacuum baseboards and box .
attain the couch and mattresses , as well . After vacuuming , put the vacuum bag in a sealed plastic bag and air it to the trash . dampen all pillow , bedding and washable carpeting in fond or hot water , calculate on the textile . Repeat this process over several weeks for a flea - liberal railyard and home .
For more information , visit the follow link :
Natural Flea Controlfrom Mother Earth NewsDiatomaceous Earthfrom the National Pesticide Information Center
Julie Christensen learned about garden on her grandfather ’s farm and mother ’s vegetable garden in southerly Idaho . Today , she subsist and garden on the eminent plains of Colorado . When she ’s not drudge in the dirt , Julie drop a line about intellectual nourishment , education , parenting and horticulture .
